Packed lunch police

[penneforyourthoughts]

DD’s school has changed their packed lunch policy and no longer allows them to have juice cartons of any description.

I know that there are bigger problems in the world but it’s made me pretty cross. DD is quite food avoidant and I do my best to pack a sensible lunch for her but I like the fact that I can give her fruit juice (flavour, texture and one of her five a day, I think).

I don’t want to make a fuss because it’s a great school but AIBU to raise it with them?

I'd not be happy about this. Nursery once stopped dd having her drink at lunchtime because it had a splash of cordial in, but they let her have a carton of fresh juice when I sent that which had loads more sugar in. I was not happy about that as it was the middle of summer and very warm. Unless you're sending chocolate spread sandwiches, bar of dairy milk and a slice of cake every day then a carton of juice should be fine. Ridiculous.

@EerieSilence

Exactly, surely part of the education schools should be providing is about developing personal agency and decision making skills.

This idea that "rules are there to be followed" and compliance must be 100% for everyone at all times is nonsense, and I really question the emotional development of the adults who make those arguments.

I think part of it is a sort of "teacher vision", where people who work in schools become so blinded and insular that they don't really function as adults. I know of one person who spends their personal time complaining about sixth formers not wearing their uniform correctly.

Perhaps if they dropped all the crazy rules, impossible standards and constant micromanagement, we'd hear less about how they're so overworked and overstretched.

I’d say decanter it.

However. I did this for years. But eventually was found out. They took away her drink and my daughter who had kidney issues. I was furious.

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

To all the holier than thous moaning about juice not being part of your 5 a day, do you realise that the NHS states it can be included as 1 portion?

The NHS food guidelines (especially the "Eatwell Guide") are a complete mess, not evidence-based, out of date, and were created by members of the food and drink industry rather than by medical experts. You can call fruit juice a "five a day" item if you like, you can also call your mother a bus but that doesn't make it true 😹

bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/24/1730

There are 600 children at our local primary school. 600 juice cartons, 600 straws, 600 little plastic sleeves... so much unnecessary waste every day... or water from a tap in a reusable bottle... you can see why they make the rule.

@EerieSilence
Seriously, girls can't have their hair below a certain length? Never heard of that.
As for making girls wear trousers, it's actually against the law, although I realise it's very common. If you make a real proper fuss - and seriously threaten legal proceedings - then there'll back down, ostensibly because they don't want to spend money on legal fees, but in reality because they know they will lose and have eggs on their face (plus legal fees!).
Not trying to out you, but do you mind disclosing the name of the school - this is something I've quite an interest in.

@Siriisatwat

I cannot stand it when schools do this (barring the very odd horror story of cold happy meals, most parents are doing their best to provide what their children will eat).

When ds was little, his school banned cheese and full fat yogurts, telling everyone they could only bring in low fat. Parents quite rightly complained, that children need full fat diary and they didn’t want them eating low fat ones stuffed with artificial sweetness. School backed down.

I would email them. It’s a carton of juice, not crack.

Shocking that your school attempted to enforce a 'low fat' lunchbox

They are clearly stuck in the 90s

@Mistlewoeandwhine

I hate this rule. My eldest is autistic and I actually had to take him out of school in Year 1 because he also had epilepsy and refused to drink water at school. It was physically harming him. In his class there was also a child with repeated water infections due to not drinking water and another mother said her child had headaches every day for a similar reason. My son is in Year 11 now and doing mocks today. I’ve sent him into his water only school with flat Dr Pepper in a non-see through bottle as we discovered that that caffeine massively helps him focus so it’s a good exam tool for someone with extra needs.

Mistle, only see through bottles are allowed in the actual exams. Sorry if this has already been mentioned, I haven’t read the whole thread.

@TataMamma - I would prefer not disclosing the name of the school.
I didn't threaten the school with legal proceedings because when it comes to education, they're excellent and tbh, people simply started the path of passive resistance. It's ridiculous though and contrary to everything education should stand for.

Sugar-free squash is the worst. I don't allow DD to drink anything 'low fat' or 'sugar-free' as they are full of additives like aspartame (cue - Slimming World yoghurts) - nasty.

Put whatever she wants into an opaque plain bottle.

At our school, water only in drinks bottle. Some kids bring in juice carton for lunch but not all.

The worst to open are Capri Sun. Can’t think of the other one that now has cardboard straw but you can’t open carton as the straw bends 🙄

Yeah, my autistic kids would not drink either.

