Packed Lunch help needed please

Janepig

bonty44 wrote: »

The only other thing I would say is, if you are going to advise parents ref healthy packed lunches, make sure your school dinners are healthy also! I saw red last week when DS1 and DS2 brought home a 'healthy packed-lunch' suggestions later ... the day before DS1 had been given a sausage roll, chips and iced bun for school dinners!!!!!!!

I see no harm in the occasional "unhealthy" school dinner - and of course don't forget that you have posters on here saying that that schools shouldn't ban chocolate in lunchboxes because some children don't like healthy food or won't eat it, well it's the same for the school, and they have to strike a balance of healthy food but also that which the children will eat.

Jxx

*max*

The problem isn't banning or not banning something. Everyone should be free to eat whatever they want. However, it DOES lie with the parents to make sure their kids not only don't eat cr4p, but actually enjoy eating "healthy" foods.

Too often healthy foods = tofu, bland weight-watchers ready meals, tasteless grains..etc
It doesn't have to be that way though! Healthy food doesn't have to equal tasteless, fat-free mush. It's up to the parents to MAKE their kids eat tasty, normal foods. Saying "he doesn't eat veg", or "she doesn't like green foods" just doesn't cut it. The responsability has to lie somewhere, and it's not the school's. It's the parents'.
Schools are working hard to give kids an EDUCATION. And I mean an academic one. This shouldn't include how to eat. So you can't blame them for the parents's failure.
A school that tried to make a difference in that department should be praised, but it really isn't a given.

Edit.

Practical solution: if the school is going to have an embargo on sweet lunches, they should have an alternative ready to give. It doesn't have to be much or cost a lot. Yogurts, apples, homemade flapjacks, mashed potatoes...

seven-day-weekend

I don't see why the school should have to police the lunchboxes at all and if a kid is given three twirly-whirleys for lunch then that is the responsibility of the inadequate parents, not the school.

Saying 'only one chocolate item per lunchbox' will just mean the kid has one twirly whirly and two bags of crisps instead of three twirly whirleys . It doesn't mean the parents will suddenly start getting off their a£$es to do them a healthy meal.

However I do think a 'healthy lunchbox guidelines' list is a good idea for those parents (very much in the minority I'm sure) who don't know, rather than don't care.

mithras

I second the mse links given above

While it's true Schools shouldn't have to police school lunch boxes and healthy eating should in the main be parent's responsibilities, schools still should make sure that healthy choices are on offer and encouraged at all times when children are in schools, whether that be encouraging water drinking, a free piece of fruit during the day, banning vending machines or discouraging packed lunches overloaded with chocolate and nutritionally poor choices

As a Mum of three kids ranging between 13 and 5 I've seen significant changes in school policy over the years and have to say, much of it is for the good - banning fizzy drinks, chocolate, encouraging healthy eating etc...

Also, if teachers are having to deal with the effects of poor diets on the children (hyperactivity due to sugar intake, poor concentration, low energy levels due to no decent breakfast etc...) then schools should feel able to tackle those issues - the problem is doing it sensitively without getting some parents up in arms (remember Jamie Oliver and the Mum's feeding their kids chips through the school fence during lunch time?)

I salute you OP for trying to address the issue and wish you much luck. As some have said, slow and steady introduction is probably the way to go and trying to involve the parents as much as possible. Also, try the sneak attack by having the odd healthy eating lesson in class, making it as fun as possible for the kids, teaching them how food helps or hinders their body - pester power can work for the good as well as the bad and if kids go home saying "Don't want to eat that Mum it's not good for me" half your job is done :j This has been particularly effective in primary schools I've noticed, but I'm not sure what age group you're talking here...

neneromanova

Can I just say, When I went to school years ago with a Lunchbox, I used to have Sandwich, Crisps, Cake, Yoghurt and a piece of fruit. Oh and a Juice. It doesn't exactly sound healthy but I'm not over weight now, and never was as a child as I was always playing.

