Anyone else stop bringing birthday treats into school?

[Janepod]

We can send in anything as long as it's nut-free, and we have to also send a "healthy alternative." E.g., fruit. This is for K-2

 

[XYSRUS]

A couple of years ago I started sending in donuts. What a hit! Everybody asks for them every year. Another big hit was Nerds Ropes. Who knew?

 

[cheerful chickadee]

When my son (now 16) was in elementary we were able to send treats, I would make rice krispy treats or cupcakes and send him in with enough for the class, the teachers, assistants and one to bring down to the principal. My DD goes to the same elem. school that my son did and they now have a policy against any food treats on Birthdays. It's not all because of allergies the kids may have, the district adopted a health and wellness platform that is trying to educate the kids on healthy eating which I do think is awesome. Unfortunately this means teaching the kids that they do not need food to celebrate or have a good time. I guess one cupcake on a special occasion is horrible. lol I'd rather them teach moderation of unhealthy foods and that if you have a healthy, balanced diet one cookie on a Birthday would not hurt them but hey, what do I know

 

[MizTink]

my kids are past that stage so i don't have to do it anymore! but when they were in elementary school i did send cupcakes for the class.
towards the end of our elementary years, the school my kids attended "got healthy". they didn't go to the extreme too much and the kids really didn't mind. they had cupcakes on the last school day of the month to recognize all the month's birthdays! plus they could get extra servings (up to 2 extra) of certain foods at lunch
my son's class used to take turns bringing snack in for the whole class. (this was actually before the healthy rule). their favorite snack was 1 that my son took in. GRAPES!!!! i washed them, then seperated them into baggies for each kid. they loved it and the kids and teachers asked other kids to do the same or similar when it was their turn kids love fruit! veggie's might me a little different....lol

 

[Allanaw]

Our classes still bring in cupcakes/cake for birthdays. I have a child with a severe intolerance so she can never eat whatever is brought it. We end up just donating a book, on behalf our the child, to the classroom. We leave the cupcakes/cake to the birthday celebrations at home!

 

[aprilgail2]

A couple of years ago I started sending in donuts. What a hit! Everybody asks for them every year. Another big hit was Nerds Ropes. Who knew?

OMG- the healthy food police would be there in a minute if that was brought into the school! I think the sirens would go off the second you stepped in the door LOL. Even for class parties the classparents have to go through the office with any food and they will look it up and if its not in the guidlines you have to bring it back to your car! And it all has to be prepackaged- no home made, no bakery made--it must have the fat/calorie/sugar content on it....doesn't have to be peanut free but has to have nutrition label on it. Oh and you can only bring in whole fruit-nothing your hands might have touched--like no cut up watermellon, no cut up oranges, no grapes in little baggies-have to send in the whole bag from the food store...

And this is the list they want you to choose from for any class parties or school events

Nutrigrain Yogurt Bars, All Flavors
1.3 oz.
Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich crackers
1.46 oz.
Fruit Flats, Fruitabu, Organic, All Flavors
4 oz.
Pumpkin Seed, Pepitas, 1 oz. Salted or Chile Limon Flavored
1 oz.
Kidsmart
Cookie, Whole Wheat Graham
1 oz.
Kashi
Granola Bars, Kashi TLC, Chewy, All Flavors
1.25 oz
Kelloggs
Cereal Packs, Grab N Go, 90 Calories All Flavors-Fruit Loops & Corn Pops
1 oz.
Cheetos Hot Fantastik
1 oz.
Oatmeal to Go, All Flavors
1.4 oz
Flat Earth Cheddar Crisps
1 oz.
Rice Crispy Treats, Minis
.39 oz.
Wise
Popcorn, Cheddar
.5 oz.
Wise
Popcorn, Butter
.5 oz.
Frito Lay
Popcorn, Smartfood, White Cheddar
.625 oz.
Rold Gold
Pretzels, Heartzels, Low Sodium
1 oz.
Roberts American Gourmet
Fruit Crisps, Fruity Booty
1 oz.
Roberts American Gourmet
Smart Puffs
.75 oz.
Frito Lay
Sun Chips, All Flavors
1 oz.
Keebler/Austin
Cookies, Animal Crackers
1 oz.
Frito Lay
Potato Chips, Baked
1.125 oz
General Mills/Quaker
Granola Bars, Assorted Flavor Box - Low Fat, Chewy
1.3 oz.
Kelloggs
Rice Crispy Treats, All Flavors
1.3 oz.
Pretzels, Nibblers, All Flavors
1.5 oz.
Pretzels, Old Tyme
1.5 oz.

