General Chat

Happy Birthday Teri, I agree with you. My grandson starts school next week. They only live 3 doors away from school but are not allowed to go home for dinner. (security I expect) but they are allowed a packed lunch which is a good thing as he is a bit of a fussy eater. But he loves fruit (rather have that than crisps or sweeties). we are glad of this as with a packed lunch at least we will know he has eaten. He has been at nursery this past 12 month and every day they got either a piece of fruit or carrot for their break. Perhaps a list of suitable food sent out would make sure that all the children took suitable packed lunches would be an answer. Germaine x

At our primary we have a healthy free snack time policy . Reception, year one and two have fruit such as apples, bananas, grapes, strawberries, cucumber, celery etc are given with a drink. Older pupils may bring in healthy snack such as fruit, veg, dried fruit or cheese. (If the child has dietry problems compromises are met) Its not allowed for pupils to bring in items such as cake, chocolate or sweets for snack time Pupils are encouraged to bring in healthy packed lunches. However many bring in what they like, but sweets are still not allowed to be eaten in school, and the parents will be told if they continue to flout this rule. Birthday sweets are allowed in achool, but these are given to the teacher at the start of the day, and the child hands them out as they que to leave the classroom at the end of the day. The children dont seem to have a problem with all these rules, only a few parents who may moan that little johnny will have a chocolate bar or sweets for snack because they say so, (not as if parents cannot leave chocolate and sweets until after school ..) (After all, it's unfair that little johnny sits there in the playground/classroom chomping on his wonka bar, whilst the other kids shout 'unfair !' ) Elaine x

Just a thought... How many kids who have a choccy bar or simular in their lunch box eat it first?...my kids would eat that and leave most their sarnie. Also the older kids who do not get free snacks, often are old enough not to need snacks. My 10 year old son stopped having snacks at 7. But it was because he felt he never needed them. Also he was hungry enough to eat all his lunch too. At lunchtime, kids also dont get that long to eat...well they do, but most want to finish up and get into the playground. Mine have a sarnie and a packet of chrisps (which is allowed) and a drink....any more than this and it comes home uneaten. They have a good dinner when they come home. And a good breakfast in the morning so they dont need several items for lunch. E x

Crikey, didn't expect to provoke this much response! I can see the schools point, but as a few have pointed out, childen shouldn't be brought up thinking that some food is 'bad', and therefore you cannot take away from them the things they are used to having - they would feel punished, but we can introduce other things. Our school did have a fruit and veg scheme in place, for the first part of year 1, but the stuff they were giving them was awful (not much variety either) and a lot of the children got upset telling parents that they were told they had to eat them. My youngest used to stash hers in her bag and bring it home, I got fed up of fetching carrots out of bag, still with tops and tails on and sometimes not washed very well. I questioned thisand was told that was how they arrived at the school, when I asked the head if he would eat a dirty carrot still sprouting green leaves he said no! so why should my 6 year old....... I'm not a whinging mother that the teachers hide from!! (at least I hope not) I just want my childrens school time to be happy......

Crikey Teri ! The school should be reported ! We must wash the fruit and prepare it as requested in the guidelines in the pack..(such as carrots, strawberries etc) Guidelines also state roughly what the amount is going to be for each child, such as 3- 4 strawberries each etc.. Also none of the kids are forced to eat it. If a child dislikes something then they dont put a peice on the plate. Or if they try a peice (as encouraged) and dislike it, it gets thrown away. The children are always encouraged to drink something at these times though. Elaine x

It sounds like we have been lucky with my eldest daughter's infant school. They have adopted the government initiative for fruit/veg provided by the school at first break. The fruit tends to be a bit small, but so are alot of the children! My picky child now has expanded what she will eat through peer pressure. Quite often she comes out of school munching another carrot or something because they have let the kids take from the excess. I have not heard of any restrictions on packed lunches. Birthday sweets are only issued at going home time - gives them a nice sugar high for the parents! Has anyone else had the caterer changed at school since Jamie Olivier did his series? It really seemed to shake things up. Loads of letters home assuring us of how wholesome the meals were from the original suppliers, then the anouncement that another caterer was taking over that would be the best for our kids (with increase in price, naturally!). I suspect they just gave all the meals healthy sounding names instead of kid appeal ones :) Vicky

It irritates me to hear that schools can dictate what food children can and cannot take to school. I am very much all for a healthy diet, but there is little point in preventing a child eat sweets in school then stuffing themselves silly in the evening eating junk food. In my opinion nobody has the right to say what a child actually needs or doesn't need... not even parents ... what hypocrites we would be!! How many people only eat what they actually need ..... ? Nobody ... What a boring diet that would be!! We all should have a varied and interesting diet which includes carbohydrate. It is very much up to schools to educate children about healthy living including diets and provide sufficient exercise for children. They even could go as far as advising and suggesting recipe ideas etc. but they should not dictate. Martin