Really, what is the world coming to?

[design_mom]

As everyone was eating them the mom said something about how hard it was to frost them. The teacher asked why....Mom said because her daughter kept licking the frosting off!!!

Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwww!!!!!

My daughter's preschool has a "no edible treats of any kind" rule. My son's elementary school does not have a rule, which surprised me since I know so many schools have them now.

I completely understand (and respect) the reasons for the rule, but I am sad that things have changed. When I was in school my mom always made the best treats and I always felt so proud taking them into school. (You know "Look what *my* mom made for us.") I looked forward to making treats for them...

p.s. about cats on the counter. I don't own a cat anymore (and probably won't, although I love them)... but just *try* to keep a cat off the counter. It's darn near impossible. They won't do it if they know you're looking, but they'll get up there when they think you aren't. My sister insisted her cat never got on the counter. Imagine her embarrassment when I poked her in the side during a dinner party she was hosting. Her cat was in the kitchen sniffing the dessert! When we had our cat, I just got into the habit of wiping the counters down with bleach before I made anything because you just never know!

 

[ntink]

How do you know this?

Not all the schools in PA are peanut free as well as homemade free, because ours is not. Our funding is definetly not compromised due to this either

A mother just went on a crusade last year to make a neighboring school , not whole school dstrict peanut free due to her son's severe allergy. She made her case in front of the school board , not the PA dept. of education. She won and her son's school is peanut free but the rest of the schools in the district are not.

I based it on the information I read here
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/food_nutrition/lib/food_nutrition/nutrition_guidelines_r_3_-final.pdf

Our school is not peanut free and I agree with you that peanut free schools are not a result of state regulation.

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

I can only speak to my school/state but imagine it is applicable nationwide. The rules banning homebaked treats, regulating portion sizes and ingredients are not rules implemented by the principal, school or school district. Here these rules are handed down to the school districts from the State of Pennsylvania Department of Education. If the rules are not implemented, the district's funding will be negatively impacted.

I live in PA and we can still bring homemade treats to school!

 

[JimmyJr'sMom]

I can only speak to my school/state but imagine it is applicable nationwide. The rules banning homebaked treats, regulating portion sizes and ingredients are not rules implemented by the principal, school or school district. Here these rules are handed down to the school districts from the State of Pennsylvania Department of Education. If the rules are not implemented, the district's funding will be negatively impacted.

My son attends Lower Moreland Sch Dist in Montgomery Cty, and as of yet- Homemade is still OK. Store bought cupcakes are just gross! Maybe from a bakery they might be okay, but around here cupcakes from a bakery will run you at least $1.25 each. X 20 kids and you are looking at a pretty penny. I come from a family of rule breakers - so if they tried that here, I would probably bring in my own homemade cupcakes anyway. What are the cupcake police gonna do anyway? Confiscate my cupcakes? PUUUHHHLEEASSE!

 

[disykat]

20 years ago I worked in a neighboring district and they already had this policy in place. It was explained as a hygiene/food safety issue with no mention of allergies whatsoever. All food served to students had to be prepared by someone with a food handlers licence.

My current district doesn't have such a policy. Everytime it is brought up, people freak out and try to blame it on people with allergies.

 

[Miss LD]

Our school is peanut-free, and we also have the rule that you can't bring food treats on your birthday. I love this rule because my son is really affected by sugar, and I'm strict about what's in his lunch. If he eats sugar on an empty stomach he's bouncing off the walls.
I think as a parent it's my responsibility to do my best to help my kid behave in school. One way I do that is with a healthy lunch - special protein smoothies before school, etc.
So, I appreciate not having lots of cupcakes and junk added to his day.
Anyway, the school asks kids to bring in stuff like pencils and stickers. I think that's fun.
But, for the school carnivals/events homemade stuff is allowed.
The way they seem to do it is that if it's an event that parents attend treats are allowed and parents are encouraged to monitor what their kids eat.
They ask that the homemade goods are peanut-free, but the parents I know with kids who have allergies just avoid the bake-sale/cake walk.
I think it's a good compromise.