 

[Coconut36]

My oldest has a summer birthday so I never did treats for him. My youngest is just entering Kinder and does have a birthday during the school year and I am undecided about treats..if anything I might do a non food item if I do anything. Nobody did the cupcake/cake/treats thing for birthdays when I was in school.

 

[XYSRUS]

OMG- the healthy food police would be there in a minute if that was brought into the school! I think the sirens would go off the second you stepped in the door LOL. Even for class parties the classparents have to go through the office with any food and they will look it up and if its not in the guidlines you have to bring it back to your car! And it all has to be prepackaged- no home made, no bakery made--it must have the fat/calorie/sugar content on it....doesn't have to be peanut free but has to have nutrition label on it. Oh and you can only bring in whole fruit-nothing your hands might have touched--like no cut up watermellon, no cut up oranges, no grapes in little baggies-have to send in the whole bag from the food store...

And this is the list they want you to choose from for any class parties or school events

Nutrigrain Yogurt Bars, All Flavors
1.3 oz.
Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich crackers
1.46 oz.
Fruit Flats, Fruitabu, Organic, All Flavors
4 oz.
Pumpkin Seed, Pepitas, 1 oz. Salted or Chile Limon Flavored
1 oz.
Kidsmart
Cookie, Whole Wheat Graham
1 oz.
Kashi
Granola Bars, Kashi TLC, Chewy, All Flavors
1.25 oz
Kelloggs
Cereal Packs, Grab N Go, 90 Calories All Flavors-Fruit Loops & Corn Pops
1 oz.
Cheetos Hot Fantastik
1 oz.
Oatmeal to Go, All Flavors
1.4 oz
Flat Earth Cheddar Crisps
1 oz.
Rice Crispy Treats, Minis
.39 oz.
Wise
Popcorn, Cheddar
.5 oz.
Wise
Popcorn, Butter
.5 oz.
Frito Lay
Popcorn, Smartfood, White Cheddar
.625 oz.
Rold Gold
Pretzels, Heartzels, Low Sodium
1 oz.
Roberts American Gourmet
Fruit Crisps, Fruity Booty
1 oz.
Roberts American Gourmet
Smart Puffs
.75 oz.
Frito Lay
Sun Chips, All Flavors
1 oz.
Keebler/Austin
Cookies, Animal Crackers
1 oz.
Frito Lay
Potato Chips, Baked
1.125 oz
General Mills/Quaker
Granola Bars, Assorted Flavor Box - Low Fat, Chewy
1.3 oz.
Kelloggs
Rice Crispy Treats, All Flavors
1.3 oz.
Pretzels, Nibblers, All Flavors
1.5 oz.
Pretzels, Old Tyme
1.5 oz.

Poor kids. They don't call it a "treat" for nothing. Everything in moderation, people. If that was our situation my kids would just say to forget it! Lol

 

[2girls4me]

I just asked my dd's kindergarten teacher and cupcakes are ok. Homemade or store bought, both are fine. One peanut allergy in the class, but she told me funfetti are fine, so I bought those.

 

[Mandychelle79]

My son is in a tree nut and peanut free room this year. I will send in treats, prepackaged with ingredient labels, so everyone can have the same thing.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I have brought all kinds of treats into school from really great treats to eat to books/stickers/tattoos.

We only had one young man who had a peanut allergy. His mom brought a tupperware container with great treats for him. Some times the birthday child would want to trade with him!

By 8th. grade this boy thought fun was taking a bite out of a peanut butter sandwich. I am sure his mother went through her own little he-double hockey sticks.

I have compassion for these children and their parents. The students my children went to school with were fine with the parent box. All kids were happy. I don't get where it went to such an extreme.

From what I read on the Dis and yes I know it is not always the correct information, most kids do not have air-borne allergies. Washing hands and desks afterwards build character and teach the kids good clean up skills. I just don't get it.

 

[SaraJayne]

DD is in Middle school this year, so no more treats for me, but we never had any type of restrictions on treats.

