Parents - your kids are bringing garbage snacks to school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are not watching out for this you should be.

On a daily basis I have kids bringing for snack (not dessert):

Packaged muffins, cookies, brownies, Doritos, cheetos. And the quantities they are bringing are astounding too.

This is terrible brain food. It makes them sleepy, unfocused and it’s terrible for their health too!

At our school they hand these out for breakfast- well not "cookies" but sweet muffins and pastries. Plus juice or chocolate milk. I agree it's terrible for the reasons you state but this is far from just a problem of poor parenting.

Chocolate milk is one of the top nutritious recommendations for pretty much every serious athlete in the world. But some influencer or random journalist told you it’s uNhEaLtHy so you get your panties in a twist at the thought of a kid drinking it once or twice a day.

It’s very obvious that most of you do not have older kids (or kids you’ve actually managed to raise to adulthood). The sanctimommy is strong in this thread.

I think the nutritional needs of a serious athlete are quite different than the nutritional needs of an elementary school child....

The point, dummy, was that chocolate milk isn’t inherently unhealthy.

And I actually think growing, active kids DO have nutritional needs more in line with serious athletes than with their middle-aged, ano/orthorexic mommies.

The fact that you think parents who choose regular rather than chocolate milk is a sign of an eating disorder makes you the dummy.

We’re currently discussing choosing between chocolate milk and no milk, fool.

You are. No one is saying offer no milk, fool.

offered =/= consumed. This point has already been raised, many pages ago. Try to keep up!

Kids will consume plain milk it if it’s the only option offered. How is that hard to understand?

She can’t comprehend it because it would negate her belief that it’s “not her fault” that her kid only consumes junk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe my health insurance premiums are determined based on the choices and behaviors of some of the people on this thread. There should be a discount or a penalty assigned based upon grocery and restaurant receipts. No wonder so many people are obese and have chronic illness.

Believe it. Look at our trim President serving McDonalds to athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe my health insurance premiums are determined based on the choices and behaviors of some of the people on this thread. There should be a discount or a penalty assigned based upon grocery and restaurant receipts. No wonder so many people are obese and have chronic illness.

I’m a teacher and up until the last year, part of my EOY evaluation was student test scores. Students who were absent for up to 50 days of school were included in my data. Insanity.

[Anonymous]

I send Horizon whole plain organic milk in tetra pack for my kid. Snacks are usually fruits (grapes or clementines) and cheese cubes or carrots sticks and ranch dressing.

My kids are eating a mix of healthy and not so healthy foods. But, even the unhealthy stuff (fried chicken, fried vegetable fritters, french fries), I try to make it at home and make it healthier with quality ingredients and do portion control.

As we know more and more about the various lifestyle illnesses - the challenge is to make meals that are balanced, free of pesticide and toxins, and those that help to maintain good health. But the reality is also that the healthy foods are not convenient foods, and most of the times they are not affordable also.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are not watching out for this you should be.

On a daily basis I have kids bringing for snack (not dessert):

Packaged muffins, cookies, brownies, Doritos, cheetos. And the quantities they are bringing are astounding too.

This is terrible brain food. It makes them sleepy, unfocused and it’s terrible for their health too!

At our school they hand these out for breakfast- well not "cookies" but sweet muffins and pastries. Plus juice or chocolate milk. I agree it's terrible for the reasons you state but this is far from just a problem of poor parenting.

Chocolate milk is one of the top nutritious recommendations for pretty much every serious athlete in the world. But some influencer or random journalist told you it’s uNhEaLtHy so you get your panties in a twist at the thought of a kid drinking it once or twice a day.

It’s very obvious that most of you do not have older kids (or kids you’ve actually managed to raise to adulthood). The sanctimommy is strong in this thread.

This is school, where kids are sitting all day (with percentage of overweight kids climbing every year), not high performance sports. Zero rationale for school to pass out chocolate milk. Regular milk has 13 g of natural sugar.

If you think chocolate milk is what is causing kids to be overweight I have a bridge to sell you.

Why not just give out white milk? Why do kids need chocolate milk at all?

Because a food your child doesn't consume or only has a little of has no health value at all, even if it is "healthier" than an alternative they will finish.

Chocolate milk and white milk have the same amount of calories, fat, vitamin D that a kid needs. But if I give my kid white milk, she might skip it altogether or just have a sip or two and decide she's done. So she misses out on most of the nutrients. If I give her chocolate milk, she will almost always drink the entire thing. Thus the chocolate milk is actually healthier, because it results in my kid getting all the underlying ingredients, than the option with no added sugar, which might be preferable in a vacuum but in reality will simply get thrown away.