 

[I_Know_You2!]

I just wanted to comment on all the hygiene stuff. Do you know for a fact if the person who made your treat from the store washed their hands or if the machines they are made on are clean or there are no bugs? I'd rather take my chances with a neighborhood family. jmho.

http://www.healthmad.com/Health/Is-Your-Food-Bugged.114804

Bugs in your peanut butter and orange juice are a common occurrence, but who woulda thunk it?

If you have a vegetable garden you will expect to find ear wigs, worms, and bugs in your harvest. You make sure your food is properly washed and double check for any insects that might have been overlooked. It's easy to be sure you get the bugs out before you serve your family but, it isn't as easy for large scale commercially harvested food. It would be impossible to check every vegetable, grain silo, corn crib, and flour mill world wide to avoid such contaminants so the FDA has set guidelines for how much foreign matter…more precisely bugs, larvae, eggs, and rodent hair can be safely allowed in our food. It is estimated that each of us eats an average of one pound of insects every year.

Some insects are purposely used in food like the Cochineal bug. Cochineal bugs are small, scaly bugs used to make red and pink coloring for our food and beverages. Colouring from Cochineal bugs is listed on the ingredient list of food packaging as cochineal extract.
Male and Female Cochineal Bugs

Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Food grade shellac used to give candy its shine is secreted from the Kerria lacca or Lac bug. Its deep red secretion is harvested from trees in India, Thailand, China, and Mexico. The bug secretes the resin on tree twigs where it is harvested by breaking off the laden branches and melting the resin from them.
Kerria Lacca Bug

Courtesy of Wikipedia commons

Other ingredients that you won't find listed on packaging ingredient lists are; bug wings, fly heads, bug larvae, insect eggs, rat hair, maggots, and worms.
Peanut Butter

Courtesy of Flicker commons

One pound of peanut butter can contain rodent hair and up to 60 pieces of bug parts. While rodent hair is easily found in peanut butter, roach parts are not because they are pulverized with the peanuts. (Who counts the bug pieces?)
Chocolate

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Chocoholics love their chocolate but did you know that one chocolate bar can contain up to 80 bug pieces and other debris and still be safe to eat? (Could it be that you are actually addicted to bugs and NOT the chocolate?)
Pasta

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Pasta contains around 225 insect parts per 225 grams of pasta. (Italian anyone?)
Orange Juice

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Two hundred and fifty milliliters of orange juice can contain either one maggot or five fly eggs. (Do we have a choice?)
Sauce

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Pizza and pasta sauce is allowed either 30 bug eggs or 2 maggots per 100g. (Free toppings!)
Flour

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Wheat flour has up to 75 bug parts per 50g. (Bah… Bug Buns!)
Mushrooms

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Canned mushrooms have up to 20 maggots per 100g. (Is this a new canned food? Mushroom with Maggots)
Meal Worms

Courtesy of Wikipedia commons

In some countries meal worm is a common additive in meat and meat products. Meal worms are a larval stage flour beetle or Darkling beetle that lives in the wild wherever flour and grains are stored. The Yellow meal worm or Tenebrio molitor are easily raised and well suited to home farming. As long as you keep their containers clean and in a dim, well ventilated area, regulate their heat, and feed them you will always have fresh food whenever guests drop by. The kitchen is an excellent farming area ensuring easy access to fresh worms anytime.
Bonus: Easy, Company's Coming Meal Worm Appetizers
Ingredients

* 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
* 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
* 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
* 1/3 cup fresh meal worm larvae

Method

1. Melt butter or margarine in skillet.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Sauté until golden brown.

This recipe can be served as is or added to a heated store bought snack mix such as Party Mix, Trail Mix, or Bridge Mix.

Bon Appetit!