I bought, the most colourless squash I could and put it in an opaque bottle. better that they actually drink something than go without all day.

one of mine still has lemonade for breakfast otherwise they will drink nothing from 10 pm until 4 pm. on the basis that it is not healthy to have nothing to drink for 18 hours.

Do posters really give a fig about what other parents feed their children on?

Thank god my kids school doesn’t have any rules around lunchbox contents other than ‘no nuts’.

Education, like the NHS, has nosedived under the Tories. 🤦🏻‍♀️

@EerieSilence
Understood, but I'm not sure what girls can achieve with the path of passive resistance with a school that forces them into skirts/dresses, and even has weird rules on hair length. Parents having a moan at PGA meetings just doesn't change this. A letter send to Governors stating the law and threatening taking it seriously makes people sit up and think. There are organisations that give free advice and templates on this. Not suggesting you actually sell your house and go legal mind :).

So glad this wasn't a thing when mine were little. Both DC super anxious to comply with rules so might have over ridden my natural resistance to pointless rules.
Rubbish can all be sent home, no need for schools to get involved in disposal.
It's only one part of the nutritional day.
When you have faddy children it's a challenge to find things that are suitable to put in a packed lunch and will be eaten.
There was a phase when DC1 (now a healthy 25 year old) took jam sandwiches and an apple to school every day for months. TBF the apple came home untouched and was packed again for the following day until it got too battered.

The NHS food guidelines (especially the "Eatwell Guide") are a complete mess, not evidence-based, out of date, and were created by members of the food and drink industry rather than by medical experts. You can call fruit juice a "five a day" item if you like, you can also call your mother a bus but that doesn't make it true

My comment was directed at the posters who are categorically saying that fruit juice isn't one of the 5 a day.

Thank god my kids school doesn’t have any rules around lunchbox contents other than ‘no nuts’

Education, like the NHS, has nosedived under the Tories

Yes, if we want to send our children to school with sugary drinks, and have their teeth rot then god dammit why can’t we. OR you could teach children to drink water from an early age, and if they have to have juice, they could have it after school where they have access toothbrushes more readily, rather than letting the sugar sit on their teeth all day.

clearly you don't have secondary school children. You can tell them all sorts of things. They rarely take any notice. And what you cannot do is make them eat something specific.

Mine eat very healthily at home with fruit and veg but when they are out of the house they generally eat no fruit or veg. I don't bother sending them to school with it to bring it home smushed to throw away and they don't choose to buy it from the canteen. They mostly eat crisps, cake, chocolate, pizza, chips. I just don't worry about it and make sure they have proper balanced meals at home, fruit with breakfast, veg with dinner.

@Derbee

Thank god my kids school doesn’t have any rules around lunchbox contents other than ‘no nuts’

Education, like the NHS, has nosedived under the Tories

Yes, if we want to send our children to school with sugary drinks, and have their teeth rot then god dammit why can’t we. OR you could teach children to drink water from an early age, and if they have to have juice, they could have it after school where they have access toothbrushes more readily, rather than letting the sugar sit on their teeth all day.

I believe what most parents object to is the rampant hypocrisy.

Parent provided packed lunches = mustn't contain sugar, junk food, fizzy drinks etc

School packed lunch for school trip = sandwich or massive roll made of. white bread, Marge and little filling; crisps, shitty prepacked "flapjack" covered in icing, token orange or apple which will get left.

School lunch - lasagne and chips followed by chocolate sponge and chocolate custard

Most children won’t drink skimmed milk. Full fat white milk is much better than chocolate semiskimmed or skimmed, which is the alternative in most American schools.

@DaphneDeloresMoorhead I can agree that the hypocrisy is infuriating. But I don’t understand the specific issue of juice. There is no good reason for children to drink fruit juice.

@Ericaequites
Agreed. I wasn't suggesting the chocolate variety!
I think so much of it comes down to what you are used to at home. My parents moved me to skimmed when I was 5, and I'm so glad they did. I genuinely cannot bare anything else, and still drinks lots of it. I think most people weren't moved by their parents, and if they are used to something creamier naturally opt for that in schools and other settings. I'm defo moving my kids onto skimmed but when they are 5, as per NHS advice. Pretty sure schools in UK not serving chocolate milk mind :).

@Derbee
But there's no good reason not to drink fruit juice, so why are the school banning it?

Because they like it and there is nothing wrong with it in moderation and as part of a balanced diet. Like every other food.