Teacher says Pop Tarts are not a healthy snack

ummijaaz560

I went to my kids school this morning, to speak with his first grade teacher.
He came home yesterday saying he couldn"t bring his Pop tart for their morning snack, because they can only have "healthy snacks".

I was upset. I still am even after speaking with the teacher this morning.
I teach my child that there are no good or bad foods, unless you have a allergy or ethically cant eat it.

He has been sitting there afraid to pull out his "unhealthy snack" because its not "fruit, or granola bar, or yogurt"(healthy snacks").
I often send those as well.

I told her not to teach my child about foods being good or bad, because I dont subscribe to that.

Teacher: "So you're ok with him having a sugary Pop Tart in the morning"?
Me: Yes, I if send it its good enough for him to have. Just so you know there are granola bars with just as much or more sugar in them as Pop Tarts.
Teacher: blank stare.

Do teachers have the right to teach children sugary snacks are unhealthy?

Are Pop tarts the devil?

cwolfman13

Pop tarts are disgusting, crumbly cardboard things...but I don't think a teacher can dictate what your kids brings for snacks/lunch, etc...you might want to talk to the principal

laur357

Clearly, his teacher is just angry because there's a revolt underway and everyone wants Pop-Tarts.

You can keep sending them as long as you choose the fruit-filled kind. Cherry is totally healthy. S'more flavor is, in fact, the devil.

Sabine_Stroehm

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Pop tarts are disgusting, crumbly cardboard things...but I don't think a teacher can dictate what your kids brings for snacks/lunch, etc...you might want to talk to the principal

I would also question if the teacher can "dictate". Can she educate to the best of her ability, yes? Can she recommend more nutritious snacks that also have less added sugar? If it's a public school in the U.S., I'm betting she can. But I'd guess that unless it's peanuts, she can't *dictate* what's brought for your kid. For the whole class, maybe.
And yes, blech.

sparklyglitterbomb

Relevant - serving suggestion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlsFgDjyePc

ummijaaz560

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Pop tarts are disgusting, crumbly cardboard things...but I don't think a teacher can dictate what your kids brings for snacks/lunch, etc...you might want to talk to the principal

I dont eat them either. The kid loves them. I will have to speak to the director because she says its the school's policy. But who gets to say whats healthy, or not is my thing.

bgelliott

Wow, I'd be so mad and that teacher wouldn't have a leg to stand on after I got done with her! It's non of her business what you feed your kids unless you're feeding them pot cookies! It is absolutely absurd and inappropriate for the teacher to behave like this. If she wants to control someones diet, she should worry about her own kids/family! Oh I just get so mad at this crap!!!!!!

singingflutelady

ummijaaz560 wrote: »

I went to my kids school this morning, to speak with his first grade teacher.
He came home yesterday saying he couldn"t bring his Pop tart for their morning snack, because they can only have "healthy snacks".

I was upset. I still am even after speaking with the teacher this morning.
I teach my child that there are no good or bad foods, unless you have a allergy or ethically cant eat it.

He has been sitting there afraid to pull out his "unhealthy snack" because its not "fruit, or granola bar, or yogurt"(healthy snacks").
I often send those as well.

I told her not to teach my child about foods being good or bad, because I dont subscribe to that.

Teacher: "So you're ok with him having a sugary Pop Tart in the morning"?
Me: Yes, I if send it its good enough for him to have. Just so you know there are granola bars with just as much or more sugar in them as Pop Tarts.
Teacher: blank stare.

Do teachers have the right to teach children sugary snacks are unhealthy?

Are Pop tarts the devil?

I hate when people dictate nutrition for a large group. Personally I can not eat most fruit, granola or yogurt without serious consequences because of a medical condition (crohn's) which kids also can have. I guess those on fiber and lactose restriction aren't allowed to eat at school?

crzycatlady1

The whole 'healthy' snack thing was a rule at my kids' old school as well and it was utterly ridiculous because it's such a subjective term. Things like this are why my kids no longer do traditional schooling

NorthCascades

When I was a kid, it was "do what your teachers tell you."

DancesWithDogz

OMG - Pop Tarts are NOT healthy foods - and kudos to the teacher for trying to educate their students, and parents. Granola bars are just as bad... what's wrong with carrots, apples, grapes, and celery sticks? Seriously people!

mom22dogs

In my opinion, something that derives all of it's calories from sugar and fat, and has no other real nutrients in it, is junk food, and looking at the nutritional value of poptarts, that's what they are, fat and sugar, which I personally wouldn't want my kid to eat. I would rather they eat an apple, or veggies, or something like that.

