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AIBU?

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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:
Isthisexpected · 13/12/2023 23:18

I hate the PFB retorts on here. Such a horrible way of minimising the views of parents who are simply trying to follow guidance on sun cream, weaning, safe sleeping etc.

Beenhereforever1978 · 13/12/2023 23:18

Hands up. Who's craving a rusk right now?

OP by all means talk to your nursery if rusks are a deal breaker. Just to add to the many voices who are saying baby will most likely emerge unscathed.

I've a nearly 15 year old who stole jars of honey for most of his early years. And ate rusks come to think of it. I've a 23 year old who also had rusks, they're both hale and hearty.

ReadingSoManyThreads · 13/12/2023 23:18

TheLonelyStarbucksLovers · 13/12/2023 22:52

My main thought reading this thread is that I really want to eat a rusk now!

Personally I wouldn’t mind a nursery giving my baby a rusk, as part of a balanced diet. No food should be treated as a bad forbidden food. My experience is that often its the kids bought up with very limited access to sugar who are the ones who then can’t regulate themselves when they’re older.

I don't treat any foods as "bad/forbidden", but my children are aware of what are healthy options and non-healthy options. Neither of my children were given sugar until they were 3yrs old (other than natural sugars in fruit, veg etc.), and both are able to self-regulate really well.

It was important to me to not introduce sugar young due to it's highly addictive nature. I was fed crushed rusks with milk on a teaspoon when I was a young baby and I blame it for my really bad sugar addiction.

I'm so glad my children are great with regulating themselves with food, unlike myself sadly. I want them to have a much better relationship with food than I did.

lkwhjis · 13/12/2023 23:19

Threads like these and people’s OTT reaction to something as mundane as risks makes you wonder how some people cope with the big things in life.

UsingChangeofName · 13/12/2023 23:19

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!

Ha Ha Ha.

bonusjonasus · 13/12/2023 23:25

I want a rusk. Right now.

GladioliandSweetPeas · 13/12/2023 23:25

VeterinaryCareAssistant · 13/12/2023 22:00

Jesus Christ, they're just rusks. Babies love them. Calm down.

They're full of sugar! If you really work as a Vet's Assistant then you'll know what damage can be done

Ottersmith · 13/12/2023 23:25

Why are you worrying about kicking up a fuss? Stand up for your child. Sugar is so bad for their developing bodies. WHO recommends no refined sugars until 2 so I'm surprised they feed them this shit. People need to educate themselves on the impact of heavily processed food.

sprigatito · 13/12/2023 23:26

I'm always surprised by the chorus of "pfb, it's only food, who cares" on these threads. We're talking about very young children and babies who are often at nursery for long hours all week. It's where most of their nutrition and development happens. Of course it matters if they're routinely giving sugary pap biscuits as snacks to a baby!

Just seems so at odds with the conniptions that surround so many more trivial topics on MN, including around children's eating.

I would ask them to stop the rusks and offer a more appropriate finger food.

SouthLondonMum22 · 13/12/2023 23:26

GladioliandSweetPeas · 13/12/2023 23:25

They're full of sugar! If you really work as a Vet's Assistant then you'll know what damage can be done

Show quote history

It depends on the rusk. Is it an original full sugar rusk? An organix low sugar type or even homemade?

GladioliandSweetPeas · 13/12/2023 23:29

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.

Yes let's throw sugar onto brand new teeth as soon as they peek through the gums Hmm

SouthLondonMum22 · 13/12/2023 23:30

sprigatito · 13/12/2023 23:26

I'm always surprised by the chorus of "pfb, it's only food, who cares" on these threads. We're talking about very young children and babies who are often at nursery for long hours all week. It's where most of their nutrition and development happens. Of course it matters if they're routinely giving sugary pap biscuits as snacks to a baby!

Just seems so at odds with the conniptions that surround so many more trivial topics on MN, including around children's eating.

I would ask them to stop the rusks and offer a more appropriate finger food.

Where does OP say it happens routinely? OP has already said that she is informed what baby is given each day and this is the first time rusk has come up which is why she posted the thread.

I would agree that rusks every day is an issue but this doesn't seem to be the case. We also don't know what type of rusk it is, it may not necessarily be the original full sugar rusk.

notebooknoted · 13/12/2023 23:30

ReadingSoManyThreads · 13/12/2023 23:18

I don't treat any foods as "bad/forbidden", but my children are aware of what are healthy options and non-healthy options. Neither of my children were given sugar until they were 3yrs old (other than natural sugars in fruit, veg etc.), and both are able to self-regulate really well.

