Mum puzzled by school’s ‘strange’ list of healthy snacks for playtime – including toast

A mum has turned to the internet for advice after seeing the list of suggested healthy snacks her child’s school had sent round to parents, which had some ‘strange’ inclusions

When it comes to kids, we all want to make sure they are eating healthy and doing enough exercise.

Many parents will pack their little ones off to school with some fruit and such to snack on during playtime and at lunch.

But not many will think to send them to school with some toast in their lunch box.

One mum has claimed this is a suggestion her child’s school recently made as part of a list of healthy snacks pupils should have at break time.

The parent was left rather puzzled by some of the suggestions that she didn’t think seemed “practical” to take to school.

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She revealed all in a post on Mumsnet, writing: “The school newsletter last week had an article trying to encourage parents to send in healthier snacks for their children at playtime.

“I find this is such a minefield as my daughter isn’t always hungry at playtime so whatever I send needs to be able to last being in a school bag for a few days and still be edible.

“This rules out many of the suggestions such as vegetable sticks and houmous, yoghurt and crackers and cheese. These should all be low fat too which I don’t buy anyway. Also suggest fruit salad but again, this will go off and many whole pieces of fruit get bruised etc. And then as at many schools, nuts aren’t allowed so that rules out sending in whole nuts or naked bars.

“Some of the other suggestions I found quite strange such as toast, crumpets and bread.”

She continued to say: “They used to have a tuck shop selling healthier snacks but it stopped in Covid and now can’t start up again because the school is now cashless. I did suggest parents paying in advance for fruit and vegetable snacks like they get in Infants but the school have said logistically this is not practical.

“Anyone have any good suggestions for robust healthier snacks? I appreciate what the school are doing but ultimately if my healthy weight and healthy eating DD has a pack of snack a jacks or mini cookies a couple of times a week, I’m not that bothered.”

Dozens of people have replied to the post, with many equally baffled by the list and why they can’t just take fruit.

One person said: “Seriously?! An apple. A banana.”

Another wrote: “They are impractical suggestions and almost meals for kids. Crackers and cheese would be lunch for mine at that age.

“I’d get a small plastic box and put in something like a couple of mini breadsticks and dried fruit. Or those weeny cubes of flapjack. Won’t spoil or bruise. I don’t really get the hysteria over a biscuit at break time.”

A third added: “How do they expect children to sit down at playtime and eat carrot sticks and hummus? I do wonder if anyone in education has actual, real experience of children sometimes.”

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.