Teacher says Pop Tarts are not a healthy snack
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I agree that you get decide what a healthy snack is for your kids.
that said, the teacher let you know he disagreed and asked you to reevaluate. Seems like a very simple win win request that you could easily comply with.
This is not a consequential argument for either of you. You have no point to prove with this issue. What is the real issue you are having?9 -
she sent pop tarts once...not as a regular thing...
she said IF it makes him feel afraid to bring out his snack and eat4 -
I get where both sides are coming from, I really do. The teacher is relying on guidance published by scientists/nutritionists through FNIC (USDA) and Nutrition.gov which are both federal agencies who serve to educate the public on such matters.
Your child seems to have access to a wide variety of healthy foods with the occasional poptart whereas others in the classroom may not. Some children in the US live on boxed mac n cheese, candy, chips and soda. For these children, asking their parents to send them with a healthy snack is doing them a favor as it gives them access to a broader palette of food. Other children may reluctantly eat a healthy snack if there are no other options and may want to forego their carrot sticks if they see your child has a poptart in hand. The teacher has been given guidance published by the federal government with how they should educate their class with regard to nutrition. The teacher is charged with managing all of these competing interests and must act in the interests of the group.
I also absolutely understand your point that a poptart as a sometimes food is perfectly fine and part of a healthy and balanced diet that shouldn't be demonized. I also understand why you don't want to set your child up with the habit of denying themselves such foods as a foundation for developing unhealthy relationships with food and eating disorders.
If it were me, I'd use this as a good opportunity to teach my child about respecting others needs while also assuring them that an occasional treat is part of a healthy eating habit and give them an afterschool poptart if they'd like.9 -
If I had a kid, I'd take issue with a teacher telling me what I could feed him or her. It's one thing if you're providing a snack for the entire class, but I think a parent should have the right to determine what they feed their child. And I don't think there's anything wrong with a Pop Tart as long as as it's part of an overall balanced and healthy diet. Pop Tarts are awesome. S'more and Sundae flavored are the best.1
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »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.
But if he took something within the rules he wouldn't be afraid or hungry, correct? It seems like you are perpetuating the problem rather than solving it.
How am I perpetuating the problem?
I just wrote verbatim what was said along the snack and lunch guidelines, ie what to send.
I also am not nor have I dug my heels about it?
What rules have I decided not to follow and decided to "let him be afraid or hungry?
I have no problem with following the guidelines. But dictating that an occasional snack item is "unhealthy" is not what I want my child taught.
This is why folks come on the forums thinking you must eat "clean" to lose weight.
You are perpetuating the problem by continuing to send pop-tarts when the teacher asked you not to. You said your child feels afraid to bring out his snack and eat it. If you continue to send a snack that makes him feel that way, then you are the one putting your child in that position. You can teach him your nutritional views at home.
What part of I just found out yesterday he wasn't eating did you not understand?
You keep saying the teacher asked me not to send them?
No, she has not asked me anything.
Thats the problem, no one has said anything to me about what exactly is the ideal snack before hand.
If they had a definitive list of not allowed snacks he wouldn't have been allowed to take it.
I dont have a problem with following the rules.
I have a problem with them classifying said food as unhealthy, when in moderation it's fine.
Trying to indoctrinate my child with "food woo ethics" is my beef.15 -
ummijaaz560 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »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.
But if he took something within the rules he wouldn't be afraid or hungry, correct? It seems like you are perpetuating the problem rather than solving it.
How am I perpetuating the problem?
I just wrote verbatim what was said along the snack and lunch guidelines, ie what to send.
I also am not nor have I dug my heels about it?
What rules have I decided not to follow and decided to "let him be afraid or hungry?
I have no problem with following the guidelines. But dictating that an occasional snack item is "unhealthy" is not what I want my child taught.
This is why folks come on the forums thinking you must eat "clean" to lose weight.
You are perpetuating the problem by continuing to send pop-tarts when the teacher asked you not to. You said your child feels afraid to bring out his snack and eat it. If you continue to send a snack that makes him feel that way, then you are the one putting your child in that position. You can teach him your nutritional views at home.
What part of I just found out yesterday he wasn't eating did you not understand?
You keep saying the teacher asked me not to send them?
No, she has not asked me anything.
Thats the problem, no one has said anything to me about what exactly is the ideal snack before hand.