No they don’t.
Chocolate milk contains high fructose corn syrup as second ingredient. It has 140 calories and 18g sugar for a carton. White milk has 110 calories, 12 g sugar, no added sugar or corn syrup. That’s a significant sugar difference and totally unnecessary to be giving out at school. If your kid won’t drink milk without high fructose sugar loaded into it- they must not be hungry. Why are we giving junk as an alternative to actually nutritious food?

Yes, they do. You are over focused on added sugars and are simply wrong on caloric intake.

An 8oz serving of both regular milk and chocolate milk contain the following: 8g protein, 2.5-5g fat (depends on whether whole or skim), and 25% DRV of calcium. Those are the primary reasons milk is recommended for children, those are the core nutritional components of milk, and they are identical in white milk and chocolate milk.

Chocolate milk has more calories because of the added sugars. That could be a negative thing for a child trying to lose weight or curb excess sugar (or a woman in her 40s trying to do the same, which I suspect describes many of the posters on this thread). For a child who is underweight or has other high caloric needs (for instance due to athletic activity or being in the midst of a growth spurt), the added calories are either neutral or even beneficial. The added sugar is a downside, but for a child who needs the underlying nutrition and may be reluctant to consume as much white milk as chocolate milk, it's a compromise worth making.

Your belief that a child will only decline to finish their milk because they have already met their nutritional needs for the day is simply incorrect for some kids. My kid regularly declines to finish her milk and then announces she is hungry immediately afterwards.

Are you seriously advocating for giving kids extra sugars and high fructose corn syrup? Zero kids need this.

But they need protein, fat, and calcium. Do you not think kids need protein, fat, and calcium? What do you think is worse:

(1) a child who runs gets insufficient protein, fat, and calcium but never consumes extra sugar or high fructose corn syrup; OR

(2) a child who gets the recommended daily values of protein, fat, and calcium but also consumes some extra sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the process.

When you respond, please describe the health impacts of each option.

They can all drink plain milk. If they don’t want it, oh well. School should not be handing out extra sugar, period.

DP. My solution to this problem is telling my kid they can have chocolate milk with lunch on Friday if they drink their plain milk M-Th. Since they get a second cup of plain milk at dinner every night and they drink it without complaint, I choose to believe they also finish their plain milk with lunch 4 days a week.

It’s shocking the low expectations some of these kids are given. Like the parents think they will starve if their food demands are not met by parents.

There are kids who will, like kids with ARFID. The kids on ADHD medication also may not be eating enough. The meds can suppress appetite and cause growth issues if a parent isn't careful about calories and intake.

Clearly, this is not most kids, though...

We aren’t talking about those kids.

There are a large number of kids especially in younger grades, with issues around food or who are on stimulant meds and really just need to eat and get calories. You seem to be thinking it’s 1-2 per grade of 80-100, when it’s really more like 5-6 per class out of 25 students in a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are not watching out for this you should be.

On a daily basis I have kids bringing for snack (not dessert):

Packaged muffins, cookies, brownies, Doritos, cheetos. And the quantities they are bringing are astounding too.

This is terrible brain food. It makes them sleepy, unfocused and it’s terrible for their health too!

At our school they hand these out for breakfast- well not "cookies" but sweet muffins and pastries. Plus juice or chocolate milk. I agree it's terrible for the reasons you state but this is far from just a problem of poor parenting.

Chocolate milk is one of the top nutritious recommendations for pretty much every serious athlete in the world. But some influencer or random journalist told you it’s uNhEaLtHy so you get your panties in a twist at the thought of a kid drinking it once or twice a day.

It’s very obvious that most of you do not have older kids (or kids you’ve actually managed to raise to adulthood). The sanctimommy is strong in this thread.

This is school, where kids are sitting all day (with percentage of overweight kids climbing every year), not high performance sports. Zero rationale for school to pass out chocolate milk. Regular milk has 13 g of natural sugar.

If you think chocolate milk is what is causing kids to be overweight I have a bridge to sell you.

Why not just give out white milk? Why do kids need chocolate milk at all?

Because a food your child doesn't consume or only has a little of has no health value at all, even if it is "healthier" than an alternative they will finish.

Chocolate milk and white milk have the same amount of calories, fat, vitamin D that a kid needs. But if I give my kid white milk, she might skip it altogether or just have a sip or two and decide she's done. So she misses out on most of the nutrients. If I give her chocolate milk, she will almost always drink the entire thing. Thus the chocolate milk is actually healthier, because it results in my kid getting all the underlying ingredients, than the option with no added sugar, which might be preferable in a vacuum but in reality will simply get thrown away.