Anything homemade was always a huge treat.

 

[luvmy3]

We don't have any restrictions on treats other than no peanuts. When I remember I just pre-buy ice cream for the class and they get it at lunch.

 

[disykat]

Never really did after Kindergarten.

 

[meggiebeth]

We always did/ do it for primary school. (elementary school.) We would just bring in a big multipack of candy, and each child would take one item. Of course those who were vegetarians (we had quite a few Muslims who could not eat gelatin) got first pick and the teacher always made sure their dietary requirements were met

 

[jsmith]

OMG- the healthy food police would be there in a minute if that was brought into the school! I think the sirens would go off the second you stepped in the door LOL. Even for class parties the classparents have to go through the office with any food and they will look it up and if its not in the guidlines you have to bring it back to your car! And it all has to be prepackaged- no home made, no bakery made--it must have the fat/calorie/sugar content on it....doesn't have to be peanut free but has to have nutrition label on it. Oh and you can only bring in whole fruit-nothing your hands might have touched--like no cut up watermellon, no cut up oranges, no grapes in little baggies-have to send in the whole bag from the food store...

And this is the list they want you to choose from for any class parties or school events

Nutrigrain Yogurt Bars, All Flavors
1.3 oz.
Cheese & Peanut Butter Sandwich crackers
1.46 oz.
Fruit Flats, Fruitabu, Organic, All Flavors
4 oz.
Pumpkin Seed, Pepitas, 1 oz. Salted or Chile Limon Flavored
1 oz.
Kidsmart
Cookie, Whole Wheat Graham
1 oz.
Kashi
Granola Bars, Kashi TLC, Chewy, All Flavors
1.25 oz
Kelloggs
Cereal Packs, Grab N Go, 90 Calories All Flavors-Fruit Loops & Corn Pops
1 oz.
Cheetos Hot Fantastik
1 oz.
Oatmeal to Go, All Flavors
1.4 oz
Flat Earth Cheddar Crisps
1 oz.
Rice Crispy Treats, Minis
.39 oz.
Wise
Popcorn, Cheddar
.5 oz.
Wise
Popcorn, Butter
.5 oz.
Frito Lay
Popcorn, Smartfood, White Cheddar
.625 oz.
Rold Gold
Pretzels, Heartzels, Low Sodium
1 oz.
Roberts American Gourmet
Fruit Crisps, Fruity Booty
1 oz.
Roberts American Gourmet
Smart Puffs
.75 oz.
Frito Lay
Sun Chips, All Flavors
1 oz.
Keebler/Austin
Cookies, Animal Crackers
1 oz.
Frito Lay
Potato Chips, Baked
1.125 oz
General Mills/Quaker
Granola Bars, Assorted Flavor Box - Low Fat, Chewy
1.3 oz.
Kelloggs
Rice Crispy Treats, All Flavors
1.3 oz.
Pretzels, Nibblers, All Flavors
1.5 oz.
Pretzels, Old Tyme
1.5 oz.

Guess it depends on what you define as "healthy" every thing on list list except for the pepitas is way worse for kids than a nice home baked carrot cupcake. Every single one of these items is loaded with hidden sugars, soy,and GMO grains. Some of them have loads of sodium and most have chemical preservatives. So much for the food police.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

This will be my last year to send anything for a birthday because my youngest will be in middle school next year and I was told its not cool to bring cupcakes to the MS.

 

[Fjobe]

Our state has strict laws on food in the classroom. No, we cannot bring in any food for our kids' birthdays. The school district has to declare specific party days, and they are only allowed to have up to 9 each year. All food brought to the parties must be store-bought. Every year our elementary school has a Fall Party, Christmas Party, and Valentine's Party. They also have a field day at the end of the year, and they get treats that day.

 

[daisyduck123]

I banned birthday treats in my classroom starting 13 years ago. It was the last straw...the morning a mom came in & left twelve cupcakes & a pie for me to split among 26 students. Wth? I put all of it in the teacher's lounge.

She didn't even leave nothing for me to cut the pie with if I had decided to use it.

 

[brookmey]

No restrictions at my kids' school. In fact, I just made cupcakes for my son's kinder class for his birthday this past Friday. The only restriction we have is that the treat can only be given out in the last 45 minutes of the day.