Teacher says Pop Tarts are not a healthy snack

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.

Naptownbabi

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

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.

I would have lost it if my kid was coming home sick every day. Just reading that made me so mad for you, I want to mentally yell at that teacher for you over the internet.

ummijaaz560

Just want to add that I mostly send fruit with him. We buy fruit in small quantity because it will go bad.

He at least will not be like me thinking you get two pop tarts per serving (I really thought you got two).
He only gets one and the box lasts like two weeks.

unexpectedawesome

Nope. Not okay. That teacher with one day has just undone your years of hard work in trying to teach your kid that there are no good or bad foods. Kids are like sponges and they take everything personally, he's not going to see that the teacher was being a not-nice person, he's going to see that he has bad food. And it's going to take a lot of consistent effort on your part and on his (when he figures it out for himself) that foods don't get labels like that unless - you're right - they're medically or ethically unsound FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL. (I'm all het up over this. Sorry.) If I were you I would have gone immediately to the principal because shenanigans.

Also, did they send you out a guideline at the beginning of the school year as to what constitutes a healthy or unhealthy snack? Is it in writing that the kids can only have fruit/yogurt/granola?

Sounds to me like teacher just didn't want to deal with your child on a sugar high, which if I were the parent would be unacceptable. You don't tell my kid what's good or bad when it comes to food, I do.

They need to provide that guideline for all parents in writing or they need to stfu.

(not that I'm mad about this at all... )

singingflutelady

@crzycatlady1 that annoys me to no end. When I was in inpatient eating disorder treatment they forced to eat everything, even foods you legitimately hated like peas or onions that have no real part of your ED except for food allergies BUT since lactose intolerance is not an allergy I was forced to drink milk and eat lactose containing foods at every meal! I was so so sick but they didn't care. I can just imagine how badly they would handle my Crohn's food restrictions if I ended up back in treatment as they are not allergies either.

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

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.

crzycatlady1

Naptownbabi wrote: »

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

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.

I would have lost it if my kid was coming home sick every day. Just reading that made me so mad for you, I want to mentally yell at that teacher for you over the internet.

I was soooo angry and was not a nice person when I found out what was going on lol. A couple years after we did have formal allergy testing done and my daughter was formally 'diagnosed' as lactose intolerant. She can handle some dairy products, like cheese and yogurt with pills, but she still cannot have straight up milk or she spends hours in the bathroom

psuLemon

cwolfman13 wrote: »

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.

Pretty much. I even give my 1 year old some junk food (love ice cream and cool whip), but overall their diet is pretty solid (chicken, fruit, yogurt). As a parent, I am responsible for teach my children what they can eat and in what quantity.

4whirly

I agree with those who say poptarts are ok to have in moderation. I buy them on occassion. I wouldn't pack them as a school snack though. It's not going to do anything to fill up my kid, and then the teacher would have to deal with a kid on a sugar high who will crash and burn an hour later. Speaking for my kid only.

Pick your battles with the school. There will probably be bigger issues than poptarts down the road.

ummijaaz560

They sent a note saying we had to provide two snacks plus lunch for the child.

I didnt see anything specifying what was an acceptable healthy snack item. We just cant send nuts, or seafood.

singingflutelady

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

Naptownbabi wrote: »

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

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.

I would have lost it if my kid was coming home sick every day. Just reading that made me so mad for you, I want to mentally yell at that teacher for you over the internet.

I was soooo angry and was not a nice person when I found out what was going on lol. A couple years after we did have formal allergy testing done and my daughter was formally diagnosed as lactose intolerant. She can handle some dairy products, like cheese and yogurt with pills, but she still cannot have straight up milk or she spends hours in the bathroom

As someone with Crohn's, IBS, lactose intolerance and many food restrictions for that very reason I can relate so much to this! It's so hard when forced to consume something you know will make you sick!

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

This kind of thing really makes me angry. You are correct - they have their definitions of "healthy" food messed up if they think that a granola bar or Gogurt is better than the occasional Pop Tart. I agree with asking to read the policy or seeing if you can find it in the student handbook, and I would take it to the principal or BOE and go from there.

I think you're doing just fine teaching your child about food. I am doing it a similar way with my children (6 & 3), and they understand that there are foods that are fine to eat sometimes but not every day. My 6-year-old takes a yogurt/string cheese and a fruit/vegetable for snack most days, but I let him take cookies on Fridays. He is a healthy weight, and luckily our school system does not have arbitrary rules about only bringing "healthy" snacks.