It was important to me to not introduce sugar young due to it's highly addictive nature. I was fed crushed rusks with milk on a teaspoon when I was a young baby and I blame it for my really bad sugar addiction.

I'm so glad my children are great with regulating themselves with food, unlike myself sadly. I want them to have a much better relationship with food than I did.

Show quote history

Jog on @ReadingSoManyThreads with your spoof account.

ReadingSoManyThreads · 13/12/2023 23:31

@notebooknoted - charming!

DaveDidIt · 13/12/2023 23:32

GladioliandSweetPeas · 13/12/2023 23:25

They're full of sugar! If you really work as a Vet's Assistant then you'll know what damage can be done

Show quote history

Stop being ridiculous.
Comparing a human to an animal FFS!

Dogcatmousedog · 13/12/2023 23:33

lkwhjis · 13/12/2023 23:19

Threads like these and people’s OTT reaction to something as mundane as risks makes you wonder how some people cope with the big things in life.

This . There are so many other issues and environmental problems that I personally would be worrying about ,regarding my child’s future than my child munching on a rusk !

SemperIdem · 13/12/2023 23:33

There’s a lot of pfb comments here.

You have said yourself you had rusks as a baby, so did I. No harm came.

But we both know they’re a nutritional void. My baby (now 8) had 2 rusks ever. It wasn’t something I wanted in her diet and they came about in a needs must situation. I can understand why your cross a nursery setting is giving them, it’s 2023 not 1993 and nutritional knowledge is very easily accessible, expected even given the context.

Speak with them and if they’re unable to provide alternatives then supply your own.

UsingChangeofName · 13/12/2023 23:33

Where does OP say it happens routinely? OP has already said that she is informed what baby is given each day and this is the first time rusk has come up which is why she posted the thread.

I would agree that rusks every day is an issue but this doesn't seem to be the case. We also don't know what type of rusk it is, it may not necessarily be the original full sugar rusk.

Exactly

LBFseBrom · 13/12/2023 23:41

VeterinaryCareAssistant · 13/12/2023 22:00

Jesus Christ, they're just rusks. Babies love them. Calm down.

I used to like them too - when I was a mother :-).

The baby would hardly have been given several rusks to eat, probably just one. It won't hurt her. There is sugar in loads of things.

Refbuckethat · 13/12/2023 23:45

Just1MoreMinute · 13/12/2023 23:12

As part of a healthy balanced diet then there’s nothing to worry about.

Just wait until they are teenagers and you find out that lunch was a packet or haribos and a can of something fizzy. You’ll be wondering why you ever even gave the rusks a second thought.

This😂 And you cook them pizza / chicken nuggets
/ plain pasta as you have 30 min between them getting home via their mates & sweet shop before an activity

AGoingConcern · 13/12/2023 23:47

No need to "kick up a fuss" OR just let it go. Nobody did anything wrong here, but you're the parent and if you're not happy for your baby to eat something, say so.

Don't complain or make it a big deal. Just pack an alternative teething biscuit or cereal (depending on how they were using them) that you approve of. When you drop off baby & hand over her bag, tell them matter-of-fact and politely that you've packed a lower-sugar option and would like those offered to her instead of rusks. Or if you're fine with rusks once a week but no more, just say that. Then move on.

No fuss, just basic communication.

Topsyturvy78 · 13/12/2023 23:49

Would she eat a small banana or another soft fruit? Something that doesn't really need preparing?

HoppingPavlova · 13/12/2023 23:51

I wouldn’t be happy and would say no. It’s a sugary biscuit broken down with milk to mush who would feed that to a baby ?
I don’t mind porridge, but honestly rusks

I have never heard of this? I used to give my kids rusks when they were teething as biting/gumming on the rusk helped. Most of the rusk was left on the front of their clothes in little soggy pieces 🤣, but if they swallowed little bits there was no harm. They were not used as foods as such!

HoppingPavlova · 13/12/2023 23:53

Given this I couldn’t get excited about some sugar in it.

MeMySonAnd1 · 13/12/2023 23:53

Frankly, it is a rusk, if you really want to keep sugar relatively at bay when it comes to babies’ diet, you might want to remove Pettit suits, baby jars, grapes and raisins, any product made specifically for children from cereals to Calpol and fruit juices as well.