I also think that schools are trying to teach kids about nutrition because unfortunately, not everyone teaches their kids about making good choices for food. I can understand you being upset, but I can also understand the school as well.

ummijaaz560

I think I'm more disturbed by the fact that he's been sitting there hungry and afraid to be judged for not eating healthy food.

Who wants their child to be afraid to eat and go hungry? This is how food disorders begin.

karllundy

If they have to bring their own snack, they should get to bring whatever you decide IMO.

Packerjohn

bgelliott wrote: »

Wow, I'd be so mad and that teacher wouldn't have a leg to stand on after I got done with her! It's non of her business what you feed your kids unless you're feeding them pot cookies! It is absolutely absurd and inappropriate for the teacher to behave like this. If she wants to control someones diet, she should worry about her own kids/family! Oh I just get so mad at this crap!!!!!!

I'm pretty sure the school can tell what okay to be brought into the school.

singingflutelady

mom22dogs wrote: »

In my opinion, something that derives all of it's calories from sugar and fat, and has no other real nutrients in it, is junk food, and looking at the nutritional value of poptarts, that's what they are, fat and sugar, which I personally wouldn't want my kid to eat. I would rather they eat an apple, or veggies, or something like that.

I also think that schools are trying to teach kids about nutrition because unfortunately, not everyone teaches their kids about making good choices for food. I can understand you being upset, but I can also understand the school as well.

So kids who have medical conditions who can not eat fruits and vegetables without serious pain and GI issues should be forced to go hungry because what is healthy for them is different than what is healthy for you?

socajam

mom22dogs wrote: »

In my opinion, something that derives all of it's calories from sugar and fat, and has no other real nutrients in it, is junk food, and looking at the nutritional value of poptarts, that's what they are, fat and sugar, which I personally wouldn't want my kid to eat. I would rather they eat an apple, or veggies, or something like that.

I also think that schools are trying to teach kids about nutrition because unfortunately, not everyone teaches their kids about making good choices for food. I can understand you being upset, but I can also understand the school as well.

Totally agree with you. How hard it is to put an apple, some grapes or something far removed from refined sugar in this bag - obviously pop tarts are far easier.

That should be once a week snack at home if at all.

crzycatlady1

DancesWithDogz wrote: »

OMG - Pop Tarts are NOT healthy foods - and kudos to the teacher for trying to educate their students, and parents. Granola bars are just as bad... what's wrong with carrots, apples, grapes, and celery sticks? Seriously people!

There's nothing wrong with Poptarts or granola bars within the context of a varied and balanced diet. My kids eat poptarts, granola bars AND things like carrots, apples and grapes (not celery sticks though because ick ). The teacher who told me my son couldn't bring in pretzels and fishy crackers anymore because they weren't 'healthy' was also very overweight. Not really interested in what her definition of 'healthy' was.

oocdc2

If it helps, my kid's teacher did the same thing. We chose the path of least resistance: she gets an apple or carrots for snack, and the Famous Amos packs she gets at home. Everyone wins.

(Though, if you decided to go up the chain on this one, I don't think you'd be wrong.)

everher

I don't think the "only healthy snacks" rule is too unusual. I have heard of similar rules at schools down here.

I think the teacher could have handled it differently though. This seems like a conversation that should've taken place between the teacher and you not the teacher and your son.

cwolfman13

DancesWithDogz wrote: »

OMG - Pop Tarts are NOT healthy foods - and kudos to the teacher for trying to educate their students, and parents. Granola bars are just as bad... what's wrong with carrots, apples, grapes, and celery sticks? Seriously people!

I would consider pop tarts to be junk food...but I also wouldn't appreciate a teacher dictating to me or my child what they can and cannot have, particularly if it's a public institution.

My kids eat junk food some times...they also eat carrots, apples, grapes, and celery sticks...they're fine...calm down.

Domomallow

laur357 wrote: »

Clearly, his teacher is just angry because there's a revolt underway and everyone wants Pop-Tarts.

You can keep sending them as long as you choose the fruit-filled kind. Cherry is totally healthy. S'more flavor is, in fact, the devil.

I quite enjoy the s'more flavored poptarts... but they are hard to fit into my diet. lol
Probably because they are the devil.

skinnyinnotime

Schools make up stupid rules which make no sense all the time...at my kids school they can bring a snack of biscuit covered in chocolate, but cannot have a chocolate only bar. There you go.

