What Is It With Parents Always Sending Unhealthy Snacks To..

Lounge By Jayde Updated 25 Aug 2009 , 10:32pm by MichelleM77

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Jayde Posted 19 Aug 2009 , 7:07pm
post #1 of 27

...school?

I mean seriously! My son eats cookies, pudding, candy, cupcakes, RKT, etc. EVERY SINGLE DAY for snack at school. Why is it not possible for these parents to send apples or raisens?

I got snack day on the second day of school, so I sent in fruit cups. Fruit cocktail in light syrup, which trust me is NOT THAT healthy. A little girl threw her cup across the room where it splattered everywhere and refused to eat snack it because it wasnt pudding!

Now I am not a health food nut, nor am I a size two, but I want my kids to eat semi-healthy without being singled out. I have struggled with my weight my entire life and I dont want that for my kids. What is wrong with parents making their kids eat vegetables these days?

26 replies
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funcakes Posted 19 Aug 2009 , 7:22pm
post #2 of 27

I would encourage you to speak to the school nurse, principal and PTO. Try to put it in a positive light. Letting them know that you want to support them in making sure students are well nourished during the day, without sounding judgmental about what other parents are sending in.
More and more schools are adopting a nutritional policy for their school. In our school they may never serve a food item that has a high fat or sugar content. Not even at parties or special events.
Perhaps you may want to check out the nutritional policy of other schools before you contact people at your school, just so you may speak about what is being done successfully. These policies are part of school districts websites and you can see them online.
I do not know what state you are in, but many states are mandating these policies for local school districts. Who knows, your state may be next.

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Texas_Rose Posted 19 Aug 2009 , 7:59pm
post #3 of 27

When we had to send snack, it was only for our own kids, but there was a really strict list of what they were allowed to have. Once I sent something that was the wrong brand and she wasn't allowed to eat snack that day.

The only reason that we had to send a snack was that the cafeteria schedule is weird and the kinder kids had to eat lunch at 10 am.

Last year we weren't allowed to send cupcakes for birthdays, but it was our teacher's own policy. All the other classes got to bring cupcakes.

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indydebi Posted 19 Aug 2009 , 8:13pm
post #4 of 27

It's hard to know what to send, sometimes, when you're providing for a whole class. My daughter will eat her weight in fruits and veggies .... always has .... but I'm sure it wouldn't go over well to send in cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, baby carrots, etc.

If it's for your own kid, it's pretty easy to know what they like. For 25 kids? Wow, that's a challenge.

SOme parents may not realize what is being snacked everyday. They might buy the pudding thinking "oh this will be a nice treat!" without realizing it follows a long line of sugary snacks.

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Kiddiekakes Posted 19 Aug 2009 , 8:26pm
post #5 of 27

When I had to provide snack for my son's preschool we were given a list at the beginning of the year as to what was allowed /expected for parents to bring in...They had it on a rotating schedule so about once month I provided snack ...I always brought in something healthy...but many parents tried to send in cookies...cupcakes..etc..Now that both of my kids are in school all day and you are expected to send them a snack only and not everyone...I can limit what I send for sugery treats.

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funcakes Posted 19 Aug 2009 , 9:43pm
post #6 of 27

Oh, it's me again.
Reading the other replies I was struck with what a bad idea it is to provide a snack for the whole class. I am all for sharing everything, but with all of the adverse reactions to foods these day I can think of several classes who would be able to enjoy only water! LOL
In a class of less than 20 kids I have had-no nuts, no wheat, no seeds, no eggs, no chocolate, no milk products, no corn, no sugar, no artificial colors and that doesn't even include the fact that some kids can not eat anything that is not kosher. Every class has not been like that but I have had a few.
The "take turns to send in a snack" was all the rage 20 years ago. Maybe with a little encouragement from you, pointing out the benefits of bring your own, this policy may be changed.
Working mothers and busy SAHMs would find it easier to find one snack a day for their kids rather than the OMG tomorrow I have to send in 20 snacks.
JMHO-

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Kiddiekakes Posted 19 Aug 2009 , 9:47pm
post #7 of 27

I totally agree!!!!

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Jayde Posted 19 Aug 2009 , 11:27pm
post #8 of 27

Its terrible! It is a private preschool, so no going to the principal icon_sad.gif

I have asked and all they tell me is that they encourage the parents to bring healthy snacks, but what the parents bring that they consider healthy is PITIFUL! Graham crackers are healthy, fruit is healthy, veggies are healthy, yogurt is healthy, popcorn, cheese sticks or pretzels.