I'd risk homemade over processed any day of the week!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Also, I feel so sorry for any family dealing with food allergies, it is a difficult situation for sure. One of my closest friend's daughter has a near fatal reaction to goat's milk and it also very, though not as sseverly, allergic to cow's milk, so I am sympthatic. But my DD9 cannot bring a PB&J sandwich to school because someone in her class is allergic. I don't know how severe his allergy is, though it is limited to his classmates, the tables around him are OK to bring them and the school serves them to buyers. I think this is so difficult. We are on a tight budget, my kids eat PB&J at least 3 times a week if not 4. I have been giving her just jelly but it is not giving her the protien that she needs to get her through the afternoon. I wish there was a better solution. For my friend's daughter, she eats in a seperate area which is cleaned for her right before she comes to lunch. She is allowed to have a couple friends (whose lunces arn't going to pose a risk) come sit with her. I don't want anyone to feel left out because of their food allergies, but I have to wonder if there arn't other options than banning a certain food or foods.

Our school is peanut-free, but my kids will sometimes take soy butter and jelly or sunflower butter and jelly sandwiches, which are allowed. The sunflower butter is pretty tasty, but I find the soy butter a bit dry. My kids like both, especially with bread and jelly. They are both a bit more expensive than peanut butter, but probably still less expensive than lunch meat.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

http://www.healthmad.com/Health/Is-Your-Food-Bugged.114804
Bugs in your peanut butter and orange juice are a common occurrence, but who woulda thunk it?

If you have a vegetable garden you will expect to find ear wigs, worms, and bugs in your harvest. You make sure your food is properly washed and double check for any insects that might have been overlooked. It's easy to be sure you get the bugs out before you serve your family but, it isn't as easy for large scale commercially harvested food. It would be impossible to check every vegetable, grain silo, corn crib, and flour mill world wide to avoid such contaminants so the FDA has set guidelines for how much foreign matter…more precisely bugs, larvae, eggs, and rodent hair can be safely allowed in our food. It is estimated that each of us eats an average of one pound of insects every year.

Some insects are purposely used in food like the Cochineal bug. Cochineal bugs are small, scaly bugs used to make red and pink coloring for our food and beverages. Colouring from Cochineal bugs is listed on the ingredient list of food packaging as cochineal extract.
Male and Female Cochineal Bugs

Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Food grade shellac used to give candy its shine is secreted from the Kerria lacca or Lac bug. Its deep red secretion is harvested from trees in India, Thailand, China, and Mexico. The bug secretes the resin on tree twigs where it is harvested by breaking off the laden branches and melting the resin from them.
Kerria Lacca Bug

Courtesy of Wikipedia commons

Other ingredients that you won't find listed on packaging ingredient lists are; bug wings, fly heads, bug larvae, insect eggs, rat hair, maggots, and worms.
Peanut Butter

Courtesy of Flicker commons

One pound of peanut butter can contain rodent hair and up to 60 pieces of bug parts. While rodent hair is easily found in peanut butter, roach parts are not because they are pulverized with the peanuts. (Who counts the bug pieces?)
Chocolate

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Chocoholics love their chocolate but did you know that one chocolate bar can contain up to 80 bug pieces and other debris and still be safe to eat? (Could it be that you are actually addicted to bugs and NOT the chocolate?)
Pasta

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Pasta contains around 225 insect parts per 225 grams of pasta. (Italian anyone?)
Orange Juice

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Two hundred and fifty milliliters of orange juice can contain either one maggot or five fly eggs. (Do we have a choice?)
Sauce

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Pizza and pasta sauce is allowed either 30 bug eggs or 2 maggots per 100g. (Free toppings!)
Flour

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Wheat flour has up to 75 bug parts per 50g. (Bah… Bug Buns!)
Mushrooms

Courtesy of Flicker commons

Canned mushrooms have up to 20 maggots per 100g. (Is this a new canned food? Mushroom with Maggots)
Meal Worms

