Do you pack unhealthy snack for your kids school everyday?

allthingsblue

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 10:43 am

small bean wrote:

My kids bring unhealthy snacks.

I don't provide candy(they get tons in school, it's gross) or any drink besides water. That's my limit.

2 of my older kids like to bring some fruits, veggies and nuts in addition to snack bags.

Same here. And the unhealthy snacks sometimes are not the worst kind- sometimes they choose homemade cookies, popcorn or pretzels or pita chips which are probably better than Bissli. But I don’t mind what they choose to bring.

amother

DarkPurple

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 10:43 am

Our school gives morning and afternoon snacks to the kids, so they only bring lunch from home. We have junk that our kids eat at home, but rarely send junk with lunch to school. Typical lunch is some combination of proteins, grains, and fruits or applesauce. We try hard to only send things we know they like and eat happily at home. Only one of our kids is willing to eat veggies at school so we don't even bother packing veggies for the other kids, but that's OK because they are usually willing to eat veggies with their dinner at home.

When there's a party or birthday, we let our kids eat anything that is being given out at school, regardless of how junky.

Oldest is going into second grade and our way of doing things hasn't been a problem so far. But we would adjust if necessary. If, as they get older, they deeply desire to bring Bamba or potato chips to school, it wouldn't be a huge deal to me. It probably helps that we are not the only somewhat health-conscious parents and there are definitely families much stricter than us.

cbg

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 10:53 am

This is about 25 yrs ago but my kids would take to school 1 or 2 sandwiches, 1 veg, 1 fruit, 1 snack bag and water. For special occasions 2 snack bags. Sometimes it was home popped popcorn
They would see all the kids with fruit roll up (not the healthy one) wrapped around their finger. Yuck 🤮, sucking away 🤢. They really wanted but never asked.
Dd thought the reason we never gave them candy for school is that we were on a strict budget. It did make her feel a bit left out.
She didn’t realize that veggies and fruit cost more.
Today she’s a vegan and refuses to give her kids anything but fruits and veggies, occasionally Mary crackers and popcorn

Oh and she thanks me for not giving her healthy snacks

Last edited by cbg on Wed, Jul 07 2021, 10:55 am; edited 1 time in total

watergirl

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:01 am

amother [ NeonGreen ] wrote:

This made me feel very alone. Because my kid are without a doubt losing out. And I also don’t believe that other kids are not losing out. It’s just that parents are not connecting the dots. So sad. And fwiw, pediatricians know zilch about nutrition.

I am sorry you are feeling alone. We can agree to disagree on the rest.

Chayalle

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:01 am

amother [ Obsidian ] wrote:

My kids all love fruits and veggies.
But they would revolt if that was all they got for snack.
I think most kids are bringing a unhealthy snack every day.

My kids love cut-up peppers, celery sticks, and fruit (apples, oranges, peaches, plums, nectarines) in their snack. Along with pretzels, chips, bissli, oreos, etc....they would take two healthy snacks (veggies, fruit) and one packaged snack every day.

Their school has a healthy snack policy at one recess time (forget which) which helps with this system.

amother

Fern

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:11 am

jj1236 wrote:

Just wondering. We send our kids to school/camp with cut up fruit, vegetables, pretzels, veggie straws, cheese sticks, unsweetened apple sauce etc. This obviously takes more time than throwing chips/cookies in their bag but we care about health. We definitely don't deprive them of things though because on Shabbos (or when wwe see grandparents) is when we have cake or cookies or ice cream or sometimes candy if they get from shul. My daughter has told me that "all" her friends bring in a special treat everyday for snack like cookies or something like that. She's 5. What's the point of them eating cookies everyday? We eat pretty healthy in our house (whole grain, salads, fruit) but now our kids love fruit and vegetables and it's due to the fact that we eat them regularly. I think it's when my daughter is overtired she'll start getting upset that she's the "only one" who doesn't bring a special treat for snack everyday. I feel like with birthday parties and various other events at school, they get special treats enough as it is.
Long story short, could this possibly be true? (Not that I'm changing my snack decisions, just curious)

Why do you think that veggie straws of pretzels are healthful, but cookies or muffins are not?

Veggie straws are heavily processed with virtually no nutritional value. Most dieticians will tell you they're no better than potato chips. They're mostly potato with a tiny amount of processed vegetables, and deep fried. Putting the word "veggie" in there doesn't make them healthful.
https://www.eatingwell.com/art.....hips/

Pretzels are nothing more than simple carbs.

I can't imagine sending cheese or most veggies in this heat, either. Too high a risk of food poisoning. And I cannot imagine they would be appetizing.

I confess, our schools and camps always provided all food and snacks, so I never really had to face these issues.

amother

Turquoise

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:24 am

The way it works is that if you only send in healthy they will eventually ask/beg for other snacks that they see other kids eating. Even if you don’t give it to them they will find other ways to get it.

Same thing is true for parents who send in lots of junk food. Eventually the kids will ask on their own for healthy snack options too.