If they had a definitive list of not allowed snacks he wouldn't have been allowed to take it.
I dont have a problem with following the rules.
I have a problem with them classifying said food as unhealthy, when in moderation it's fine.
Trying to indoctrinate my child with "food woo ethics" is my beef.
So, how long has the kid been taking pop-tarts and not eating them? And why is he so afraid to pull out the pop-tart that he'd rather go hungry? The teacher couldn't have seen the pop-tart unless he pulled it out so it seems it would have to be more than once. And if it was more than once and you just found out, why do you suppose the child didn't tell you about it sooner? That's the question I'd ask myself if it were my son.3 -
NeuronsNeuronsNeurons wrote: »I get where both sides are coming from, I really do. The teacher is relying on guidance published by scientists/nutritionists through FNIC (USDA) and Nutrition.gov which are both federal agencies who serve to educate the public on such matters.
So what I take from this is: Thanks Michelle Obama.
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NeuronsNeuronsNeurons wrote: »I get where both sides are coming from, I really do. The teacher is relying on guidance published by scientists/nutritionists through FNIC (USDA) and Nutrition.gov which are both federal agencies who serve to educate the public on such matters.
Your child seems to have access to a wide variety of healthy foods with the occasional poptart whereas others in the classroom may not. Some children in the US live on boxed mac n cheese, candy, chips and soda. For these children, asking their parents to send them with a healthy snack is doing them a favor as it gives them access to a broader palette of food. Other children may reluctantly eat a healthy snack if there are no other options and may want to forego their carrot sticks if they see your child has a poptart in hand. The teacher has been given guidance published by the federal government with how they should educate their class with regard to nutrition. The teacher is charged with managing all of these competing interests and must act in the interests of the group.
I also absolutely understand your point that a poptart as a sometimes food is perfectly fine and part of a healthy and balanced diet that shouldn't be demonized. I also understand why you don't want to set your child up with the habit of denying themselves such foods as a foundation for developing unhealthy relationships with food and eating disorders.
If it were me, I'd use this as a good opportunity to teach my child about respecting others needs while also assuring them that an occasional treat is part of a healthy eating habit and give them an afterschool poptart if they'd like.
I think that's what many parents don't get: the teachers are charged with teaching their class about a lot of different things, including nutrition. The thing is that many many many parents DO NOT teach their children good eating habits. They DO NOT teach their children good exercise habits, hygiene habits, homework habits. All sorts of things. Hell in my child's school district they have an afterschool program that they allow children whose parents stay at home all day attend because the stay at home parents won't make them do their homework! It's amazing how lax some parents can be. So that puts diligent parents in the crosshairs of policy. Some may be unfair, some may seem nonsensical but there's a reason for it.
Personally I try to work with the school as much as possible. Explain to my children why they do things in certain ways or work with the teacher. For example, last year, we had an amazing opportunity to go to NYC for a week but it was during regular school days and over the 3 day limit for excused absences. I worked with the teacher and principal to come up with a solution which included taking pictures of our adventures in NYC, having my son put together a presentation for his class about Ellis Island, and doing all of his school work on our trip. It was amazing and worked for everyone. I think sometimes as parents we see it as an "us against them" kind of thing when it really doesn't have to be.
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ummijaaz560 wrote: »
Do teachers have the right to teach children sugary snacks are unhealthy?
Are Pop tarts the devil?
Schools have a right to set policies about what comes into the school. Sometimes these policies are applied in a dumb way to things like food, scissors, clothing. The teacher means well but probably is like many who believe there are strict lines between healthy and unhealthy foods and everyone needs to be the same. If you disagree strongly with what your child is being taught or a policy you should present your side to the teacher, principal, school board, etc. You may succeed in getting poptarts approved or you may get more foods eliminated from the approved list... maybe they'd set a policy of fresh fruit only. If it is just mildly annoying just ask for an approved snack list, send the approved snacks and tell your kid to enjoy the poptarts at home.
If you are in the US, homeschooling is legal in all states and a great option for educational/personal freedom. Eat whatever, whenever you want! (My child is homeschooled and I am biased for it for a number of reasons.)
My personal opinion of pop tarts as a snack is that they are not unhealthy unless you are allergic to the ingredients or have a medical condition. They are not super packed with nutrition but not any more unhealthy for most people than granola bars, yogurts or other popular snack foods. I wouldn't want a poptart but if my dd wants to eat them occasionally that's fine.
