Ds' nursery is serving junk food, does this happen at yours, and how to tackle it.

[paow]

Hi ya,
My Ds (who is 13 months) started nursery a few weeks back, and I wrote a list of foods I didn't want him to have (I'm an Annabel Karmel follower)
They were surprised when I said no sausages, processed meats and cheese, etc.
Not sure if they are following my guidelines but have got the weekly menu, and although it does offer some fairly healthy foods, but it's also offering:
-spaghetti hoops
-sausage rolls
-angel delight
-potato waffles n beans
-swiss roll
-ice cream cones

And other bad sugary foods, is this a norm in your nursery? Surely, after Jamie's dinners everyone should know this is bad for the kids and it makes them hyper??
I am writing a letter to the principal, but what to say without sounding rude?

Thanks!

Hm, DD's nursery probably has one 'dubious' savoury item and one sweet item a week (I would count everything on your list except the baked beans as 'dubious'). They had a bad patch when the cook was off sick for several weeks, which I actually think they could have handled better (NO ONE was capable of putting together a casserole or similar from her recipes?) but generally I think the balance is good.

Yours sounds like it might be erring a little on the side of junk - although there are some things like sausage rolls, and sausages in general, that I have no problem with at all for kids, if they're good quality.

(out of interest, why no cheese for a 13mo? Does Annabel Say No?)

hmmm, the only thing bad on your list imo is the angel delight (think that has trans fat in iirc from a previous thread)

everything else ok in moderation

ie if one meal a week was spaghetti hoops

once a week they had swiss roll

what is the balance like?

(and I had angel delight as a child - toffee flavour iirc - and have lived to tell the tale)

No cheese? What's wrong with cheese?

I think cheese is salty

all the food at my dt's nursery is home cooked proper 'meals' - casseroles, shep pie, veggie mild chili, pasta bakes etc etc....but tbVh what you listed about would not bother me in the slightest! (slaps self on wrist, BAD mummy).

Did you say no chocolate in your list too?

can i just add that my HV told me to ADD cheese to my dt's diet as they were mildly underweight....what is wrong with cheese?

Cheese is made by angels

ah i see!

There was a thread like this a while ago, a 10mo getting chips'n'beans. The overall consensus was that it was OK for very small children to eat crap, stopped them having food ishoos when older etc.

I personally am astounded at the rubbish served in British nurseries. Isn't there a health authority that has to pass the meals? If I were you I wouldn't insist too much on the junk food aspect, I'd probably invent a food allergy or something saying that he has to avoid processed food. Failing that, give him a packed lunch or don't send him there. I wouldn't subject my DD to this low level of nutrition (not to mention the palate-warping) but then what do I know, I live in Europe.

I live in Europe too

Oops, I meant continental Europe.

You can tell I haven't lived in the UK for ages, it wasn't considered Europe in the olden days...

I think she meant no processed cheese.

fio!

i would be interested to know the balance, if it was spag hoops followed by angel delight monday to friday, i;d be livid.. if it is a meal like that once a week, i;d live with it.

how many days is your little one there?

also, there is a huge difference between home made ice cream, suasage rolls and swiss roll than with some shop bought 'value' stuff

spaghetti hoops are vile and I wouldn't feed them to my dog let alone my child . however...

IMO you are overreacting. baked beans, while containing a lot of sugar, also contain a huge amount of other things which are good for your child.

potato waffles are oven baked not deep fried so much healthier than chips.

and wtf is wrong with icecream?

everything in moderation can never go wrong .

Are spag hoops really that bad? Why?

Not imo - but then I'm probably more relaxed than some.

my children will not eat spaghettit hoops as "the pasta is soggy mummy, not like your pasta"

how many meals etc, i would be more concerned with balance

if your son was only having lunch 3 days a week, fine, as that is only 3 meals out of 21 iyswim

well for one they come in a tin.

and they look like vomit.

but whatever satisfies your taste I guess .

I mean processed cheese slices, etc. That kind of thing LOL!! proper cheese is great!

He just goes there 3 days a week, and unfortunately I HAVE HAD a nightmare finding childcare in my area so I HAVE TO send him there as I can't give up my job!

I am probably just a food snob then, and most people give their kids this kind of food, which I honestly think is pretty much crap.
( I do cross things out and have asked them not to give ds tea as I give him dinner)

Just wanted to see if it was the same in most nurseries, that's all.

Lulumama, I am sure this is the cheapest of the cheapest stuff they can get so they can make a profit, it's a private nursery after all.

what is the daily menu? will he be having all 3 meals there?

let us be judgy judge

You are right, moderation is the key as long as he's not having this stuff everyday all day.
Nothing wrong with ice cream every now and again. they get the sugary cones without the ice cream itself.