the great lunchbox debate part 1001.....

[BigFatSepticToe]

at school this week all classes have been looking at healthy eating/lifestyle - linked to world cup, healthy diet and excerise - all very commendable, i am not one of these that moans about the nanny state, children DO need to be educated about this.

BUT how do you compare these, for example, and say which is "healthiest".....

thinly spread low sugar jam on granary bread, no butter or marge

tuna mayo sandwich on white bread

the children picking tuna mayo as the "healthy choice" were told it was high in fat and that they should not be eating white bread??

so as long as you eat your inch thick nutella on granary, its better than tuna?? friends school has also banned marmite as being too salty - too salty?? even when you eat less than half a tea spoon on a sandwich?? what about all the B vitamins??

even pastry based stuff such as a sausgae roll or pasty, in my opinion, is OK once in a while

VARIETY is what should be emphasised not each food being classed as healthy/unhealthy

oh good grief I get annoyed

'So and so has a full bag of crisps in her healthy lunch'

as long as it isn't chocolate that's fine then?

All my ds healthy eating education at school has been about eating fruit and veg and not eating fat at all.

There is little attention paid to variety or balance or actually needing food to live. Its almost like all food is bad but if you absolutely must eat make sure its a fruit salad but as long as there is no fat or sugar. There is no mention of the good aspects of fat and protien isn't mentioned at all.

this is totally why the state should butt the fuck out.

its mixed messages. kids can't possibly go home without getting the message that tuna is bad for you .

fuck me. as long as they get a butty at lunchtime - who gives a shit.

No choc allowed in our lunchboxes, but choc biscuits (like Penguins) and crisps allowed.
So DS gets a penguin most days, which is higher in fat, sugar and calories than his previous small choc treat.

YANBU.

For people who find marmite tastes too salty, there is a less salty alternative called Natex.

DS's schools are pretty good actually with the lunch box contents. So long as it's not a bar of chocolate they don't mind, crisps are fine, and the free school meals (they're packed ones at the DS's schools no hot meals for any of the children) often include a cake/muffin/something else suitably sweet and yummy.

They have white bread, brown bread, tuna sandwiches and even jam sandwiches sometimes as well.

Is this what is being promoted as healthy ?
I can't stand it. Agree with Op. Variety and balance. whats wrong with having crsips ? or chocolate ? nothing. i hate that kids aren't allowed to take chocolate biscuit into school or on a school trip. becasue one chocolate biscuit as part of cereal , semi skiimed milk, pasta, sandwiches, fruit, cheese, pate, etc tec IS HEALTHY.
I deny myself nothing. I think THATS healthy.

Can't believe the nonsesne that is being passed out as 'healthy eating'
oh no, can't have one more slice of cucumber that would veto my calories. oh please.

It's all got a bit silly, I think.

The idea that there are 'good' and 'bad' foods is totally wrong and not what we should be teaching children, in my opinion.

Teaching children (and parents) about food groups, how much we should be aiming for from each group each day, and what we should have only occasionally as a treat - much more sensible.

How soon before we have to submit weekly menu plans for home food for scrutiny too?

They'd have a fit if they saw what my dd eats at home! Shock horror - she's been known to have sausage rolls, chocolate, milkshakes etc etc - but all part of what I think is a pretty balanced diet. She's being brought up to enjoy all food, not just told that fruit/veg are the holy grail - she giggled when I pointed out that if she lived on broccoli alone (which she loves) she'd be very poorly indeed

oh I agree entirely with not taking the chocolate/chocolate biscuits in..........the blardy MESS they get into and come back home covered in chocolate - at least crisps and other nice stuff doesn't end up with quite such mucky fingers/mess

For the last 2 weeks I've had to do DS2's packed lunches as the council f*cked up my free school meals......he was taking a jam (or honey) sandwich and a bag of crisps for his lunch (all the children get free fruit at break time so I knew he was getting that then [).

Must say......he's quite relieved to be back on the much more varied free ones

IME (was a teacher), schools often know jack shit about healthy eating

drives me mad

all of the women in the staff room moaning because I bought full fat milk for the coffee, whilst tucking in to three or four hobnobs per break time sticks in my mind

that sandwich comparison is stupid and meaningless

hotcrossbunny - they sometimes even have cartons of milkshake as the drink in the free school packed lunches

YANBU. bread and jam has very little protein. i'd rather my son ate the tuna and mayo for some protein and fat. what's wrong with fat anyway? people have got much fatter from trying to avoid it and eating more sugar instead.

Crikey, DD adores Marmite, it's the only thing she ever wants in a sandwich and she has one of those in her lunchbox every day.

She has a packed lunch usually, but yesterday she said she wanted a school dinner today as it's Pizza - when I looked at the menu, it was indeed pizza today, with Apple pie and Custard as dessert.

Actually granary/high fibre bread is more fattening than white bread. DC can't deal with fibre as well as adults, so dare say the bulking power of more rustic bread would be even more enhanced.

it's bonkers, utter bonkers for those two sandwiches to be compared.

ooooooo Eve - where is that - I quite like the sound of Pizza followed by apple pie and custard

Hampshire, with the school meals menu aet out by Hampshire County Council. Veggie/Healthy Choice today was Chickpea and Lentil Bake! Mmm, just want every 6 year old wants to eat!

I heart custy

eventhough she doesn't want to be my fb friend

Low sugar aspartame laden jam

And what the fuck is wrong with butter? It isn't as if our children are eating it by the pound.

This pisses me right off, especially when you see what the schools offer.

Many adults have ridiculous ideas about nutrition and these are being passed on to impressionable children.

I thought the idea of drinking gallons of diet coke to fill you up and occasionally eating an apple would have been eradicated by now. Seems not.

Perhaps schools will soon start encouraging children to smoke and take cocaine? Anything but the dreaded calorific food

damn - too far. Noting wrong with a bit of pizza followed by apple pie and custard - so long as it's not every day

I think you should do this:

Get as many mothers as possible to make the following packed lunch for their child:

Chocolate spread sandwich on white bread
Packet of full-fat crisps
Chocolate bar
Fruit shoot

As many children as possible eating this lunch...for a week. See what happens

I have nothing against schools having a healthy eating policy, but surely the simple rule of 'a bit of everything in moderation' should apply.

Children are learning that 'fat' is bad for them - and yes it is, if they have it in excess. However, we require a certain amount of fat for our nerve processes.

My bit between the teeth moment was in when in a supermarket my 4yo reception child took a yoghurt out of the trolley, looked at the ingredients and told me we couldn't have it because it contained sugar!

Having worked in school, and having sat in the dining room with the child I was an LSA too, I cant believe for one minute, they were 'freshly made' as it said on all the blurb that was sent home, coz they looked and tasted 'bland' to be honest.
However I also saw the packed lunches some parents sent in, diabolical, I think the word is.
We had a 11 yr old who, due to family circumstances, was given the money to buy his own lunch daily, which, when you saw it on the table, had so much suger in it, you wondered how he had any teeth,
This child tho, could give you his GDA?, how many calories he needed every day, tell you how much protien,fat,carbs,he was eating, as if what he 'brought' that day was 'ok'.

My DS and DD go to nursery 2 days per week and i regularly get the yoghurt sent back, as classed as unhealthy. My DS won't drink milk so i like him to eat lot of cheese / yoghurt for calcium, but apparently whole milk yoghurts are too sweet and not a good choice!! ... I still keep putting it in though, i'm determined.