School healthy eating policy

[Sillysausage2]

Our primary school had a healthy eating policy, no fizzy drinks, no juice, no chocolate spreads, only home made treats allowed.
every morning there’s an argument because x has Nutella wraps, y has sweets every day, z has juice all the time etc.
I don’t want to be that parent but I’m sick of the rows every morning before school, mine take salad wraps, rolls, sandwiches, fruit and youghurt or something like that which they like but obviously would prefer something crap when they’re sitting beside everyone eating them all the time. I bake frequently so they do get buns or something most weeks.
AIBU to ask the school if they’re going to have a policy then why not stick to it or change it?

If they get buns, along with yoghurt and fruit most of the time what else do you feel you need to feed them?
Are you really going to do Nutella sandwiches because someone else feeds that to their kids?

This sounds impossible to enforce! My DDs school is nut free so no Nutella allowed but it’s never been said they can’t have biscuits/sweets or whatever in their packed lunch. And where do you draw the line: a flavoured yoghurt could be full of sugar too but is that ok? Or a fruit winder? I can’t imagine it would go down well being told we all have to supply home made treats!

Tell them they can have Nutella, sweets and juice at home.

I have a similar issue in that they are all supposed to take in a snack for break time and it is meant to be fruit or vegetables only. My kids keep asking to have malt loaf instead because apparently that is what their friends have. I am also considering contacting the school to ask them to be a bit stricter about their snack policy.

However, I am also aware that this might not go down well with parents and also that some may be struggling to get fruit and veg.

I am very surprised any school allows nuts these days. Aside from that tell them they are lucky to get a nice lunch. You are the parent.

I’m just sick of the rows most mornings about why can’t I have Nutella wraps, jam sandwiches etc because all of these ones do. I’ve 3 of them to get out in the morning and instead of having a nice morning spending time with them I go to work in bad form after arguing with them for an hour.
if the school either enforced their policy or changed it then it would eliminate that.
I don’t want to be giving them sugar filled crap to eat for lunch every day either

Hillarious · Today 10:29
Tell them they can have Nutella, sweets and juice at home“

this.

How would it help if school scrapped the policy? Would you be happy sending them in with junk then? They need to learn that what other people eat has nothing to do with them, regardless of the rules.

I agree with no sweets and fizzy pop, it would be ridiculous to send those in. Chocolate spread and jam sandwiches are just crap and as your kids will eat wraps with salad, you’d be mad to change it.

But I’d speak to the school. Lots of rumours went round my kids primary about how strict the policy was, like they can’t have a pack of crisps or juice and ‘bad’ food will be taken off children.

I spoke to the school and they were just trying to encourage balanced lunches. They had a few parents sending in 2 packets of crisps, a twirl and a can of Coke in and we’re just trying to stop the extreme cases like that. They were fine with a sandwich/wrap, yogurt, apple, bag of crisps and carton of OJ.

They can’t have Nutella sandwiches and sweets for lunch because these things are rubbish food, and don’t give you the nutrition and energy you need for a day of school. Other children’s parents either don’t know this or don’t care enough, but you know and care better. If you don’t want them having sugary junk for lunch then you need to be clear and firm about it being your decision and nothing to do with lunchbox policies or what anyone else does.

I was surprised about the things my children said other kids have in their lunch, toffee crisp, haribo! My kids school doesn’t allow Nutella

You could break the rule or stick to it. It's a very common battle that kids try to win. "Everyone else in my year gets more pocket money/ plays Fortnite / has a phone" - my response is the child friendly version of "tough shit".

Thier pack ups sound perfect. It's really irrelevant what anyone else has in theirs. I can see why the school would have a policy, I can see why some parents would break it, and I can see it would be very difficult to enforce. Annoying for you but just hold firm. This is a bigger battle and ultimately your kids will accept that generally, just because someone else has something, doesn't mean they can.

My son gets healthy lunches everyday. Fruit, veg, brown bread sandwich, yogurt and some kind of dried fruit bar. Every now and again I put in a treat, like a cupcake or some crisps. I once ran out of food and gave him a jam sandwich and whatever I could scrape together for lunch. As far as I’m concerned, I’m his parent and it’s my business, within reason, what I feed him. Feed your kids what you want them to eat and forget what other parents do.

This does seem more a pester power issue rather than school issue.

I know you’re likely already at the end of your tether dealing with surround sound complaints but I’d strongly urge you to stick to your guns, at this age it’s about what they have for lunch, in high school and on the issues become bigger, more difficult to manage and more expensive.

DD complains of similar as she says other kids have chocolate bars and brownies in their lunchboxes. I know the parents of some of them packed lunch kids and I know they do put them in so she’s not lying (they were complaining about the healthy schools policy as one parent got ‘told off’ for sending a fizzy drink). I told her she can’t as it’s a healthy school and unhealthy things might get taken off her. As a compromise I bake something for her to have as a Friday treat.

I understand how you feel. They watch each other and compare, don't they. Especially treats, juice, and other things they would like - my son's told me someone has light up school shoes, and I would've thought they are not allowed.

As someone else said, it's very hard to enforce but it's still good to have the rules as a guidance of what is seen as right for all the children, hoping the majority will comply.

I hear your point, but I think realistically it would be easier to change what you’re doing with your kids than to persuade the school to enforce the policy properly. I suggesr a compromise. They have have (x treat) when they get home from school, but only if they’ve managed not to nag you at all that morning. Doesn’t have to be every day. I imagine if you stick to this they will learn.

I’d stick to policy. You’re my dc and are having a healthy lunch. I don’t care what Sam and Sally have.
In my day it would have been tough there’s starving babies in Africa.
From school’s point of view it’s very tricky. Perhaps Sam’s mum can only afford jam butties or she sends what food bank have given them.
Some children have adjustments for disability eg they have autism and a restricted diet or need calories.
Depending on age of children those are things to discuss. They will hear news about cost of living and see food bank basket in supermarkets.

On a practical note can they help make lunches night before. Maybe with element of choice - apple or satsuma, cheese or yoghurt etc.