Ha, me too Actually we now do an amazing program through a local public school district where my kids do their schooling at home but we're still a part of the district and have a real teacher/support staff that we work with. It's the best of both worlds and it's a newer concept that more and more districts are starting to offer (at least around here). We decided to go this route after dealing with numerous issues at our old school. My oldest daughter is musically gifted as well, and the school district we're now a part of has one of the best orchestra programs in our state 
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I eat pop tarts. I have lost 47lbs in the last year or so. Healthy is relative to your entire lifestyle. I couldnt imagine someone telling me what my kid could or could not eat.3
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I sent my kid to school with a GRANOLA BAR. A Quaker Chocolate Chip GRANOLA BAR and he was told he couldn't eat it because it wasn't a healthy snack because of the sugar content.
I told the school that until they buy my groceries and rush my 3 kids out the door in the mornings, it's none of their business how I raise my child. I sent him with a granola bar, not a king-sized Hershey Bar. He has since had granola bars.
Poptarts in my house aren't a daily thing. I'm not a huge fan because "I" ate too many of them when I was pregnant and as a result, pretty sure that and sweet tea caused my gestational diabetes. That said, don't feel bad. I'm a mom that some days feeds her kids natural organic blah blah blah and other days runs through the darn fast-food drive-thru. He's being fed. 9 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »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.
But if he took something within the rules he wouldn't be afraid or hungry, correct? It seems like you are perpetuating the problem rather than solving it.
How am I perpetuating the problem?
I just wrote verbatim what was said along the snack and lunch guidelines, ie what to send.
I also am not nor have I dug my heels about it?
What rules have I decided not to follow and decided to "let him be afraid or hungry?
I have no problem with following the guidelines. But dictating that an occasional snack item is "unhealthy" is not what I want my child taught.
This is why folks come on the forums thinking you must eat "clean" to lose weight.
You are perpetuating the problem by continuing to send pop-tarts when the teacher asked you not to. You said your child feels afraid to bring out his snack and eat it. If you continue to send a snack that makes him feel that way, then you are the one putting your child in that position. You can teach him your nutritional views at home.
What part of I just found out yesterday he wasn't eating did you not understand?
You keep saying the teacher asked me not to send them?
No, she has not asked me anything.
Thats the problem, no one has said anything to me about what exactly is the ideal snack before hand.
If they had a definitive list of not allowed snacks he wouldn't have been allowed to take it.
I dont have a problem with following the rules.
I have a problem with them classifying said food as unhealthy, when in moderation it's fine.
Trying to indoctrinate my child with "food woo ethics" is my beef.
So, how long has the kid been taking pop-tarts and not eating them? And why is he so afraid to pull out the pop-tart that he'd rather go hungry? The teacher couldn't have seen the pop-tart unless he pulled it out so it seems it would have to be more than once. And if it was more than once and you just found out, why do you suppose the child didn't tell you about it sooner? That's the question I'd ask myself if it were my son.
I think this was the second time he took the pop tart, as I said he usually takes either fruit or a fruit cup.
The first time he took it I heard nothing. Which was a few weeks ago because I'd just purchased the box.
He took another one yesterday, I opened his lunch box after school and it was in there.
Thats when he told me she said he could not have it weeks ago, because it was not healthy.
So he sat hungry that day because he was forbade from eating it (first time), and yesterday because I packed it and didnt know he couldn't have it.
He must have seen it and was afraid to take it out.
I dont know why he didn't tell me sooner. The first one got trashed so I didnt find it then.
But more so, who stops a child from from eating and not providing another snack?
Ok you dont want him to have it, well what else you got?9 -
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 think you are missing the reason.
I too have a 7 year old and we have rules for snacks.
-- Everyone brings in something healthy, so the kids can't trade.
-- Too much sugar means its harder to control the kids.
"Just so you know there are granola bars with just as much or more sugar in them as Pop Tarts." --- Can you prove it?
