To agree with the new guidance in Scotland to ban cake at nursery?

[AmericanMummmy]

The new guidelines from the Scottish government are effective today (1st August) - among other food restrictions, cake should not be brought into nursery to celebrate a child’s birthday (or any other reason). The goal is to fight childhood obesity and promote healthy eating.

I’m totally in favour of this and don’t understand the backlash! Everything I read on this topic is about parents and staff thinking it’s a huge overstep and sapping all the fun out of life, like kids need cake to be happy. If parents want to feed their child cake outside of nursery, that’s completely their choice, but why does it need to be at nursery too? I allow my 3 year old to have sweet treats on occasion (such as birthday parties or holidays/weekend activities), but it drives me nuts when he’s being offered cake at nursery (several times a month), and it’s always at pickup right before dinner time. They give him lollies on most days too from what he tells me, it’s just too much sugar!

Am I the only one who agrees with this guidance? Are there not other ways we can teach children to celebrate that don’t involve ultra processed sugary treats? No judgement to how people parent - and I love sugary treats myself- but I want to teach moderation and show that there are plenty of other ways to celebrate.

You’re cottoning on to the point that many of us have been trying to make.

It’s silly and excessively restrictive to ban it. Providing space for it in moderation would be far more appropriate.

I was watching the poll on this post and it’s interesting that it consistently remained around two thirds vs one third the whole time. Hopefully in time more people will come around to the idea that there are many ways we can teach children to celebrate birthdays which aren’t centred around sugar! And lose this attitude that all joy is lost without cake.

It’s not just about cake of course. That’s just the catchy part where people have strong views. I haven’t read the full guidance but can say that the nursery my kids attend has published new menus this week in line with the guidance, and I’m happy with what I see! They’re also making more effort to talk to the kids about what they like and don’t like and the chef is asking them for feedback directly.

No one thinks that banning cake will solve obesity but that’s not the point. It’s part of a broader plan which is bringing attention to nutrition during the early years and suggesting a series of small changes which could in time add up to something bigger. To say that we shouldn’t change anything unless it’s going to solve the whole problem, that’s a terrible argument.

Fingers crossed that the new guidance does some good and more positive changes in the future. And those of us who want our children to enjoy cake on occasions of our choice (outside of nursery) can continue to do so 😊

I am one of the parents who complains about the amount of cake my children get at their private nursery due to birthdays. Some weeks it's 2 or 3 nights they're bringing home cake. It's a large nursery and there is rarely a week without cake being doled out at the end of the day. The kids know whose birthday it is so it is difficult as a parent to say they can't join in.

On the other hand, I'm sick of the scottish government's over reach and interfering in how we choose to raise our children. I overheard 4 year olds at a birthday party discussing how they should not eat the sweets as it was bad food. This comes from the food education at nursery which lacks nuance and gave my child the idea to refuse to have butter as its fattening. She's 4. In my view they're raising a generation of eating disorders.

If they really want to tackle childhood obesity they need to address food culture in society by tackling structural issues, with the adults. Telling tiny children that their families' food is bad isn't going to help anyone.

@Cchka I think that lack of nuance is probably down to the individual nursery and definitely worth talking to them about - I've not seen anything like this at my DCs' nursery, where all the food education is about having a balanced diet, what we can eat to be healthy, and growing their own food in the garden then tasting it.

How do mum celebrate child birthday, when they start in primary school( scotland setting) ? Heard, cakes not allowed in the school anymore. I Have no idea what/ how do teacher celebrate it in the school? Any suggestion? How do you celebrated your childs 5th birthday (before birthday after birthday)😊

As this thread has been resurrected, my DC are still getting cake at nursery so this supposed ban isn’t getting enforced clearly.

Nowhere in the guidance does it use the words “birthday cake is banned”. First pic is the guidance re baked goods. Second and third pics are the guidance re confectionery. So cakes can be given as a pudding but not as a snack, as long as they are plain and low sugar where possible. Setting the table guidance - link to full guidance here. It’s a long slog but the relevant bits are in section 3.4 the food and drink standards.
Haven’t read the full thread so apologies if this link has already been provided!