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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Nursery gave baby rusks

199 replies

Wonderingabt · 13/12/2023 21:44

7 month old recently at nursery.

They've fed her rusks. Should I be worried?

I don't offer rusks at home because I heard they are full of sugar. I was fed them myself as a baby though as were others in 80s.

A nursery worker today commented that 'she loves rusks'. Do I need to step in and say no rusks? I hate the idea of kicking up a fuss but I don't want her eating rusks every day. Once a week I can cope with.

The rest of the nursey food seems healthy but I'm surprised they give rusks as I assumed they know about sugar etc. Unless these are special rusks...do those exist?

Yabu - no need to kick up fuss
Yanbu - tell them no

OP posts:
Piglet89 · 13/12/2023 22:02

@VeterinaryCareAssistant yeah but rusks are a gateway drug to KitKats and shit.

RedbrickOrNoBrick · 13/12/2023 22:03

I used to send in Holle organic sugar free rusks for mine. Both are now sugar crazed teens but hey, I got them to a year sugar free!

sugarweregoingdownsinging · 13/12/2023 22:05

I'm mid-40s and still love a rusk 😂 Every so often I'm reminded of the intensity of baby years like this thread. It's a rusk, your baby likes them, as long as there's a fairly balanced diet going on otherwise you're grand. Unless you feed cups of sugar for all other meals of course.

brokenbitbybit · 13/12/2023 22:06

Hahah @Piglet89 love it 😂😂

Junobug · 13/12/2023 22:08

I've got 4 and by no. 4 my standards had hit the floor but I would still not allow rusks at this age and I'm genuinely shocked a nursery allows them. There is absolutely no nutritional value to a rusk and whatever your own values are, the nhs doesn't recommend sugar under 1 which is the least a nursery should be aiming for. It would genuinely make me question other things the nursery is doing.

ColleenDonaghy · 13/12/2023 22:11

Just speak to them and ask what brand they use. If you're not happy, ask them to give something lower in sugar. Odds are it'll be no big deal at all.

Ours used to break out the biscuits around home time. I had it filed under not ideal but not a big deal until one day I was there and the room lead took out one of those packs of two kiddilicious wafers and divided it up between 8 babies Grin

Seeline · 13/12/2023 22:11

Check what they actually were before complaining.
My gran used to give me risks - basically fingers of bread dried in the oven until hard. Great for teething.

RethinkingLife · 13/12/2023 22:12

Do you know the brand and the serving size, OP? For some, it's < 1g of sugar per rusk (e.g., Organix Ruskit).

Mynaddmawr · 13/12/2023 22:14

I wouldn't be overjoyed but its not a major problem, just ask them to not give them to her in future. For an alternative you can pop in with her, I tried this recipe this week for my 7 month old and she really liked it! https://mykidslickthebowl.com/basic-banana-oat-baby-cookies/#recipe

Basic Banana Oat Cookies - Suitable for babies and toddlers

Basic Banana baby cookies, easy baby led weaning recipe, breakfast or snack, soft finger food for babies

https://mykidslickthebowl.com/basic-banana-oat-baby-cookies#recipe

honeysuckleweeks · 13/12/2023 22:15

I thought they were great. Teething rusks. They just gnaw on them to try to relieve the pressure on their gums. Most of it goes down their front anyway!

Citrusandginger · 13/12/2023 22:16

I'm personally wary of anything low sugar because most products labelled as such are full of sweetness and artificial chemicals and in my personal opinion that's actually worse than sugar.

But having said that, I think this is one of those situations where it's worth doing the maths. 20% of a couple of small bites is going to be very few grams of sugar. Not ideal, but not necessary a big issue. Do nursery provide options like veg sticks so that DC get a range of textures?

Cheeesus · 13/12/2023 22:18

If they are proper rusks then it’s a bit unnecessary and lazy of them. I’d check what they are in case they’re ok though.

UsingChangeofName · 13/12/2023 22:19

Wonderingabt · 13/12/2023 21:53

Would it be bad to include an alternative in her bag and a note saying give her this instead of rusks?

I generally like the nursery so far and don't want to be difficult but alarm bells rang when I heard about rusks.

Yes. It would be odd.

Just speak to them ?
Ask them if it was rusks and say you are a bit worried about the sugar content.

Mind, I'm craving a rusk now. Loved them back in the day.

RheaRend · 13/12/2023 22:20

Depends on the type of rusk, some are low in sugar like a trace of it while some are high so depends on the type.

Isthisexpected · 13/12/2023 22:20

I'm shocked at the idea of giving anything with added sugar or chemical shit to baby. I wouldn't send in an alternative I'd be asking for my baby to have unprocessed food with no added crap. Obviously not in this language!

BurbageBrook · 13/12/2023 22:24

YANBU at all. Giving babies rusks is like training infants to continuously ingest sugar. Terrible for them. I'd have to say something.

elsaandanna · 13/12/2023 22:25

Does she prefer a Twix?

SouthLondonMum22 · 13/12/2023 22:27

It sounds like something she won't be getting every day so I'd leave it personally.

Santashelperisonstrike · 13/12/2023 22:27

sugarweregoingdownsinging · 13/12/2023 22:05

I'm mid-40s and still love a rusk 😂 Every so often I'm reminded of the intensity of baby years like this thread. It's a rusk, your baby likes them, as long as there's a fairly balanced diet going on otherwise you're grand. Unless you feed cups of sugar for all other meals of course.

Yes - this thread made me nostalgic. 😂

It’s really nothing to worry about. I remember the drama when a friend’s Ddad put sugar on a banana to feed his GC! She’s now a healthy teenager with great teeth, no fillings, no weight issues, and is doing well at school- Your dc will be fine.

BakedBeeeen · 13/12/2023 22:27

I think some people are missing the point. Of course it won’t do any harm, but it’s a nursery which the OP is presumably paying lots of money to, and should have exemplary standards! Giving risks is very lazy, they have no nutritional benefit. Also, the child is only 7 months, so likely isn’t eating a large volume of food anyway.

SnowflakeSparkles · 13/12/2023 22:28

People don't really understand that babies also need macronutrients and they need food when milk calories can't keep up with their developing needs. So what's the point in feeding nothing but pureed veg?

Babies need the energy density. A rusk is fine alongside a balanced diet.

Justsaynoclowns · 13/12/2023 22:29

Isn’t formula UPF? And all food is full of chemicals.
I use to love a rusk, my children didn’t like them. So I had to eat them, shame.
But ask the nursery what exactly your child is eating.

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 13/12/2023 22:29

Perchance are they offering rusks for teething rather than nutrition? They're hard on the gums and soften to a paste so they're really handy for otherwise cranky kids to gum on for a bit of relief.

VelvetandLace · 13/12/2023 22:30

I thought there were nutritional standards introduced for early years settings.

BurbageBrook · 13/12/2023 22:30

@SnowflakeSparkles babies really don't need UPFs and added sugar. Plenty of ways to get nutrients without rusks or biscuits.