These parents bring in things like fat-free, sugar-free pudding that is made with all kinds of artifical sweetners and partially hydrogenated crap, THAT is NOT healthy! They bring in Cheeze-its, and I am sorry, but they are not healthy either. Most of the just bring in cookies and cupcakes every single day.

Then I feel like the bad guy when its our turn, cause the kids dont want to eat the snacks that I bring in. I talked to them until I was blue when my daughter was there and now my son is there and we are having the same problems.

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indydebi Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 12:19am
post #9 of 27

Stories like these make me SO glad I am almost done with school systems. I've had kids in school for the last 28 years and I am almost DONE!

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michellenj Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 12:27am
post #10 of 27

My kids' preschool gave us a list of maybe 40 things for ideas of what is a good snack, and if a parent brought in something that was unhealthy, the teacher would take aside the mom after pickup and talk to her. They always had pretzels on hand just in case the parent brought something unacceptable.

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BeeBoos-8599_ Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 2:01am
post #11 of 27

For the past 2 years my girls have been in a montessori school where they were very big on only healthy snacks. This year they both are going to the public school and while at our "orientation" meeting they handed us this letter about birthday treats. It says that everything has to be prepackaged and labled with ingredients. The suggested list was Little Debbie items. OMG! I could (and would) bake them cupcakes for every birthday and guarantee that they would be healthier than Little Debbie's! YUCK!
They also had us brind a box of pre packaged snacks to keep at the school for our own child.

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AverageMom Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 3:27am
post #12 of 27

This sounds insane! In the schools in my city, each child brings their own snacks. My kids both attend a school that is VERY health conscious. No nuts, of course. In their own lunches and snacks they are to have no cookies, no cupcakes, no sugary items, no chips, and no "fruit roll-ups". I love it!
In the high school where I teach, we have a Teaching Cafeteria. All the food is prepared my the students in class. It is usually all healthy. No pop in any machines, only pure fruit juices and water.

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CupCake_Caitlin Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 4:13am
post #13 of 27

Back in the day - when I was in Primary School, My mother sent me to school with a lunch box filled with Fruit, sandwich, yoghurt and occationally carrots sticks with a dip!!

All my friends brought cakes, lollies and junk there mothers brought pre packaged from the store. At least when we got a muffin, my mother cooked them!!

Anyway... The same Catholic school I went to (I'm Anglician, But its a small town) They NOW take things out of the kids lunch boxes and wont let them eat them if they are classed as unhealthy! But Its not just this school - The Catholic school department, demanded that rule become compulsery. The child is then sent home with a letter and the uneaten Items back in there lunch box.

1. They should be allowed a LITTLE sugary Snack.
2. Mothers should Know better about there kids lunches. instead of feeding them crap

Its all supposed to be Balanced.

there was a mother who sent her 2year old to child care with Lemonade in her little drink bottle, there is a rule there that enforces that the children should only have water and healthy snacks.
But there are different strick rules with child carers, they cant dispose of a childs drink with out parents consent!!

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dailey Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 2:03pm
post #14 of 27
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jayde

...school?

I mean seriously! My son eats cookies, pudding, candy, cupcakes, RKT, etc. EVERY SINGLE DAY for snack at school. Why is it not possible for these parents to send apples or raisens?

I got snack day on the second day of school, so I sent in fruit cups. Fruit cocktail in light syrup, which trust me is NOT THAT healthy. A little girl threw her cup across the room where it splattered everywhere and refused to eat snack it because it wasnt pudding!

Now I am not a health food nut, nor am I a size two, but I want my kids to eat semi-healthy without being singled out. I have struggled with my weight my entire life and I dont want that for my kids. What is wrong with parents making their kids eat vegetables these days?





i *totally* agree! i would talk to the teacher/principle. why in the world would they give these kids junk food to eat day after day??

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DefyGravity Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 3:38pm
post #15 of 27

My oldest is about to start Preschool the day after Labor Day *tear*. I had parent orientation on Tuesday night and we were given a pamphlet detailing what is and isn't acceptable to bring in to celebrate a child's birthday. If you bring in cupcakes for a kid's birthday, they aren't allowed to eat it in class and it gets sent home with them. They have a list of what is and isn't allowed, but I'll admit I haven't read through the whole thing yet.

Has anyone else seen Super Size Me? I always thought it was interesting that the school for the "high risk" kids went on a healthy lunch plan and the behavior instantly improved, PLUS the healthy food cost about as much as the pre-cooked frozen crap that a lot of schools have.

My area of Michigan has an obesity problem, and it stems from unhealthy eating habits when kids are young. You can be willing to bet I'm going to run for the school board when my kids are in there and see about switching to a nutrition plan, not just a feeding plan.