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I always see these kinds of stories, and I've honestly never came across it in my kids school years and have never heard stories from friends. I'm in Canada, so i wonder if there's certain rules or something? Like the story above about her child being forced to drink milk and then stories about kids being forced to eat a certain way unless they get a doctors note. My son and I both have celiac disease and he has secondary lactose intolerance and I've never had to bring a note or anyting. I just said he has celiac disease, don't feed him anything unless he's read the ingredient list, that's it. No issues. They have milk days at school and he gets a juice box. I provide a bag of treats for his classroom in case someone brings in cupcakes or something for a birthday. Only hardset rules in his school are no tree nuts because there's life threatening food allergies. Personally, I wouldn't send my kid to school with a poptart, but it's only because I don't buy them. My oldest son would have the entire box ate in a day, so that food just doesn't come into the house. Funny thing with the teachers suggestions is, I bet if you compared calories/sugar/carbs/fat etc, the granola bar and yogurt would be just as "unhealthy" as the poptart.0
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NeuronsNeuronsNeurons wrote: »I get where both sides are coming from, I really do. The teacher is relying on guidance published by scientists/nutritionists through FNIC (USDA) and Nutrition.gov which are both federal agencies who serve to educate the public on such matters.
So what I take from this is: Thanks Michelle Obama.
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ummijaaz560 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ummijaaz560 wrote: »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.
But if he took something within the rules he wouldn't be afraid or hungry, correct? It seems like you are perpetuating the problem rather than solving it.
How am I perpetuating the problem?
I just wrote verbatim what was said along the snack and lunch guidelines, ie what to send.
I also am not nor have I dug my heels about it?
What rules have I decided not to follow and decided to "let him be afraid or hungry?
I have no problem with following the guidelines. But dictating that an occasional snack item is "unhealthy" is not what I want my child taught.
This is why folks come on the forums thinking you must eat "clean" to lose weight.
You are perpetuating the problem by continuing to send pop-tarts when the teacher asked you not to. You said your child feels afraid to bring out his snack and eat it. If you continue to send a snack that makes him feel that way, then you are the one putting your child in that position. You can teach him your nutritional views at home.
What part of I just found out yesterday he wasn't eating did you not understand?
You keep saying the teacher asked me not to send them?
No, she has not asked me anything.
Thats the problem, no one has said anything to me about what exactly is the ideal snack before hand.
If they had a definitive list of not allowed snacks he wouldn't have been allowed to take it.
I dont have a problem with following the rules.
I have a problem with them classifying said food as unhealthy, when in moderation it's fine.
Trying to indoctrinate my child with "food woo ethics" is my beef.
So, how long has the kid been taking pop-tarts and not eating them? And why is he so afraid to pull out the pop-tart that he'd rather go hungry? The teacher couldn't have seen the pop-tart unless he pulled it out so it seems it would have to be more than once. And if it was more than once and you just found out, why do you suppose the child didn't tell you about it sooner? That's the question I'd ask myself if it were my son.
I think this was the second time he took the pop tart, as I said he usually takes either fruit or a fruit cup.
The first time he took it I heard nothing. Which was a few weeks ago because I'd just purchased the box.
He took another one yesterday, I opened his lunch box after school and it was in there.
Thats when he told me she said he could not have it weeks ago, because it was not healthy.
So he sat hungry that day because he was forbade from eating it (first time), and yesterday because I packed it and didnt know he couldn't have it.
He must have seen it and was afraid to take it out.
I dont know why he didn't tell me sooner. The first one got trashed so I didnt find it then.
But more so, who stops a child from from eating and not providing another snack?
Ok you dont want him to have it, well what else you got?
If the teacher threw it in the trash (assuming that's what was meant by 'trashed') then I might speak to the principal about that. She should have simply let him know it was not acceptable and not to bring it again.
You really might want to talk your child about why he didn't tell you about it when it first happened. You don't seem particularly open to anything other than agreement here in this forum. If you are as rigid at home re: nutrition you might want to find out if that's what made him reluctant to tell you what the teacher said.1 -
I think the more valuable lesson here would have been to explain that idiots are everywhere, but unfortunately you'll sometimes have to deal with them dictating what you can or can't do in certain situations for the rest of your life, and that it doesn't make it right, but it's appropriate to pick your battles. It's just a pop tart.3
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They probably allow "healthy" snacks. My kids' PUBLIC school didn't allow poptarts.0
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http://www.sugarstacks.com/breakfast.htm
I'm not advocating for Pop Tarts as a regular part in ANYONE'S diet, but I think based on the nutritional statistics it's hard to argue that there are MUCH better choices. Obesity and food driven health problems have become a very common-place thing now. Encouraging anyone, kids or adults, on how to make better food choices should be common sense. Regardless of the school situation, this is common sense.
3
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