Courtesy of Wikipedia commons

In some countries meal worm is a common additive in meat and meat products. Meal worms are a larval stage flour beetle or Darkling beetle that lives in the wild wherever flour and grains are stored. The Yellow meal worm or Tenebrio molitor are easily raised and well suited to home farming. As long as you keep their containers clean and in a dim, well ventilated area, regulate their heat, and feed them you will always have fresh food whenever guests drop by. The kitchen is an excellent farming area ensuring easy access to fresh worms anytime.
Bonus: Easy, Company's Coming Meal Worm Appetizers
Ingredients

* 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
* 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
* 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
* 1/3 cup fresh meal worm larvae

Method

1. Melt butter or margarine in skillet.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Sauté until golden brown.

This recipe can be served as is or added to a heated store bought snack mix such as Party Mix, Trail Mix, or Bridge Mix.

Bon Appetit!

I think I just lost my appetite!

 

[I_Know_You2!]

I think I just lost my appetite!

It is truly a lucky thing that the pictures didn't copy!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

It is truly a lucky thing that the pictures didn't copy!

Blech! I didn't even know there WERE pictures! Must resist urge to look . . .

Way too close to lunch for me to be thinking about this!

 

[ZPT1022]

I run a green home child day care and if I didn't bake, the kids would get nothing !! There is more harmful ingredients in the packaged treats than there are in good, old fashioned baked goods - even if a cat is on the counter !! ( I have no cat nor would I allow it on the counter but still....... ). I agree the amount of refined sugars has to be decreased but the parents should have the backbone to stand up to their child(ren) when then have had enough. A cupcake is not going to make them run crazy for hours - a sugar "high" lasts for about 20 minutes.
Sorry ..... didn't mean to get preachy but it is sad that the things we used to love about our childhoods are being eliminated from our children's lives and these new options are worse for them.

Thank you! We are totally coming to this from the same place. It burns me when it's my turn to send snack to my DD's preschool and I'm not allowed to send homemade banana bread (all organic ingedients as well), and instead it's suggested that I send cheez-its or something like that. Gosh, yes, instead of lots of bananas, 1/4 cup sugar, whole wheat flour, a smidge of vanilla, and a few other ingredients, let's all eat processed cheese products with fake orange coloring! That's a great solution

As a parent of a child with a tree nut allergy, I completely agree with only store bought items in the classroom. My DD has the right to a safe environment in the classroom. Her life should not be risked b/c a parent does not read the box on a cake mix. I am sorry that this limits what can be used in a classroom party but her life is more important and honestly most kids could really care less.

At the risk of sounding heartless, she is going to have to figure it out with her allergies at some point. I understand the potential consequence as I have multiple life threatening food allergies myself but I have to say that most bakeries are not nut allergy friendly (From experience), so bringing something from a bakery doesn't really solve anything.

I think that parents whose children have food limitations need to be proactive in making sure there is an alternative available for their kids when something is served that is potentially a problem. The same DD I mentioned above who is currently in preschool- all the parents take turns bringing in snacks. My daughter can't have any of the dairy stuff. What are the top three snacks sent in? Cheese sticks, pudding cups and go-gurt. I can't tell the other parents not to send in what their kids want to share so I just leave a box of snacks for her and when the snack that is brought in is something she can't have, the teacher gives her one of her own snacks. She doesn't always like it but even at four she can understand that these things make her sick and she can't have them.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Thank you! We are totally coming to this from the same place. It burns me when it's my turn to send snack to my DD's preschool and I'm not allowed to send homemade banana bread (all organic ingedients as well), and instead it's suggested that I send cheez-its or something like that. Gosh, yes, instead of lots of bananas, 1/4 cup sugar, whole wheat flour, a smidge of vanilla, and a few other ingredients, let's all eat processed cheese products with fake orange coloring! That's a great solution





At the risk of sounding heartless, she is going to have to figure it out with her allergies at some point. I understand the potential consequence as I have multiple life threatening food allergies myself but I have to say that most bakeries are not nut allergy friendly (From experience), so bringing something from a bakery doesn't really solve anything.