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AverageMom Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 4:52pm
post #16 of 27

DefyGravity, I show that film in my CAPP classes every year. It always impresses the kids! I'm lucky in that the school I teach in is a "healthy" school. Right now, our only issue (and it's a big one) is students bringing energy drinks in. It's a bit of a contest to see who can drink the most RedBull or whatever the flavour of the day is. Arghhh!

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miss_sweetstory Posted 20 Aug 2009 , 10:55pm
post #17 of 27
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jayde

Its terrible! It is a private preschool, so no going to the principal icon_sad.gif




Hi Jayde. I was really surprised by this. Why don't you feel that you can go to the principal with this issue? In both private and public schools teachers and administrators should be accessible and receptive to parents thoughts and concerns. In addition to you, they should also be advocates of the education and health of your children. Did I miss part of the story? Does your school have a system for parental input that doesn't involve the principal?

I too think that parents should be responsible for providing a daily snack for just their own child. I am also very supportive of limiting those snacks to fruit and vegetables only. I also don't think that candy and soda machines have a place in lower and middle schools. But in response to another poster's description of her child's school, I do think dictating the contents of a student's lunch is going too far. (With the exception of prohibiting certain severe allergens, such as peanut products.) I am still the parent, and if I decide to give my child an occasional "treat" that should be my right. I think it is very important to teach my children to make good, and healthy, choices. However, for them to learn they have to have the chance to see me make choices (exercising moderation, for example!) and have to actually make some choices of their own.

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diane Posted 21 Aug 2009 , 1:05am
post #18 of 27

i'm going to school to become an elementary teacher and this is one thing that will not be allowed in my classroom. there is so much research that shows how such foods affect learning. it's sad and unfortunate that schools allow this.

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shelbur10 Posted 23 Aug 2009 , 1:41pm
post #19 of 27

I wish our school system would adopt some healthy guidelines. We send snacks for our own children only, OR they can buy ice cream for snack. EVERY DAY! The lunches served are enough to make your hair curl...chicken nuggets, pizza, tacos...junk food every day. I struggle to feed my children healthy food at home (with occasional treats, of course) to teach them good eating habits and it feels like school is undoing everything I'm working on at home! And half the time they don't even get any decent exercise at phys ed. Just lining up and shooting hoops. My kids are being raised to understand that just because it's school, that doesn't mean they're doing everything right. That sounds bad, I should say that they do behave well, respect their teachers and follow the rules. We just make sure that they know that what they're taught at home supersedes what's going on at school and just because school allows it, that doesn't mean that we do. Ice cream every day...good Lord.

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indydebi Posted 23 Aug 2009 , 2:30pm
post #20 of 27
Quote:
Originally Posted by shelbur10

The lunches served are enough to make your hair curl...chicken nuggets, pizza, tacos...junk food every day.



We are not the most healthy eaters in the world, but my overweight teenager was trying weight watchers. She was unable to eat ANY of the school lunches because they used up all of her points FOR THE WHOLE DAY! If she ate school lunches, she could, in effect, eat less than one meal a day.

Schools around here preach healthy meals, but under weight watcher guidelines (which I believe to be the best weight control program out there), the schools are failing miserably.

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-Tubbs Posted 24 Aug 2009 , 2:21pm
post #21 of 27
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Originally Posted by shelbur10

The lunches served are enough to make your hair curl...chicken nuggets, pizza, tacos...junk food every day.


We are not the most healthy eaters in the world, but my overweight teenager was trying weight watchers. She was unable to eat ANY of the school lunches because they used up all of her points FOR THE WHOLE DAY! If she ate school lunches, she could, in effect, eat less than one meal a day.

Schools around here preach healthy meals, but under weight watcher guidelines (which I believe to be the best weight control program out there), the schools are failing miserably.



http://www.jamieoliver.com/school-dinners
Link to Jamie Oliver's big campaign to put healthy meals in british schools. I'm not sure if the TV series was shown in the US, but MANY parents (and kids, of course) were very resistant. It was an interesting show, because it demonstrated how pretty much everything to do with school food comes down to budget. Crap food cooked by untrained, unmotivated staff=cheap.

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funcakes Posted 24 Aug 2009 , 9:58pm
post #22 of 27

Yes, the Jamie Oliver school food program was broadcast here in the States. Very interesting. The kids were reluctant at first, but by the end, they were on board with eating the more nutritious food.
An even more compelling report came from the northwest, where it was documented that once a school for young boys (what we used to call reform school) changed to all organic food, with a minimum of meat, the students all reduced the amount of violence the participated in, reduced outbursts and they were better focused during class. I'm sorry I do not remember the exact school.
They are right I guess, you are what you eat.

