To not send sweets to school?

[woothatsalotofstairs]

DC's birthday coming up soon, and I'm in 2 minds about sending them into school with sweets to give out to the rest of the class, as is the norm here.

I'm not a knob about sweets or sugar in general, but there's been a fair few birthdays already which meant lots of sweets coming home, and some of them not the type I'd normally allow (but too hard/lollipop type).

Is there any alternatives to sweets that are still fun and don't make me look wanky?

At my dd’s school it’s normally mini haribo packets or maoam from multipacks, given out at the door at home time only, so parents essentially get a chance to intervene and save for after tea if that’s their thing. I don’t mind it, I would rather my kids have nutritious meals and a varied diet with treats, than learn that food is “bad” and have restrictions on what they can have. I also try to see this sort of thing from the kids perspective - which is about giving, sharing, celebrating, fitting in etc etc. Having said that, neither my dd or I would have any issue with another kid not giving out sweets - it’s not done universally and that’s fine too. No one yet has given out a healthy treat or non-food. I think stickers would be my preferred non-food or non-sweet choice. Hope you come to a decision that you and kid are happy with.

Sweets is standard at DDs infants (she’s Y1 now). Most people do the mini bags of Haribo, some have done the swizzels multipacks, or lollipops, or a tub of celebrations and each child gets one.
It’s got to be something packaged for allergy reasons. They get given out as they walk through the door at home so the parent/carer is aware.

I recommend mini bags of Party Rings. (you get 5 or 6 mini bags in a multipack bag). They are Vegan so suitable for all children, unlike regular Haribo which contain gelatine. Less sugar than regular sweets (probably). And all the kids seem happy to get them.

Csn you not just send in a multipack of haribo?
The bags ard tiny there cant be more than four or five sweets in them.

I'd probably do bubbles or something along those lines. If you do get sweets just go for something gelatin/allergen/nut free.

The best sweets for their teeth would be chocolate so how about mini chocolate bars. My kids don't like sweets so used to bring all the bags of haribo home for me 😂

Another vote for small bags of Haribo

Our school doesn't allow this. Parents have given out : fruit kebabs, fruit wind ups, bubbles, party bag toy each, strawberries (always popular).

Our school is a no sweets zone which I prefer

Echoing ‘the haribo has gelatine in so is a no for Jews and Muslims’ line.

Lol at pp's "such a buzz kill"

There are various vegan and colouring-free lower sugar sweets and marshmallows in my local healthfood store although I haven't seen any multipacks. Panda soft licorice bars in raspberry are nice and come in multipacks of 4. The Yoyos with the bear on the front (fruit whirls, 100% fruit still very sweet obviously) go down well. Multipacks of 9, the blackcurrant are particularly nice in my opinion. Jelly tots are vegan and halal (I checked this recently) and come in packs of 4 small bags.

I am another who thinks "just send in sweets" but I agree that there are better and worse options. On the other hand most sweets these days don't have those awful colourings in including Smarties, a lot such as most M&S ones are vegetarian at the least (no gelatine).

I have no idea why you think a fairy cake is particularly better and surely they will get crushed on the way home?

I like this idea.

And the child would then get repeatedly wished a Happy Birthday from others throughout the school, too.