ranty, and baffled by illogical school packed lunch policy

[lyinginbed]

My daughter was on school dinners last term but asked to change to packed lunches because she found them 'disgusting.' The only food she liked were the afters, and particularly chocolate sponge and custard.

I've been sending her in with sandwiches, a piece of fruit and some yogurt. She's much happier now.

However, last week the teacher confiscated her (100 per cent organic orange) juice because, it turns out, it is the only food, apart from chocolate, which is banned from lunch boxes.

Why?

They are allowed Smoothie (also high sugar content). They are allowed fairy cakes. They are allowed flap-jacks and crisps. They are allowed biscuits. They are allowed sickly sweet high sugar content yogurts.

The poster in the school entrance hall advertising five a day healthy eating has a tick next to a glass of juice and a big cross next to cakes and sweets.

My daughter asked me why she's not allowed juice (when it's on the poster) and why she's not allowed chocolate (when the school dinners are serving it up).

I've explained that grown ups and institutions are not infallable and sometimes make silly rules. I've said we sometimes have to follow the rules even though they don't make much sense (and because, in this instance, it doesn't matter). Which I suppose is a useful lesson to learn early on in life.

But should I bother to challenge the school - on the grounds that rules should at least be a) logical and b) reinforce the nutrition advice they purport to teach. Or can someone out there explain to me an inner logical I cannot currently see.

Is it because of the carton? Potential for squirting everywhere?

send her in with a pack of those sweets that are multi coloured and crackle on your tongue - rainbow drops?

are they allowed apple juice etc.?

Send her with a candy whistle and a pot of fondue.

Well I wouldn't be able to resist asking why she can't have juice (I do get your point re chocolate but it would be a harder sell)! I would even get it if they only allowed water or milk say, but of smoothies are allowed then it makes no sense really.

They were awesome....
seriously though, just ask for an explanation? I think it wouldn't be unreasonable. Do tell when you get one, I'm curious....

Carton far less dangerous that children trying to open yogurt cartons (my daughter told me that one of the younger kids slopped a whole yogurt over her dress trying to tug off the lid last week).

Don't think teacher would view multi-coloured crackle as ironic comment on school food policy. Sadly, would just get zipped back into lunch box with a smile and a happy on your way to lunch then.

no apple juice.

could give the fondue a go. with a little blow torch to warm it up?

I really don't get this "confiscating" thing under any circumanstances. You send your child with food and drink - no way should someone take it away! A letter, maybe if lunch consists of a sausage roll and a diet coke. What is wrong with orange juice I have NO idea....

i did wonder whether they classify smoothie as a kind of quasi desert/yogurt thing rather than a drink?

If smoothie is a desert then surely you could get away with orange juice as a starter. Unless you have also included a half grapefruit with a cherry on top.

You will need a small bottle of paraffin for fondu but most schools don't allow glass bottles so be sure to send it in plastic.

I'd be furious and tell them to mind their own business.
I have a DD who is totally impossible about drinks. Will make herself ill rather than drink milk or water.
Our HT was on the war path about this at the beginning of term, I ignored him kept sending squash, so did everyone else. He has given up

What bollocking madness. Wonders what crap I will encounter when DD is old enough to start school. I assume it is a state school.

I work at a private school and am horrified that parents pay £5 per day and wonder if they would be happy to know their child was allowed to choose plain pasta and and cheese for their lunch.

i would challenge. orange juice is one of the 5 a day - maybe she mistook it for something else, squash perhaps?

anyway - id go and have a word.

our school doesn't allow cartons as they aren't resealable and they leak all over everyone's bags if they don't finish them

took me 6 weeks of ranting at my dd about why hadn't she had her drink and she was going to make herself ill not drinking, to work this out

Was it actually confiscated at lunch time? Check it wasn't in class time.

I would contact the school and ask for a run-down of the policy as you tend to get garbled versions from children.
If then is does turn out to be daft, then yes, have a word. We got an over-zealous healthy eating plan changed at our school because many parents pointed out the illogicality, which included a chocolate biscuit ban (penguins etc) when the school dinners were serving up much worse!

Agree with above posters - it could be that children are not supposed to bring their own drinks.
Yes some "policies" can be overturned. For example children were advised not to bring cake, but this had to be changed when it was pointed out that cake was on the school dinner menu.

Yoghurts aren't resealable either, now the school has decided that they have to bring everything home so dd2's lunch bag is so messy if I send yoghurt.

We can't bring nuts (allergies - fair enough); can bring homemade cakes but not with chocolate coating and no shop brought ones. There are chips at school on fridays but no crisps in lunchbags. No drinks with more than 5 percent sugar (could be why fruit juice taken away).

In general I am fairly happy with having the guidelines for lunchboxes, but I agree there are some funny rules like why the fat and sugar in a shop made cake is so much more dangerous than that from a homemade one. And why I can send in jellies but if I sent same drink without gelletin it would be banned. Talk to the school, find out reasons and take it from there. Our school wouldn't conviscate though, they would put a note in bag.

DD's school only asks that you don't send sweets in the packed lunch, no other rules. But the yoghurts thing - they send back all the rubbish and any left overs in her lunch bag.

She takes a metal water bottle, coolpak thing, and everything is covered in yoghurt every day, it is very annoying. I feel like saying - I don't need to know whether or not she ate all the yoghurt and I don't care, just put the tub in the recycling FGS.

I send a carton of fruit juice occasionally - I would not be happy at all if she was not allowed it, much better for her than some squash and for dental health the risk is the same really, especially if drunk as part of a meal. Barking.

Ridiculous.

DSs school has a no cocoa products rule. No problem with that except that when they have school dinners they have chocolate cake for pudding. Apparently that is fine as it has beetroot in too. Not allowed choc and beetroot cake from home though .

You are right, some rules seem silly, and still need to be followed at the end of the day.

However, I would go and ask or get your DD to ask why. I wouldn't want to teach my DC that all rules have to be followed blindly, I would want them to question and be inquisitive. If the school make the rules they will have some reason for it - I would like to know the reason for that rule too!

Our school calls itself a 'healthy school'. Looking at the lunch menus I must say it sometimes amazes me what they call healthy. Very often there is a sticky pudding or cake. I wouldn't give that much sweet stuff to my DC. And my pet hate is the fish fingers, chips, peas and baked beans on a Friday - why on earth do they need baked beans tomato sauce with fish??!!

Is it to do with potential mess and stickiness if it gets dropped?
DD's school don't allow blackcurrant squash as it "may stain the floor if spilt". (and it's the only thing other than sweets and peanut products that is "banned")

I remember picking up a very upset ds when he was very little, I used to give him a single square of chocolate on a Friday, one day a dinner lady had spotted it and taken it away, apparently they were not allowed anything in a packed lunch that was 'just chocolate' however anything else was fine, so full sized Mars, Twix, Kit Kat no problem

Bonkers.