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mcaulir Posted 24 Aug 2009 , 10:32pm
post #23 of 27
Quote:
Quote:

But in response to another poster's description of her child's school, I do think dictating the contents of a student's lunch is going too far. (With the exception of prohibiting certain severe allergens, such as peanut products.) I am still the parent, and if I decide to give my child an occasional "treat" that should be my right. I think it is very important to teach my children to make good, and healthy, choices. However, for them to learn they have to have the chance to see me make choices (exercising moderation, for example!) and have to actually make some choices of their own.




The OP's post shows why this is difficult. It's difficult for parents to send healthy snacks to school and have their child eat them if other kids are eating junk, even if it is the only time a particular child eats a treat that month. It's als difficult for schools to monitor every child having an 'occasional' treat. What constitutes occasional? Once a month? Once a week?

All school draw a line somewhere about what is appropriate for its students to be eating for lunch. A school I taught in had to speak to a parent about bringing KFC for her child every day, even though the school didn't have a particular 'healthy eating' policy.

Also, as funcakes pointed out, better food means better behaviour from kids. When some students don't eat breakfast, then have chips or chocolate for lunch, it makes for an exciting day!

I don't understand why the teacher in the original post wouldn't be keen to support a healthier eating policy. Who would want 25 sugar- and artificial junk-hyped little monkeys after snack time every day?

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mcaulir Posted 24 Aug 2009 , 10:33pm
post #24 of 27
Quote:
Quote:

But in response to another poster's description of her child's school, I do think dictating the contents of a student's lunch is going too far. (With the exception of prohibiting certain severe allergens, such as peanut products.) I am still the parent, and if I decide to give my child an occasional "treat" that should be my right. I think it is very important to teach my children to make good, and healthy, choices. However, for them to learn they have to have the chance to see me make choices (exercising moderation, for example!) and have to actually make some choices of their own.




The OP's post shows why this is difficult. It's difficult for parents to send healthy snacks to school and have their child eat them if other kids are eating junk, even if it is the only time a particular child eats a treat that month. It's als difficult for schools to monitor every child having an 'occasional' treat. What constitutes occasional? Once a month? Once a week?

All school draw a line somewhere about what is appropriate for its students to be eating for lunch. A school I taught in had to speak to a parent about bringing KFC for her child every day, even though the school didn't have a particular 'healthy eating' policy.

Also, as funcakes pointed out, better food means better behaviour from kids. When some students don't eat breakfast, then have chips or chocolate for lunch, it makes for an exciting day!

I don't understand why the teacher in the original post wouldn't be keen to support a healthier eating policy. Who would want 25 sugar- and artificial junk-hyped little monkeys after snack time every day?

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mrspriss0912 Posted 24 Aug 2009 , 11:45pm
post #25 of 27

After reading these post I am glad my daughter is in high school now!! Granted when she was younger I would make treats for holiday parties and birthdays. The school was always good about letting me know ahead of time if allergies to food where a problem.
My suggestion would be to try the healthy kid friendly treats like canalopand pineapple cut to look like flowers or kiwi. I once made ghost pizzas and they were a big hit I also made my own rock candy or small suckers. Also you might try and yes most of these are a halloween them that was just my luck of the rotation purchace some gauze I used 4x4's and wrap them around stick apples to make them look like mummy's
I hope this helps a little .
icon_rolleyes.gif

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funcakes Posted 25 Aug 2009 , 2:17pm
post #26 of 27

You are so right! It sometimes is all about the presentation. The most exciting snack my class ever enjoyed was one of those edible arrangements sent in by a parent who worked for that company. The kids just gobbled it up and were so excited when it arrived. Cupcakes and cookies never got that rave. I am not suggesting that as a school treat-they are so very expensive.

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MichelleM77 Posted 25 Aug 2009 , 10:32pm
post #27 of 27
Quote:
Originally Posted by TubbsCookies


http://www.jamieoliver.com/school-dinners
Link to Jamie Oliver's big campaign to put healthy meals in british schools. I'm not sure if the TV series was shown in the US, but MANY parents (and kids, of course) were very resistant. It was an interesting show, because it demonstrated how pretty much everything to do with school food comes down to budget. Crap food cooked by untrained, unmotivated staff=cheap.




I think I saw that on BBC America.

I'm shocked that you have to supply snacks for all of the kids. I don't think I ever did that except for special ocassions like my son's birthday. With so many kids with allergies, I'm surprised at this.

There are always "sides" with my son's lunches at school (he is in seventh grade) and I encourage him to take what is offered since I'm paying for it! Today he had an apple as a side (there is usually one fruit and one veggie).

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