to complain about the new healthy eating policy at dc's school

[FranSanDisco]

Dc's attend the local state primary and on the whole it is a good a school. On Thursday they brought home a letter on a new healthy eating plan affecting packed lunches and snacks. I have no problem with the food they suggest for packed lunches but snacks include only : fruit, raisins and veg. No bread sticks, bread and butter or cheese which they were allowed before. Also, they intend to pre-designate certain pupils to open the lunch packs (Yr 5) and inspect them. Those failing the good food test will get a leaflet inserted and be followed up by letters/meetings for further failures - is this a little OTT or do I need a chill pill? I am really bothered by this interference and the fact that raisins aren't actually healthy for teeth so how can they ban bread sticks and cheese but OK the dried fruit. If you were me would you drop them a line?

We're only allowed to send fresh fruit or vegetables for snacks, not even dried fruit.
Doesn't annoy me really, the KS1 children get free milk, so its not like they're going to starve, & if dd (now KS2) is going through a hungry phase I just send her with a large banana.
I did have to get the teacher to explain that yes, carrot sticks were fine though when dd was very small as they always say 'fruit' & she got worried that her carrots would be confiscated . . .
I haven't heard of any rules for lunchboxes (apart from no nuts because of allergy issues).

My dd will start school this year. I haven't heard anything to suggest that the school has any policies like this but, if they ever do, they'll be getting short shrift from me.

When dh and I provide the food, it is up to us what we give her. As long as our choice of food is not causing any significant problems and her health is not giving cause for concern, it is none of the school's business. If any children are being sent in with completely inadequate food on a recurring basis, there are ways to address it directly with those concerned without infantilising every parent.

I am not moved by the idea that having all parents forced to conform to someone's - possibly incorrect - idea of a healthy diet saves some parents the trouble of explaining why some kids have chocolate when they don't. It would make my life easier if noone was allowed to spend more than £30 on shoes for their dc but I don't think I'm entitled to insist that other parents don't buy Lelli Kellys for their dd's.

Oh bloody hell do not get me started on this.
At my dc's school a kitkat is allowed, but a twix(1 finger) is not.
They blither on about healthy eating, but have regular cake shops after school.Also it's become the norm for children on their birthdays to bring in big bags of haribo or whatever to give out at home time.

Ahhh, the old 'Twix is a chocolate bar, Kitkats are a chocolate biscuit' debate!

I think it's getting silly. And the government has some fairly odd ideas about what constitutes healthy eating, imo

I get so annoyed about this. It makes the assumptions that firstly as parents we are numpties who cant ensure our children get an overall balanced diet and secondly that our children are robots who will always want to eat fruit end veg each and every day for lunch.

I dont want to eat them all the time for lunch and snacks. Most days I have a healthy low calorie veg soup and a low cal yoghurt (calcium even more important for women than kids ladies!) and some fruit but occasionally I might want something different like a yes a pie from Greggs or a chip roll or something totally off the scale in the current regime of healthy eating.

My kids likewise usually have healthy wholemeal sandwiches or wraps and fruit and breadsticks and so on but if I want to put a cereal bar in, I know they are active and they are eating enough fruit and veg to make it okay. Occasionally I give them a white bread sandwich or chocolate bar and that is up to me to choose to do that.

Do they really think that introducing this type of system makes the least difference to the kids who have poor diet overall? All that I find happening from the way our school promotes healthy eating, and obviously they dont even have a blanket ban like this, is that I have a 10 year old who trains in martial arts five days a week but is paranoid about her food intake and weight. My younger daughter also doesnt eat much and I would regardless of any school send her with a lunch etc. which I know she will eat at least some of.

Sorry if it sounds ranty but this really gets up my nose, mostly because it has little impact on the children who have poor diet and just gives those of us who try to teach our children that balance is the way to go even more of an uphill struggle.

The teachers at your school need to be more educated in this matter

BUT the other side of the coin is (and I don't know if you) what about the children eating the school dinners provided?

Is there anyone policing exactly what they have chosen to go on thier plate and then to make sure it is a balnaced meal and then to actually eat it all???

Because if one group i.e. the sandwich takers are policed at dinner I should hope the other group are also.

And in that way madness lies.

We used to be allowed to bring in fruit only for morning break when I was at primary school. So I don't think having a snack is a new thing.

Hi. For me, it isnt so much the food, nut the policing of the packed lunches, followed up by letters!
Children shouldnt be put in the position of overseeing other dcs lunches, and are not necessarily going to do so with tact!
To me, this is a step too far, and I would deffo. be speaking to the Head, and making it plain, that noone was going to look through my dcs lunch. Id probably also write to the LEA and complain about the policy-I do think its intrusive and could upset some dc.
I know, some parents maybe dont give their dc the most healthy food, but there has to be personal choice here. I would be tempted to say, I dont tell you how to teach, so please dont tell me what food I can provide for my dc, but thats cos Im bolshy in my old age.

