You know that road paved with good intentions ...well, I was forced to board the crazy bus and drive up and down that road looking for an off-ramp for a week.  Well, perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration but there surely was a lot of energy expended on my part talking to school staff trying to understand and be understood. Here's the story...

At second grade curriculum night last week, the teachers put up a list of approved snacks.  The snacks listed were fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and cheese.  They were trying to promote healthy eating at snack time.  That was the good intention, a wonderful intention even.   The problems were
1.  It was an unresearched, exclusive list that did not include whole grains or lowfat dairy.
2.  There was a punitive element  that if a child brought in a non-approved snack, rather than taking the matter up with the parent, the teacher was to take the food away from the child. 

Number one first:  I feel that my child needs some whole grains at snack time to give her enough energy to make it to lunch as she has a metabolism that burns through calories.  The list didn't include whole grains.  After some research here at home(that is a google of  "healthy school snacks" -thank you DDS), we found that a great deal of work has already been done to put together programs that promote healthy school snacks.    All of them included whole grains and lowfat dairy as elements of a healthy snack.  

Here are some of the links:
Mayo Clinic
National Institutes of Health
New York State Department of Health  Their Activ8kids program which is the NYS School Nutrition and Physical Activity Best Practices Toolkit available from the NYS Department of Health.  Excellent resource!

Number two:  Honestly, this is the aspect of the policy that bothered me the most.  My child's nutrition is my responsibility because I know  her needs, medical history and personality. I don't want a teacher taking away her food that I have specifically packed.  I really don't understand why  they choose such a negative and coercive model to try and promote healthy eating.   After several discussions I was told that if I persisted in sending in whole wheat crackers (with cheese) that either the teacher would take away the crackers  or my daughter would be escorted to the cafeteria upon arrival at school  to eat her snack and would have to sit quietly later during the class' snack time while everyone else ate.    Really?  Contraband whole wheat crackers??

Let me also say -- the teachers at my DDs school are a terrific group of talented educators.  I'm really at a loss of where the disconnect between my opinion and theirs came from.

End of the story is, the program has been rescinded and the approved snack list has now become the "recommended" snack list.  I can send in whatever snack I feel is appropriate for my child.  Thank goodness.  And since I'm obviously all about healthy eating, I have also offered to put together a "Healthy Snack -  tip of the week" for the teachers to put up on their websites or to send home with their students.  I hope they take me up on my offer.

Side note:  School lunches available to buy in the last 5 days:  Chicken nuggets, hot dog, crispy chicken ranch BLT, chocolate chip pancakes and pizza.