Teacher says Pop Tarts are not a healthy snack
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NeuronsNeuronsNeurons wrote: »Chunkahlunkah wrote: »This title sounds like it would be a headline at The Onion.
lol, my favorite Onion piece: "Multiple Stab Wounds May Be Harmful To Monkeys"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ7J7UjsRqg . Is there anything more political than food? It touches socio-economics, religion, gender, cultural backgrounds, environmental concerns, health and wellbeing, education, etc. I think this could be the most politically charged subject in the world.
I'm sorry but that picture made me laugh so hard. Reminds me of a call I was on a years ago. Guy called 911 for a headache..... secondary to agin shot wound tonhead. Yeah, I'd say that could cause a headache lol.
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I homeschooled my kids until they were in 6th grade. There are things about the public school experience that we're not thrilled with, such as policies like this. I don't think they are ill-intentioned; more that it stems from having to deal with large numbers of children and families. It's crowd control, and rules (policies, federal mandates...) help the school/teachers serve *most* of the kids well most of the time, and just help the days to run smoothly. I feel like it's all part of the "teach to the middle" problem. That being said, we "take the bad with the good.". When my kids complain about homework being "busy work" I acknowledge that it's frustrating, and yes, if we were homeschooling we could move on quicker--but, they're in school and the hw has been assigned, they need to do it, and it won't hurt. Dress code, food policies...they can complain, we'll talk about it, but, for the most part, they'll follow the rules because that's what we signed up for.
It all comes down to choosing our battles. I'll let my daughter carry Midol in her backpack, in violation of school policy. But I don't march into the principal's office to tell him that if I deem her responsible enough to carry OTC drugs, that should be good enough for him.2 -
Packerjohn wrote: »This actually makes me a bit nervous. I have severe food allergies to the point that we can't have anything I am allergic to in the house. Immoregnant right now and baby has a 50/50 shot of also having my allergies. Even if she doesn't have my allergies, mine are so severe that we still have have it in the house and going to have to make it very very clear that my daughter can only eat what I pack for her and CANNOT share food or eat anything the schools provides.
If they make a huge issue from that or tell her she can't eat something I packed for her, they are going to regret it. Technically severefood allergies can be classified as a disability and I will pursue that if need.
If the baby would have issues by the time school rolls aroind it would be your responsibility to discuss with the school beforehand and resolve. The administration aren't mind readers.
I never said they would. We already have planned how we are going to discuss with school and care givers. this Even if she isn't allergic, we still can't have her eat it.0 -
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!!!!!!
What she^^ said. I would be furious.1 -
Christine_72 wrote: »I never gave my kids poptarts, in fact they were banned for sale in supermarkets here in Australia for a while due to their woeful nutritional profile. I agree with the teacher, in that they are most definitely not a healthy snack.I'm with the teacher...
Here are the ingredients:
Enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, vitamin b1 [thiamin mononitrate], vitamin b2 [riboflavin], folic acid), corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, soybean and palm oil (with tbhq for freshness), sugar, cracker meal, contains two percent or less of wheat starch, salt, dried strawberries, dried pears, dried apples, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), citric acid, milled corn, gelatin, soybean oil, modified corn starch, caramel color, soy lecithin, xanthan gum, modified wheat starch, vitamin a palmitate, red 40, niacinamide, reduced iron, color added, turmeric extract, vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), yellow 6, vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin b1 (thiamin hydrochloride), blue 1.
There's not really much nutrition in a pop tart, just sugar. 4 kinds of sugar... I'd let my kids eat 'em as a treat, not a food snack, but not often, as they will avoid healthy stuff if they eat too much oversweetened food, it messes up their palate so that regular food (fruit, vegetables, meats, dairy items, beans, etc.) don't taste as good to them.
I don't think it's really wrong to say "snacks should consist of whole foods" or to provide a list of what is OK to bring. Maybe they are trying to teach nutrition to the kids, or maybe they SEE that the kids who eat sugary snacks do not eat their lunches, why not ask for clarification?
If that's woeful I don't want to know what they allow you to buy in Australia because I can think of a lot of things that are way worse. 200 calories while providing some vitamins and minerals is far from the worst.6 -
Packerjohn wrote: »hawkmancody wrote: »There is 16 g of sugar in a cherry poptart. And 4.5 g sugar per oz of grapes. So 1 poptart is equal to not quit 4 oz of grapes. That's like what 10-15 grapes if even that many. Sure grapes have other vitamins but still both can be in a good diet. Besides sugar is sugar doesn't matter if you get it from a soda or fruit it all becomes the same thing.