No they don’t.
Chocolate milk contains high fructose corn syrup as second ingredient. It has 140 calories and 18g sugar for a carton. White milk has 110 calories, 12 g sugar, no added sugar or corn syrup. That’s a significant sugar difference and totally unnecessary to be giving out at school. If your kid won’t drink milk without high fructose sugar loaded into it- they must not be hungry. Why are we giving junk as an alternative to actually nutritious food?

Yes, they do. You are over focused on added sugars and are simply wrong on caloric intake.

An 8oz serving of both regular milk and chocolate milk contain the following: 8g protein, 2.5-5g fat (depends on whether whole or skim), and 25% DRV of calcium. Those are the primary reasons milk is recommended for children, those are the core nutritional components of milk, and they are identical in white milk and chocolate milk.

Chocolate milk has more calories because of the added sugars. That could be a negative thing for a child trying to lose weight or curb excess sugar (or a woman in her 40s trying to do the same, which I suspect describes many of the posters on this thread). For a child who is underweight or has other high caloric needs (for instance due to athletic activity or being in the midst of a growth spurt), the added calories are either neutral or even beneficial. The added sugar is a downside, but for a child who needs the underlying nutrition and may be reluctant to consume as much white milk as chocolate milk, it's a compromise worth making.

Your belief that a child will only decline to finish their milk because they have already met their nutritional needs for the day is simply incorrect for some kids. My kid regularly declines to finish her milk and then announces she is hungry immediately afterwards.

Are you seriously advocating for giving kids extra sugars and high fructose corn syrup? Zero kids need this.

But they need protein, fat, and calcium. Do you not think kids need protein, fat, and calcium? What do you think is worse:

(1) a child who runs gets insufficient protein, fat, and calcium but never consumes extra sugar or high fructose corn syrup; OR

(2) a child who gets the recommended daily values of protein, fat, and calcium but also consumes some extra sugar and high fructose corn syrup in the process.

When you respond, please describe the health impacts of each option.

They can all drink plain milk. If they don’t want it, oh well. School should not be handing out extra sugar, period.

DP. My solution to this problem is telling my kid they can have chocolate milk with lunch on Friday if they drink their plain milk M-Th. Since they get a second cup of plain milk at dinner every night and they drink it without complaint, I choose to believe they also finish their plain milk with lunch 4 days a week.

It’s shocking the low expectations some of these kids are given. Like the parents think they will starve if their food demands are not met by parents.

There are kids who will, like kids with ARFID. The kids on ADHD medication also may not be eating enough. The meds can suppress appetite and cause growth issues if a parent isn't careful about calories and intake.

Clearly, this is not most kids, though...

We aren’t talking about those kids.

There are a large number of kids especially in younger grades, with issues around food or who are on stimulant meds and really just need to eat and get calories. You seem to be thinking it’s 1-2 per grade of 80-100, when it’s really more like 5-6 per class out of 25 students in a class.

I assure you the kids we are referring to are not calorie deficient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you propose that parents force their kids to eat healthier food while at school?

Parents can pack healthy snacks (I did for years) but if the kids don't eat them (which also happened for years), you are left with hungry kids. So parents pack food that they know their kids will eat, so the kids eat.

Don’t buy garbage and they can’t eat garbage. This is not rocket science.

There is a direct correlation between the students that are focused and engaged and the students bringing healthy snacks. Yes I am a teacher (OP.)

What do you consider healthy? What are you seeing kids bring in that is so much better?

I agree that the ones listed are not healthy, but processed crackers are not that healthy either, and that's what seemed to be encouraged in my kids' classes. Fresh foods were not encouraged because of the mess.

Veggies, fruits, plain yogurt or applesauce, good cheese, plain pretzels or popcorn, low sugar granola.

I have kids literally brining packages of Oreos and chips ahoy for their “snack.”

I grew up with a dad that didn't let me having any of the popular junky snacks and it totally backfired, we would sneak them and not tell him. With my son, I let him have Doritos and oreos, but also make sure he has fruit and healthier packaged snacks as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you propose that parents force their kids to eat healthier food while at school?

Parents can pack healthy snacks (I did for years) but if the kids don't eat them (which also happened for years), you are left with hungry kids. So parents pack food that they know their kids will eat, so the kids eat.

Don’t buy garbage and they can’t eat garbage. This is not rocket science.