Instead of focusing on Lunches, why not focus on P.E? I remember when I used to do P.E all we did was stand around and hardly do any running around.

kindofagilr

savingmummy wrote: »

My niece had 1 chocolate digestive removed from her lunch box due to this `healthy eating` policy at her infant school:rotfl:
Must add the remaining food in her box was ALL healthy. Stupid imo!

I see what you are saying, but personally I wouldnt want my kids getting into the habit of a chocolate biscuit or cake every day for a snack.

OP the problem you might have as well though is if you ban chocolate, then you need to be careful with puddings kids bring in? like the milky bar pudding etc they are so unheathly as well

S1976

My daughters (twins aged 5) came home from school last week, asked me what they were having for lunch tomorrow - I replied tuna and mayo, they said on white bread? I said yes, the usual milk roll bread or maybe a bun. They then explained that the teachers had told them all white bread is bad for you etc etc etc, I then had to sit down and spend 30 mins explaining that it depends on the type of white bread you have. Be carefull with this because it leaves a lot of pressure on the parents, especially children who don't eat much anyhow as a lot of children are picky eaters, especially in primary school. I do agree however, that some children do eat way to much chocolate - but remember, the cheese and crackers you buy in the packet (the childrens ones) can be more unhealthy than a 2 finger kit-kat.

mithras

S1976 wrote: »

My daughters (twins aged 5) came home from school last week, asked me what they were having for lunch tomorrow - I replied tuna and mayo, they said on white bread? I said yes, the usual milk roll bread or maybe a bun. They then explained that the teachers had told them all white bread is bad for you etc etc etc, I then had to sit down and spend 30 mins explaining that it depends on the type of white bread you have. Be carefull with this because it leaves a lot of pressure on the parents, especially children who don't eat much anyhow as a lot of children are picky eaters, especially in primary school. I do agree however, that some children do eat way to much chocolate - but remember, the cheese and crackers you buy in the packet (the childrens ones) can be more unhealthy than a 2 finger kit-kat.

I agree absolutely with your last point about savoury packed lunch alternatives, way too much salt and/ or additives IMO

But I am interested, now your daughters have been given this info, will you try them with wholemeal bread or rolls and do you think it might get them to switch over to those products rather than white bread? Genuine question, not a pick or dig or anything

S1976

mithras wrote: »

I agree absolutely with your last point about savoury packed lunch alternatives, way too much salt and/ or additives IMO

But I am interested, now your daughters have been given this info, will you try them with wholemeal bread or rolls and do you think it might get them to switch over to those products rather than white bread? Genuine question, not a pick or dig or anything

Not really Mithras, because in general they eat a mix of both they are not really to picky however, their favourite bread at the moment is the milk roll, I think two round slices is just enough for their tummy and they love the soft crusts, usually when I give them normal squares they eat all but the crusts and end up bringing half the sandwich home. If they sway towards wholemeal bread more as they get older then yes by all means they can have it, but right now at their age I know they love the milk roll and I know they will eat it, and although it is a white bread, I would class it as one of the healthier white breads

I think it's a tough call for teachers, and can understand why they encourage healthy eating as most parents (in my area anyhow) really do not know their foot from their elbow a lot of the time. But for those of us who do know the healthy options and do try to cook healthy for our families, it can be a little intrusive when your daughters come home and tell you your doing wrong when your trying to do right, and deep down you know that your choice of white bread isn't actually that bad for them. Under no circumstances do I want my daughters to feel guilty or bad for eating white bread, especially milk roll but if wholemeal is their choice now or as they get older then again that is 100% fine with me.

:beer:

mithras

Thanks for the explanation S1976 My kids have white bread too occasionally, especially as toast as it does taste good with butter melted on it I haven't heard of milk roll but will check it out in preference to normal white bread

Apologies OP if I've hijacked your thread a little from its original course