So our government is constantly saying that parents don’t feed their children properly, that children are inactive, obesity levels are skyrocketing, that there’s too much sugar in food. They also tell us that school dinners are the answer to making sure our children are fed well during the school day. In fact, I was harassed hard to sign my small son up for school meals, as part of the free meal system for his age group, and we are assured that the food is healthy and appropriate.
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One of my children currently eats school lunches, for practical reasons. I have eaten the school lunches, myself, they aren’t bad, as school meals go.
What I do want to know is why children are offered cakes, sugary puddings and treats at lunchtime? Why does my child come home and tell me that there was cake, custard, flapjacks, cake bars, stodgy puddings on offer as dessert but if u choose to send a treat in a lunchbox, I’m told off and it’s not allowed?
Why is it for school to offer my children sugary, calorie-laden puddings, when at home they get offered fresh fruit or unsweetened yoghurt with fruit?
Why are these things on offer, if the health and diet of our children are such a concern? Children will choose them if they are offered.
Once again, our government tells us we are rubbish parents, THEY know best, yet our children are being fed junk?
I have nothing against a good stodgy pudding with custard, cake or other treats, I just object to my choice being taken away, being told I feed my kids badly – which by and large I don’t, and being told I can’t put a flapjack or home made cake treat in a lunchbox, but they can choose cake at school lunch? Makes no sense to me? Surely I can’t be the only one who feels this way?
This school dinner inspired rant was brought to you by Friday’s Rant from the Soap Box in MY Living Room.
we are having a battle with lunch boxes in school in Dubai at the moment, one child aged 4 came into school yesterday eating a packet of maltesers. there is too much chocolate, cakes and crisps in lunch boxes and little else. the school meals provided aren’t much better, yesterdays snack was a chocolate muffin, a banana and a carton of milk
I agree. My son has school dinners, but I do find it a huge contradiction. I did laugh when we had a suggested lunchbox ideas leaflet sent home. I mean really my 6 year old is not going to eat cous cous!!!!! #effitfriday
Wow! That IS weird. I haven’t come across this yet, my boy starts school in Sept, but dictating to parents what they can and can’t send in, then serving up these very things sounds bonkers. Have you spoken to the school? Maybe they can give an explanation? I can’t see what it might be, but I think a word is definitely in order!
My son doesn’t start school until September so I don’t know much about school meals these days but you make very valid points. Seems very contradictory to me and more than a little bit odd but that’s our government for you.
#effitfridays
I understand the need to stop the treats as in the pre-packaged chocolate muffins. But homemade? I don’t see where they can stop that, because on the same premise the (lovely delicious) stodge that they offer at school is all done under the “its homemade” banner?
Stuff you can bring in from home is so restricted now, so it does seem weird they can still get sugary desserts. I worked as a primary dinner lady for a bit a couple of years ago and I was surprised how low take up is for the desserts though – the alternate offer is a yoghurt or fruit, and a lot of kids went for those instead. (I certainly wouldn’t have as a kid!) I don’t know how it works elsewhere, but all the primaries here get their menus set centrally by the LEA so you can keep an eye on what’s coming up over the next few weeks. They tend to offer a stodgy dessert twice a week, but at least I can make sure I’m not planning more on the same days. x #effitfriday