To think schools searching sandwiches is a bit much

[Comewhatmay25]

Just found out my DDs school search their lunchboxes everyday. But not just lunch boxes but open sandwiches to see the filling and open flasks to see what's inside. This feels very intrusive and I wonder if it could have the opposite effect of cross contamination. It's not done by staff in the kitchen just dinner ladies with no gloves on or nearby handfasting facilities. AIBU to think this is disgusting and intrusive or is there a need for it?
Does anyone else's school do this?

That’s discusting, my DD is really immunosuppressed and vulnerable. I would be horrified if staff were touching her food without gloves daily and i’d complain/ refuse to let them handle her food.

I wonder if more schools are doing this, just in an undercover way. Please ask your schools if this is standard practise. Parents at my school don't know and wouldn't think to ask. When children have items refused they get a note or a phone call home. Parents just assume it was spotted in the dinner hall.

In which case I’m sure you would have brought up your concerns with the Headteacher?

What were you doing hanging around the lunchboxes today to have just found this out and witnessed it?

Why don’t you ask the school then?

I'm also thinking along the allergy route... perhaps someone in the school is known to have a very very severe one.

The opening of sandwiches might have been wrongly explained, it could be that the dinner ladies are asking the child to open their sandwiches maybe

One of my childrens schools definitely does this.
Children are only allowed a fruit snack at break. My dd took a mini apple soreen loaf one day and was told not to bring one again.
They check lunchboxes for the contents, if they think there's an excessive amount of sweet treats, some are removed and put back in uneaten with a note to cut it down.
The sandwich check is for peanut butter or Nutella, as they are a totally nut free school now. Not even trace nuts are allowed.
Flasks are checked for squash or fizzy drinks which are not allowed. Only water.
It's also been asked that we don't put too much food in the lunchboxes as it takes too long for the children to eat.

It's driving us mad, every week there's another new rule.

This would piss me off. I'd be less annoyed about a contamination issue and more annoyed because it's none of their business what you feed your kid or give them to drink. What's it got to do with them?!

No one checked our lunches in the 90's. Absolutely no one had allergies (where have all of these "allergies" just appeared from?!). We all grew up just fine on our daily lunch of a sandwich, crisps and choccy bar. Can't remember what we were given to drink in our lunchboxes, but it certainly wasn't water!

No wonder kids and YA's are soft as puppy shite these days - been nannied, wrapped in cotton wool, told they're special and are winners just for participating 🙄

I'm in a difficult position. If I raise it with the school it will definitely have negative repercussions. It's just not this hill I am willing to die on.

Actually I take it back... if there was someone with a serious allergy, the school would have sent out a letter informing/asking parents to not bring that particular product in

You're not allowed may contains? Christ. My DD is allergic to carries epipens for a peanut allergy and she eats may contains.

If you decided to send the school the Allergy UK guidance on nut bans I wouldn't blame you!

Hmm I don't know you know.
I'm the sort of person to look up their school values and if is says 'trust' then I'd quote it back and say you need to trust the parents to feed their kids properly 🤣🤣🤣 but I am petty like that

Actually I think i might do that now you've suggested it!

Ah FFS, come on. Theres a limit. I have allergies, I have an allergy kid at school...theres no excuse for anyone sticking their hands into everyone's sandwiches.
Nasty.

I'd suggest you approach the head teacher and say in as genuine and as helpful tone of voice as you can muster 'I'm worried about something I've seen, and that a child might get hurt. I saw the lunch staff checking the children's lunch boxes, but they were handling it all and I'm concerned there's a risk we might inadvertently contaminate a child's lunch with an allergen like gluten or dairy from another child's lunch. Or a vegetarian / Muslim / (other relevant dietary requirement depending on your school) with meat / pork etc'

I agree this needs raising for all the reasons you state.

I sort of can see a school doing this if they had a child who might die if they smelt a certain thing, like peanut butter perhaps. This doesn't seem like a good way of doing it though.

This will be because there is a pupil who has a serious airborne nut allergy and also because parents don’t follow or listen to instructions.

If there is a child w a serious nut allergy, flip-flapping around sandwiches that might contain peanut butter is hardly wise.

Negative repercussions on who? Why were you in the school today to witness it?

If someone had done that to my food now or as a child I wouldn’t be eating it! I don’t share food.
Surely having eggs or peanut butter for breakfast you would be contaminated. Unless you washed your hands really thoroughly and brushed your teeth and changed your clothes?

How have you seen it first hand?

Did you mention it to the staff/head?

“Dinner ladies being power hungry jobsworths” - eh? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

It's probably a last resort because some parents simply cannot adhere to the no nuts in school policy regardless of how many times they are told. For Primary school anyway.

It's probably a bit trickier in Secondary as parents will have less control over what foods are being taken in.

Children at our school handle their lunchbox and bottles 100% themselves. Staff never touch lunch.

If any problems with packed lunches parents are contacted to discuss it. Pupils can bring nuts in btw. But not chips, cakes and sweets.