AngryViking1970

Ooooh, cherry and s'mores are my favorite!

crzycatlady1

singingflutelady wrote: »

mom22dogs wrote: »

In my opinion, something that derives all of it's calories from sugar and fat, and has no other real nutrients in it, is junk food, and looking at the nutritional value of poptarts, that's what they are, fat and sugar, which I personally wouldn't want my kid to eat. I would rather they eat an apple, or veggies, or something like that.

I also think that schools are trying to teach kids about nutrition because unfortunately, not everyone teaches their kids about making good choices for food. I can understand you being upset, but I can also understand the school as well.

So kids who have medical conditions who can not eat fruits and vegetables with serious pain and GI issues should be forced to go hungry because what is healthy for them is different than what is healthy for you?

Oh my goodness don't even get me started-my daughter is lactose intolerant and back in pre-school it was mandatory that they had to drink milk for snack time. We hadn't had her formally tested yet but we knew dairy caused her issues and requested that she have water instead. The teacher refused and forced her to drink the dang milk behind our backs and she kept coming home so sick I was livid when I found out what was happening and we pulled her out mid year.

singingflutelady

everher wrote: »

I don't think the "only healthy snacks" rule is too unusual. I have heard of similar rules at schools down here.

I think the teacher could have handled it differently though. This seems like a conversation that should've taken place between the teacher and you not the teacher and your son.

But what's the definition of "healthy"? As I mentioned for me vegetables and fruit are not healthy at all and there are many people with my disease. There is already enough stigma that a child shouldn't be told not to eat something according to some arbitrary nutrition rule that doesn't take into consideration each person's personal needs.

PaulaWallaDingDong

Many schools (not teachers), public and private, dictate what kids can bring or not bring to school to eat, and it goes beyond allergies and food sensitivities. I think it's bullcrap. Try making a spreadsheet to compare the nutritional content of granola bars vs. yogurt (especially yogurt marketed to kids) vs. pop tarts. Watch her head spin. She may not be able to do anything about it if it's school policy, but it would be a neat lesson all the same.

Also, did they not send home info about what can be brought?

shor0814

AngryViking1970 wrote: »

Ooooh, cherry and s'mores are my favorite!

One cherry, one s'mores and win/win? I trust the education system to teach healthy about as much as I trust them to teach math these days.

everher

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I would consider pop tarts to be junk food...but I also wouldn't appreciate a teacher dictating to me or my child what they can and cannot have, particularly if it's a public institution.

I agree but if it's a rule I would follow the rule even if I didn't personally agree as a parent or I would place my child in another school.

From a teaching standpoint, I would say something to the parent simply because it is a rule and not fair to the other children who I'm sure would much rather a pop tart too but meanwhile are eating yogurt or fruit or vegetables.

I think this teacher is definitely judging OP though as a parent and shouldn't have addressed this issue with the first grade child but rather with his parent(s).

psuLemon

ummijaaz560 wrote: »

I went to my kids school this morning, to speak with his first grade teacher.
He came home yesterday saying he couldn"t bring his Pop tart for their morning snack, because they can only have "healthy snacks".

I was upset. I still am even after speaking with the teacher this morning.
I teach my child that there are no good or bad foods, unless you have a allergy or ethically cant eat it.

He has been sitting there afraid to pull out his "unhealthy snack" because its not "fruit, or granola bar, or yogurt"(healthy snacks").
I often send those as well.

I told her not to teach my child about foods being good or bad, because I dont subscribe to that.

Teacher: "So you're ok with him having a sugary Pop Tart in the morning"?
Me: Yes, I if send it its good enough for him to have. Just so you know there are granola bars with just as much or more sugar in them as Pop Tarts.
Teacher: blank stare.

Do teachers have the right to teach children sugary snacks are unhealthy?

Are Pop tarts the devil?

Yes, I would have gone with a toaster strudel.


Many of the schools in my area dictate what children can and cannot have. Often, it's based off poor perceptions. And often, you have to play their game.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

ummijaaz560 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Pop tarts are disgusting, crumbly cardboard things...but I don't think a teacher can dictate what your kids brings for snacks/lunch, etc...you might want to talk to the principal

I dont eat them either. The kid loves them. I will have to speak to the director because she says its the school's policy. But who gets to say whats healthy, or not is my thing.

Ask to see the policy. Then post here. I'm curious how it is written and whether Pop Tarts are really against school policy or whether it is their interpretation of a vague policy regarding "healthy" foods. If the policy literally states that "snacks sent must be healthy," then their arguments are as flimsy as their interpretation of "healthy" - which stands up as much as a wet noodle.