YANBU this has gone too far imo. As for raisins oi you leave them things alone! They are not exactly comfrites or dolly mixtures are they!

YANBU.

DS loves raisins and insists on having a wee box on his rucksack when we go out. I always pack a Babybel Light for him to munch afterwards since my dentist told me cheese is great for neutralising sugars from fruit. Also, don't kids need carbs of some variety? Are they allowed crackers/rice cakes? If not I would be a bit weirded out by this Nazi-ish approach to kids lunches. I'm all for healthy eating but no cheese or breadsticks? Bugger off!

I do not see what the problem is.

There are certain rules in life that you have to follow, this includes at school.

So the rules may be a little floored, and you may not completely agree, but you shouldn't be marching to the school with your every opinion.

And if the rules mean that some aprents are sending fruit now instead of crisps, then this is a good thing.

Just because you don't always agree, doesn't mean you can change them to suit.

DD's school have only ever had fruit or veg in the morning with their milk (if they have it).
She's in reception and it's provided free.
It's never occurred to me to mind them having a bit of fruit in the morning. I guess the problem is that you've had other options before that they want to change.

my DS school has friut at am and pm break as part of NHS/ government scheme. Thats all they are allowed. Don't see the prob myself.

BUT I would not want another child to go through my DS lunchbox and send home letter (altho he does eat healthily) as I beleive this gives pupils too much power to feel superior to others and is un hygenic.

Hi mamas 12 yes school dinners are policed each option is set to cover 1/3 of the nutrient value for a child per day!!! And thats true!!!

I'd be sending them a 'by return of post' letter!

No - you will not be allowing any children/adults to inspect/handle my childs snack/lunch. This is not negotiable.

I am the parent and I will be deciding what my child eats, thank you very much. This is also not negotiable.

Furthermore - any other 'Healthy Eating' lectures lessons and other related crapsessions please ensure my child is otherwise engaged. I do not want a small child with a bloody eating disorder due to your food policing attitude.....

my ds's school packed lunch policy is very sensible i think, the only rule is no fizzy drinks, and only one chocolate bar. They give out info about healthy eating and suggestions for good packed lunch ideas. I have a very skinny ds1, he usually gets one sandwich with cheese and ham or peanut butter in, an apple/carrot sticks, some raisins/bread sticks/cheese and a piece of homemade fruit cake/fairy cake/muffin/maltloaf.

tbh, Im just glad if he eats most of it as hes qutie picky.

What totally different says.

oh, also, the policing idea is awful. what happens if someone takes in something thats healthy but maybe a bit different (like a pasta salad) or smells stongly (like egg sandwiches) and the older kids make fun of the food in the lunch boxes? this used to happen to my nephew all the time at school when the took in pasta because he didnt like sandwiches. So he used to just not eat anything.

The whole thing about healthy eating in schools has gone too far. There are always going to be parents who do not care / know much about healthy eating but a blanket ban on certain foods such as raisns is ridiculous.
My dd is in reception. In the morning they get a piece of fruit, a carton of milk and a snack (recently the snack has been garlic bread / jam sandwich)
These have made me cross as the children are basically hounded until they have eaten the snacks. dd has a breakfast at home and does not always want the snack. So what happens at lunchtime? Yes she is not hungry after all the food and so wastes her lunch that I have spent time and energy on making sure she has some of each "recommended food group" as deemed by the school healthy eating policy.

If she had school dinners she could have a sponge pudding and custard for pudding! Not allowed a cereal bar in lunch box though

YANBU

Did anyone else here at school eat crisps every day during morning playtime? It was entirely standard at my school, and I thought my mum was a healthy eating pain in the neck because we weren't allowed monster munch.

I hope the pendulum swings back a little by the time 2 yo DS goes to school, not that I want to give him crisps every day but only fruit for snacktimes is incredible. I have an allergy to lots of fruits and he won't eat any fruit yet.

I'd resent this and refuse to comply/conform.

It's MY job to make sure my child has a balanced diet, not some school nose poke.

I make my judgements on the basis of the evening meal plan, physical activities she's involved in that day/evening and any parties/teas she's been invited to etc.I'm party to all that info; and with the help of a good education and all of that information I balance her diet.

I expect a school to only educate my child. If she then considers her lunch box to be un healthy in light of that education then so be it.

Any one interfeering in my lunch box would find it in appropriately lodged.