There is a direct correlation between the students that are focused and engaged and the students bringing healthy snacks. Yes I am a teacher (OP.)

What do you consider healthy? What are you seeing kids bring in that is so much better?

I agree that the ones listed are not healthy, but processed crackers are not that healthy either, and that's what seemed to be encouraged in my kids' classes. Fresh foods were not encouraged because of the mess.

Veggies, fruits, plain yogurt or applesauce, good cheese, plain pretzels or popcorn, low sugar granola.

I have kids literally brining packages of Oreos and chips ahoy for their “snack.”

I grew up with a dad that didn't let me having any of the popular junky snacks and it totally backfired, we would sneak them and not tell him. With my son, I let him have Doritos and oreos, but also make sure he has fruit and healthier packaged snacks as well.

Well, kids don’t need to sneak anything at all. Even if you don’t buy any ever, they will get plenty at school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you propose that parents force their kids to eat healthier food while at school?

Parents can pack healthy snacks (I did for years) but if the kids don't eat them (which also happened for years), you are left with hungry kids. So parents pack food that they know their kids will eat, so the kids eat.

Don’t buy garbage and they can’t eat garbage. This is not rocket science.

There is a direct correlation between the students that are focused and engaged and the students bringing healthy snacks. Yes I am a teacher (OP.)

What do you consider healthy? What are you seeing kids bring in that is so much better?

I agree that the ones listed are not healthy, but processed crackers are not that healthy either, and that's what seemed to be encouraged in my kids' classes. Fresh foods were not encouraged because of the mess.

Veggies, fruits, plain yogurt or applesauce, good cheese, plain pretzels or popcorn, low sugar granola.

I have kids literally brining packages of Oreos and chips ahoy for their “snack.”

I grew up with a dad that didn't let me having any of the popular junky snacks and it totally backfired, we would sneak them and not tell him. With my son, I let him have Doritos and oreos, but also make sure he has fruit and healthier packaged snacks as well.

Well, kids don’t need to sneak anything at all. Even if you don’t buy any ever, they will get plenty at school

You keep repeating this like it somehow excuses checked out, permissive parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you propose that parents force their kids to eat healthier food while at school?

Parents can pack healthy snacks (I did for years) but if the kids don't eat them (which also happened for years), you are left with hungry kids. So parents pack food that they know their kids will eat, so the kids eat.

Don’t buy garbage and they can’t eat garbage. This is not rocket science.

There is a direct correlation between the students that are focused and engaged and the students bringing healthy snacks. Yes I am a teacher (OP.)

What do you consider healthy? What are you seeing kids bring in that is so much better?

I agree that the ones listed are not healthy, but processed crackers are not that healthy either, and that's what seemed to be encouraged in my kids' classes. Fresh foods were not encouraged because of the mess.

Veggies, fruits, plain yogurt or applesauce, good cheese, plain pretzels or popcorn, low sugar granola.

I have kids literally brining packages of Oreos and chips ahoy for their “snack.”

I grew up with a dad that didn't let me having any of the popular junky snacks and it totally backfired, we would sneak them and not tell him. With my son, I let him have Doritos and oreos, but also make sure he has fruit and healthier packaged snacks as well.

Well, kids don’t need to sneak anything at all. Even if you don’t buy any ever, they will get plenty at school

You keep repeating this like it somehow excuses checked out, permissive parenting.

Those are two separate things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you propose that parents force their kids to eat healthier food while at school?

Parents can pack healthy snacks (I did for years) but if the kids don't eat them (which also happened for years), you are left with hungry kids. So parents pack food that they know their kids will eat, so the kids eat.

Don’t buy garbage and they can’t eat garbage. This is not rocket science.

There is a direct correlation between the students that are focused and engaged and the students bringing healthy snacks. Yes I am a teacher (OP.)

What do you consider healthy? What are you seeing kids bring in that is so much better?

I agree that the ones listed are not healthy, but processed crackers are not that healthy either, and that's what seemed to be encouraged in my kids' classes. Fresh foods were not encouraged because of the mess.

Veggies, fruits, plain yogurt or applesauce, good cheese, plain pretzels or popcorn, low sugar granola.

I have kids literally brining packages of Oreos and chips ahoy for their “snack.”

I grew up with a dad that didn't let me having any of the popular junky snacks and it totally backfired, we would sneak them and not tell him. With my son, I let him have Doritos and oreos, but also make sure he has fruit and healthier packaged snacks as well.

Well, kids don’t need to sneak anything at all. Even if you don’t buy any ever, they will get plenty at school

You keep repeating this like it somehow excuses checked out, permissive parenting.