Some nutrition study is needed if you're saying 4 oz of grapes are the same quality snack as a pop tart
Same amount of sugar, different micronutrients, neither being particularly outstanding.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1920/23 -
This actually makes me a bit nervous. I have severe food allergies to the point that we can't have anything I am allergic to in the house. Immoregnant right now and baby has a 50/50 shot of also having my allergies. Even if she doesn't have my allergies, mine are so severe that we still have have it in the house and going to have to make it very very clear that my daughter can only eat what I pack for her and CANNOT share food or eat anything the schools provides.
If they make a huge issue from that or tell her she can't eat something I packed for her, they are going to regret it. Technically severefood allergies can be classified as a disability and I will pursue that if need.
If this makes you feel less anxious, my son just finished a kindy stint where we weren't allowed to use eggs, shellfish or nuts in school lunches due to a severe allergies of one student - even the packages that may have had the product in it weren't allowed. I felt terribly sorry for the parents but fortunately they found a subsequent primary school for the following years that had a complete ban on those products too due to another student. I hated it sometimes because all I could think of was egg recipes for his lunch and then I'd go doh! Can't do (my son loves eggs). Happy to comply though for the little fella that needed an epi-pen. Would have hated to be the reason he got sick.0 -
puttputt24 wrote: »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?
How can you be ok with teaching your child bad habits? Teaching them at a young age to eat unhealthy transitions them to eat bad later on in life. The teacher is doing through right thing and educating your child to a healthier lifestyle.
Letting your kid have a treat now and then isn't teaching them bad habits...
My kids have treats regularly...they also eat their fruit and some veggies and their chicken and rice and fish...my youngest (4) plays soccer and my oldest (6) plays flag football...both are avid bike riders and my youngest recently completed a 12 mile ride with me. My wife and I are both very active, healthy, and fit are excellent roll models for our kids even though at this very moment both of them are snacking on a cookie.
There's a lot more to health and wellness and raising children the right way than denying them anything good...you act as if the OP is feeding her kid nothing but pop tarts....3 -
ummijaaz560 wrote: »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?
I retract my previous advice. Your child was made to sit hungry while everyone else was having a snack?
I would have this lady's head on a silver platter. I'd complain to high heaven and see if I couldn't cost her, her job.
To begin with, this should've been a conversation between you and her not her and your first grader who is what six or seven? And then she has the audacity to not let him eat anything?
Heads. Would. Roll.
But I don't take kindly to people who bully children. Even if you'd sent him a chocolate covered freaking donut he should have been allowed to eat it if he was hungry or another snack should have been provided and this should have been taken up with you.9 -
All I know is, deep fried Poptarts are amazing! They go from being sugary cardboard to some delightful French pastry.
And will kill you in the long run.
The things you learn when you are friends with the Funnel Cake guys at the Ren Faire... And they bring fryers with them out to Burns...1 -
Haven't read the thread. Just going to vent.
Arbitrary food rules drive me a bit crazy. My kids are homeschooled but attend a bum-in-seat school once or twice a week. That school has a no peanut policy. Fine. But there were no peanut allergies in the school. Not a one. My oldest is allergic to sunflower seeds and tree nuts. He carries an epi-pen everywhere. Tree nuts are allowed. My kids are gluten free due to celiac disease. A crumb causes illness for weeks.... It irritated me how they go with the usual standard of food restrictions but not for foods that are a danger.
To keep my kids safe I man all the food tables and create a "free from" area for GF, dairy free or whatever and make everyone label their foods... It is amazing how few people realize that almond flower is a tree nut. LOL
I know teachers encourage nutritious snacks. They also encourage less wrapping and garbage. I would go along to a point. What is considered nutritious is pretty arbitrary and will vary between households.
Now if all packed lunches and snacks were based on pop-tart like "foods", then yes, parents should be talked to.1 -
stevencloser wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »hawkmancody wrote: »There is 16 g of sugar in a cherry poptart. And 4.5 g sugar per oz of grapes. So 1 poptart is equal to not quit 4 oz of grapes. That's like what 10-15 grapes if even that many. Sure grapes have other vitamins but still both can be in a good diet. Besides sugar is sugar doesn't matter if you get it from a soda or fruit it all becomes the same thing.
Some nutrition study is needed if you're saying 4 oz of grapes are the same quality snack as a pop tart
Same amount of sugar, different micronutrients, neither being particularly outstanding.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1920/2
Ask 100 registered dietitians their recommendation for a snack and I would be willing to bet 95%+ of them would pick the grapes over Pop Tarts.5 -
ummijaaz560 wrote: »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?
I retract my previous advice. Your child was made to sit hungry while everyone else was having a snack?
