The irony of this teacher's 'healthy lunchbox' note
One mum was shocked to see this note about the snack she'd put in her child's lunchbox...
Another one of those (pretty annoying) ‘healthy snacks’ notices from schools has gone viral - this time for warning an Aussie mum not to pack sultanas in her child’s lunchbox.
Ironically, the note also states that ‘acceptable’ healthy lunchbox options include 'dried and packaged fruits'… like sultanas ???
It reads:
“Please help us encourage nutritious eating habits in children. Our healthy eating policy asks you to provide healthy and nutritious snacks for your child to eat at Kindy [Kindergarten].
“Acceptable items include: fresh, dried or tinned/packaged fruit/vegetables, vegetable dips, cheese, crackers/dry biscuits, yoghurt, fruit bread/muffins, sandwiches with healthy fillings."
Taking to Facebook to share a photo of the note, the mum (from Australia) reportedly wrote alongside it: “This must be a joke? Of course they are high in sugar, they are fruit.
"Today’s lunch consisted of a sandwich roll, two boiled eggs, an orange, kiwi fruit and a handful of sultanas. She never has packaged food in her lunchbox or anything with refined sugar."
And quickly Aussie dieticians made it known that they felt the same way.
One nutritionist, Kathryn Hawkins, used Facebook to slam the "food-shaming” note and explained quite logically how sultanas are a healthy snack.
“Sultanas and other dried fruit are a great snack for children,” she began. "1. They are high in fibre, potassium, and contain B1, B2 and other vitamins and minerals.
"2. If your child enjoys sultanas and feels happy when eating them, then that is a great choice for them.
"3. If you are a busy working household and grabbing a box of sultanas for the lunchbox makes it a bit easier for you, then it is a great choice for you."
She also pointed out that in Australian schools, hot lunches are not offered.
Surely by now it goes without saying that healthy eating is important, balanced diets should be encouraged and that we should enjoy everything in moderation, but we reckon all those points - and the question of whether or not schools should act like 'food police' - are irrelevant in this case.
It seems this poor mum's damned if she does, and damned if she doesn't - as the note clearly states she was fine to bring in sultanas!
Schools - they don't always get it right, do they? ?
Images: Facebook
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