These playtime snacks are not practical?

[UndertheCedartree]

The school newsletter last week had an article trying to encourage parents to send in healthier snacks for their DC at playtime.

I find this is such a minefield as my DD isn't always hungry at playtime so whatever I send needs to be able to last being in a school bag for a few days and still be edible.

This rules out many of the suggestions such as vegetable sticks and houmous, yogurt and crackers and cheese. These should all be low fat too which I don't buy anyway. Also suggest fruit salad but again, this will go off and many whole pieces of fruit get bruised etc. And then as at many schools, nuts aren't allowed so that rules out sending in whole nuts or naked bars.

Some of the other suggestions I found quite strange such as toast, crumpets and bread.

They used to have a tuck shop selling healthier snacks but it stopped in Covid and now can't start up again because the school is now cashless. I did suggest parents paying in advance for fruit and vegetable snacks like they get in Infants but the school have said logistically this is not practical.

Anyone have any good suggestions for robust healthier snacks? I appreciate what the school are doing but ultimately if my healthy weight and healthy eating DD has a pack of snack a jacks or mini cookies a couple of times a week, I'm not that bothered.

Same here. Not Glasgow but Central belt, 1980s. My play piece was usually salt and vinegar crisps. I remember other kids having Monster Munch, really messy and smelly.

OP, what about Mini Babybel? Or a satsuma.

PMSL at the idea of kids sitting down to eat fruit salad delicately from a tub.

The trouble is sometimes she is very hungry and it wouldn't look good if she had no snack.

Surely primary school kids aren't carrying their bags around enough to bruise an apple in one day? Take it out and give on the way home or once home. DS occasionally has the same apple in his bag for a few days as he forgets to eat, it's perfect edible in day two or three.

How do you dehydrate them?

I think you are looking to make issues where there isn’t one. Put a piece of fruit in a small box and it won’t get bruised. I don’t know what you are doing to an apple/orange that it is become inedible in a few hours.

Mine takes one of those chocolate crêpes in a sealed pack.

No rules on low fat, just not allowed chocolate bars....

Apple or banana. If she hasn't eaten it give it as an after school snack. Else dried fruit should keep a couple of days; apple rings, mango, banana chips etc Only thing is they stick to your teeth.

Posts like this make me so glad I grew up in a time where I could eat dried fruit or a bag of crisps without it being confiscated. I was going to suggest one of those little long life tubs of of fruit. But that is in fruit juice which is basically the same as crack now.

YANBU

I think all schools should have a fruit bowl and the children can pick a piece out if they’re hungry.

So much gets wasted because kids don’t eat it and then it’s squished by the time they get home and of course there are many children who don’t have snacks, especially healthy ones.

A big bag of apples, oranges and bananas are around £3 which is about 10p per parent per week.
So I think most parents would be happy paying towards a class fruit bowl.

There was a day she was very hungry and almost fainted before lunch. So I need to give her something but she probably eats it 2 days out of 5.

I send yo-yos or an apple. Occasionally a snack pack of dried apricots or raisins, or some mini cheddars.

You know that raisins are dehydrated grapes right?

These would be perfect but typically she doesn't like them!

Oh banana chips would also be perfect! Get a big bag and send a handful in a little ziplock.

Thank you!

Cheerios could work, thank you!

I would question where they got there "low fat" advice from. They should be running around and socialising at break time not eating - it was playtime in my day. My son's primary school don't do snacks. They only do 3 hours before lunch.

Suggest that the PTA fundraise to provide fruit snacks for everyone like the little ones get. They did at my son's school, although it was a small school, probably wouldn't work with large numbers.

I bought DD some yoghurt drinks the other day for when we're out and about. I think they're probably munch bunch and come in a bottle and are fine out the fridge for up to 8 hours

Well I'm not sure cold toast or plain bread would be that appetising!

She is a fan of things in cute shapes!

Pack of raisins

Thank you

No, but they wouldn't be allowed to eat it and it would be brought home - although I'm basing that on nursery when I forgot and sent a Naked bar in.

Fruit, nuts, dried banana chips, trail mix, snack a Jack's, yoghurt covered go ahead bars etc.

Using a dehydrator but I used to use the oven at 60 degrees (it does take several hours though). They are crisper than raisins so don't stick to his teeth as much. We do jerky in the same way for a protein based snack