Those are two separate things.

Many parents are both.

[Anonymous]

My kids school doesn't have a snack time lol. But speaking as someone who sends in lunch cooked from scratch every day (including any bread products)...OP you sound positively INSUFFERABLE. Am I the only one who has had with these "PSA" style posts.

You have something to say to your classroom parents, so figure out how to solve whatever problem you're having rather than complaining here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are not watching out for this you should be.

On a daily basis I have kids bringing for snack (not dessert):

Packaged muffins, cookies, brownies, Doritos, cheetos. And the quantities they are bringing are astounding too.

This is terrible brain food. It makes them sleepy, unfocused and it’s terrible for their health too!

At our school they hand these out for breakfast- well not "cookies" but sweet muffins and pastries. Plus juice or chocolate milk. I agree it's terrible for the reasons you state but this is far from just a problem of poor parenting.

Chocolate milk is one of the top nutritious recommendations for pretty much every serious athlete in the world. But some influencer or random journalist told you it’s uNhEaLtHy so you get your panties in a twist at the thought of a kid drinking it once or twice a day.

It’s very obvious that most of you do not have older kids (or kids you’ve actually managed to raise to adulthood). The sanctimommy is strong in this thread.

I think the nutritional needs of a serious athlete are quite different than the nutritional needs of an elementary school child....

The point, dummy, was that chocolate milk isn’t inherently unhealthy.

And I actually think growing, active kids DO have nutritional needs more in line with serious athletes than with their middle-aged, ano/orthorexic mommies.

The fact that you think parents who choose regular rather than chocolate milk is a sign of an eating disorder makes you the dummy.

We’re currently discussing choosing between chocolate milk and no milk, fool.

You are. No one is saying offer no milk, fool.

offered =/= consumed. This point has already been raised, many pages ago. Try to keep up!

Kids will consume plain milk it if it’s the only option offered. How is that hard to understand?

She can’t comprehend it because it would negate her belief that it’s “not her fault” that her kid only consumes junk.

She “can’t comprehend it” because it’s simply not true. My oldest kid NEVER consumed plain milk. He would drink water instead. Occasionally he’d go for chocolate milk. He’s a perfectly healthy teen now.

Thanks for playing, though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are not watching out for this you should be.

On a daily basis I have kids bringing for snack (not dessert):

Packaged muffins, cookies, brownies, Doritos, cheetos. And the quantities they are bringing are astounding too.

This is terrible brain food. It makes them sleepy, unfocused and it’s terrible for their health too!

At our school they hand these out for breakfast- well not "cookies" but sweet muffins and pastries. Plus juice or chocolate milk. I agree it's terrible for the reasons you state but this is far from just a problem of poor parenting.

Chocolate milk is one of the top nutritious recommendations for pretty much every serious athlete in the world. But some influencer or random journalist told you it’s uNhEaLtHy so you get your panties in a twist at the thought of a kid drinking it once or twice a day.

It’s very obvious that most of you do not have older kids (or kids you’ve actually managed to raise to adulthood). The sanctimommy is strong in this thread.

I think the nutritional needs of a serious athlete are quite different than the nutritional needs of an elementary school child....

The point, dummy, was that chocolate milk isn’t inherently unhealthy.

And I actually think growing, active kids DO have nutritional needs more in line with serious athletes than with their middle-aged, ano/orthorexic mommies.

The fact that you think parents who choose regular rather than chocolate milk is a sign of an eating disorder makes you the dummy.

We’re currently discussing choosing between chocolate milk and no milk, fool.

You are. No one is saying offer no milk, fool.

offered =/= consumed. This point has already been raised, many pages ago. Try to keep up!

Kids will consume plain milk it if it’s the only option offered. How is that hard to understand?

She can’t comprehend it because it would negate her belief that it’s “not her fault” that her kid only consumes junk.

She “can’t comprehend it” because it’s simply not true. My oldest kid NEVER consumed plain milk. He would drink water instead. Occasionally he’d go for chocolate milk. He’s a perfectly healthy teen now.

Thanks for playing, though!

And he’s a fat midget. Sad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids school doesn't have a snack time lol. But speaking as someone who sends in lunch cooked from scratch every day (including any bread products)...OP you sound positively INSUFFERABLE. Am I the only one who has had with these "PSA" style posts.

You have something to say to your classroom parents, so figure out how to solve whatever problem you're having rather than complaining here.

Do you make your own sandwich rolls or bread? I'm interested!