I would have this lady's head on a silver platter. I'd complain to high heaven and see if I couldn't cost her, her job.
To begin with, this should've been a conversation between you and her not her and your first grader who is what six or seven? And then she has the audacity to not let him eat anything?
Heads. Would. Roll.
But I don't take kindly to people who bully children. Even if you'd sent him a chocolate covered freaking donut he should have been allowed to eat it if he was hungry or another snack should have been provided and this should have been taken up with you.
Yeah, the teacher should have given him an alternative thing to eat. I dare say the teacher equates poptarts to amped up kids on a sugar high, and doesn't want to have to deal with that on top of all of her other duties.1 -
ummijaaz560 wrote: »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?
I retract my previous advice. Your child was made to sit hungry while everyone else was having a snack?
I would have this lady's head on a silver platter. I'd complain to high heaven and see if I couldn't cost her, her job.
To begin with, this should've been a conversation between you and her not her and your first grader who is what six or seven? And then she has the audacity to not let him eat anything?
Heads. Would. Roll.
But I don't take kindly to people who bully children. Even if you'd sent him a chocolate covered freaking donut he should have been allowed to eat it if he was hungry or another snack should have been provided and this should have been taken up with you.
What??? The OP's child was so upset by this that he didn't mention it either time it happened....3 -
Packerjohn wrote: »stevencloser wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »hawkmancody wrote: »There is 16 g of sugar in a cherry poptart. And 4.5 g sugar per oz of grapes. So 1 poptart is equal to not quit 4 oz of grapes. That's like what 10-15 grapes if even that many. Sure grapes have other vitamins but still both can be in a good diet. Besides sugar is sugar doesn't matter if you get it from a soda or fruit it all becomes the same thing.
Some nutrition study is needed if you're saying 4 oz of grapes are the same quality snack as a pop tart
Same amount of sugar, different micronutrients, neither being particularly outstanding.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1920/2
Ask 100 registered dietitians their recommendation for a snack and I would be willing to bet 95%+ of them would pick the grapes over Pop Tarts.
So you don't care about the actual nutrient contained but rather go for the "duh, of course grapes are healthy"?8 -
My thought is that the schools don't like sugary snacks because some kids may get hyper. I could be mistaken though.... I don't think it's ok for teacher to be criticizing what kids bring to school.
I got so pissed when my son was going to camp and they would discuss healthy foods. Kids that brought "healthy" foods got to wear a healthy hat. My son was all upset one day because when the camp counselor saw his lunch he didn't get a hat. Mind you I'm paying this camp good money and they're inspecting my kids lunch!
To sum it up, I would be aggravated too.2 -
i would rip her (and the school if they are supporting that JUDGEMENT call) a new one, on principle alone. and enjoy every minute of it, as its not often I get to do that to a person.
you want to control what my kid eats - you *kitten* buy it. no? then they will eat what *I* send.
and yeah gross. i do keep some on hand but a box lasts us months LOLOLOL1 -
Or like I learned as a kid, it's okay to have a Poptart IF I'm also eating my other "healthy" stuff.puttputt24 wrote: »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?
How can you be ok with teaching your child bad habits? Teaching them at a young age to eat unhealthy transitions them to eat bad later on in life. The teacher is doing through right thing and educating your child to a healthier lifestyle.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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To OP: I'm gonna throw this out there (I was an elementary school teacher); if you dig your heels in about this issue this early, you will be known as Pop Tart Mom for the remaining years your child(ern) are at that school. Are Pop Tarts really that important? Is being "right" really that important?
Just send in some raisins...those have carbs, are sweet, and were once a legit fruit.12 -
They are okay to eat in moderation. Name one food in the world that isn't? And again define "healthy"? Sure it's sugar, but the body knows how to handle it and kids burn it off pretty fast. The issue here is that much of the public have this hysteria about sugar being the devil based on media.puttputt24 wrote: »
Define healthy. If a child is getting in all the nutrients they need throughout the day, then why would a Pop tart be unhealthy? You don't get "extra credit" for eating "healthy" once your daily macros/micros are met.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!
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
You have 30 years of nutrition and trying to argue that pop tarts are ok to eat?? Sure they are ok to eat but they are no means healthy. Smh
Hell I ate tons of sugar as a kid. Right after school we dropped of at the nearest local 7-11 and loaded up on candy. The difference is now that kids are so "protected" by their parents for just about everything. I personally believe part of the reason that kids don't play outside anymore is because parents are scared to death to let them by themselves.
Let me iterate that Poptarts aren't "unhealthy". They ARE low in nutritional value.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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