I tried both ways. The only way to have well balanced eaters is not to restrict. A little of everything in a healthy dose is good. Op, if you’re dealing with 3-4 year olds, it’s still fine to only send in healthy food but when they are around 7 years old it won’t be good for them if you are so rigid.

jj1236

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:41 am

amother [ Fern ] wrote:

Because that's my "less healthy" snack. I assumed pretzels and veggie straws would be enough of a fun snack but she still tells me everyone brings in cookies and chips everyday. I jut wanted to see if she was exaggerating but I see here that unfortunately she's not. Like I said before, I'll ask her morah abut it and if it becomes and issue, I'll have to change some things Sad

It's just a shame. If most people sent in healthy snacks, then kids wouldn't compare. But that's unrealistic I guess.

notshanarishona

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:45 am

I had a student whose mom only sends her in with fruits/ veggies/ healthy whole grain/ no sugar/ non processed types of snacks. I didn’t realize that until half way through the year because every time I saw her she was eating junk. Turns out she would come to school early to buy snacks from other kids with her allowance.
Similarly, my husband grew up super healthy at home. He used to stop at the convenience store and buy plain sugar and eat it by the lb. As a 10 year old he rationalized that sugar would get him more for his dollar than a candy bar 🙂. It’s not healthy or good to make a child stand out from his peers

imaima

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:50 am

amother [ NeonGreen ] wrote:

I don’t get it either. Why don’t people care??

People care, but at the end of the day it is a snack, not a meal. It is allowed to be not as healthy as other foods.

I have been through all stages, from OP to Zehava, and at the end of the day, it is a small portion of the daily food intake in comparison with the meals.
There are such criteria as how easy the snack is to hold, how big is the chance they will eat it, how much mess does it make. Many healthy foods don't score well on this scale.

notshanarishona

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:53 am

amother [ Sapphire ] wrote:

I'd be concerned about their social status. Nobody likes to spend recess with the kid who is constantly begging for part of your snack.

This! It’s also likely causing your kid to learn to lie/ barter / break rules. In many schools there is a no trading rule due to allergies/ kashrus, etc. I can’t tell you how many kids have told me they brought something from home when I can almost guarantee you it’s not but I can’t know 💯.
I can’t tell you how many kids tell their teachers/ parents their supplies get lost when really they are traded. Kids are extremely resourceful.
(Over 10 years of teaching)

amother

Fern

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:55 am

jj1236 wrote:

It's just a shame. If most people sent in healthy snacks, then kids wouldn't compare. But that's unrealistic I guess.

The point is that you are judging and condemning those who send cookies and chips, which are no more or less healthy than veggie straws or pretzels.

imaima

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 11:57 am

notshanarishona wrote:

I send my daughter with one healthy and one unhealthy snack a day . Some Reasons are (1) I don’t want her to stick out (2) she is so busy talking/ playing at snack time that unless she really likes the food she won’t eat it and comes home starving, (3) we aren’t worried about her weight by any stretch of the imagination, if anything she needs to gain so let her enjoy indulging while she can as long as it doesn’t make her overly hyper , (4) unhealthy snacks are faster , more convenient and typically cheaper .

Healthy eating is not ONLY about being fat Banging head

imaima

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:02 pm

amother [ Sapphire ] wrote:

True as you say about sticking out.
Also for those people saying their kids love healthy snacks and aren't interested in junky snacks at all I wonder a) how old they are b) if they over the age of 5 or 6, if they are as honest with you as you believe. Lol to the poster with the mother in law who found out at PTA her kid was begging snacks from a friend
I do remember one girl who stuck to the healthy foods only rule her mom set out, when I was a kid. She'd come to a birthday party with a bag of raisins and announce loudly she was eating it instead of having any birthday cake, her mom didn't let her eat unhealthy foods. Nobody made fun of her but she came across as weird.
I wasn’t in her class in upper grades but at some point she switched schools and went to a high school where she boarded. I wonder if, not having so many friends played into it. Because most kids do pick up social nuances and want to fit it. And making your kid have to do a big pronouncement like that and set them apart isn't helping them if they are already a bit weak in that area.

P.s. the kids who lived on junk food when I was a kid turned out to be adults with normal diets. No, they aren't necessarily overweight. I think genetics plays the biggest role in that.

I had a child to my kid's bday party who refused Fanta and when everyone was helping themselves to Fanta and jelly beans, she kept saying in a bitter voice "You are all going to die".

I just thought that she was born a MIL.

amother

Denim

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:09 pm

jj1236 wrote:

I dont send Shabbos party like fruit by the foot and bissli everyday, no.
but I will send a slice of leftover Shabbos cake, corn chips, potato chips, things like that. unfortunately, the kids aren't eating vegetables in school, so my kids don't want to eat it either Sad

my daughter loves cut up peppers but she asked me not to send it...she'll eat it at home when I make a veggie platter for supper...

avrahamama

Wed, Jul 07 2021, 12:10 pm

My kids go to school with two snacks a day. I send in one fruit/veg/dairy type snack and then one nosh type snack. That way they get each kind. The nosh snack is almost like a security blanket. It's there and makes them feel like everyone else. It usually comes home half eaten with the bag stapled. The healthier snack BH gets eaten.

Also the junky snack is conditional on eating a proper breakfast. Eggs in a frame or even cereal that's got some fiber and bulk to it like raisin bran etc.

But when I have energy I have a small Tupperware with 4 compartments and I'll send in a nice snack cucumber slices, cheese slices, choc chips, and bissli. Or in two compartmen I'll do whole milk Greek yogurt with a savory flavor to it and then wheat thins to dip, a veg and sweet thing. So it's like getting a pupu platter lol.