I think that parents whose children have food limitations need to be proactive in making sure there is an alternative available for their kids when something is served that is potentially a problem. The same DD I mentioned above who is currently in preschool- all the parents take turns bringing in snacks. My daughter can't have any of the dairy stuff. What are the top three snacks sent in? Cheese sticks, pudding cups and go-gurt. I can't tell the other parents not to send in what their kids want to share so I just leave a box of snacks for her and when the snack that is brought in is something she can't have, the teacher gives her one of her own snacks. She doesn't always like it but even at four she can understand that these things make her sick and she can't have them.

I pretty much agree with you. We are a diary free house because of allergies and we also do not buy barely any processed foods. At school that is pretty much all they offer. While I would never want to be responsible for a child becoming ill or worse, I think at some point the child needs to take some responsibility for what they can and can't have. Mainly because you cannot always control the environment they are in. For that reason alone they need to be very aware especially if their allergy is life threatening. There really is no easy answer but trying to control every other child's diet to mimic your own child's is not right either. JMHO.

 

[lntsmom]

now. Why? Americans LOVE to sue. It is fear of lawsuits, not fear of allergies that has brought this on.

Wanna hear what's coming next? Around here the kids can't take snacks AT ALL on their birthdays. When we moved here I was dumbfounded...never heard of this one before. They expect you to provide gift bags for the entire class instead.

At some point someone for whom it is against their religion to celebrate birthdays will sue, and this will go away, too.

Remember when schools celebrated Halloween? Shaving balloons, trick-or-treating from room to room? The school parade around the block? Remember when there were Christmas programs...not "Winter" programs...and the kids sang old songs like The 12 Days of Christmas? Our country has gotten to the point where one zealot and a lawyer can remove every drop of fun from our society.

And before anyone gripes, if the schools wanted to throw an Eid or Kwanzaa or Channucha party...go for it! My kids are welcome to learn about other cultures...a holiday party isn't going to negate years of training from home!

 

[Camno's Mama]

I grew up in a house with LOTS of food allergies. I can promise you that we never expected anyone else to change their practices just because of us. We were taught to work within the limitations. I don't think it did us any harm. My mom just sent us something different, which we understood and the other kids were not fazed by since this was what we always did.

I'm not sure what the right answer is, but I don't think we are picking on allergy prone kids to say that it's sad that there can't be a compromise. I was pretty shocked to find out that we are doing non-food treats at school, and I'm a teacher. It's a private preschool with only ten kids (in that particular classroom)...I'm not sure why they can't figure something else out.

I'd be happy to bring string cheese or yogurt or something else for the dairy free kids. It doesn't even have to be cupcakes. I was also pretty surprised to find out that the teachers have no trouble making treats for the kids...they've made applesauce and apple crisp, etc. I'm very happy about that because my ds loves it, but why the double standard??? Heck, I would have even brought in applesauce as his birthday treat!

Just wanted to give the perspective of someone that grew up with (and in a family with a lot of) pretty severe food allergies that was forced to face the reality of the allergy from an early age.

 

[SLK1]

now. Why? Americans LOVE to sue. It is fear of lawsuits, not fear of allergies that has brought this on.

Wanna hear what's coming next? Around here the kids can't take snacks AT ALL on their birthdays. When we moved here I was dumbfounded...never heard of this one before. They expect you to provide gift bags for the entire class instead.

At some point someone for whom it is against their religion to celebrate birthdays will sue, and this will go away, too.

Remember when schools celebrated Halloween? Shaving balloons, trick-or-treating from room to room? The school parade around the block? Remember when there were Christmas programs...not "Winter" programs...and the kids sang old songs like The 12 Days of Christmas? Our country has gotten to the point where one zealot and a lawyer can remove every drop of fun from our society.

And before anyone gripes, if the schools wanted to throw an Eid or Kwanzaa or Channucha party...go for it! My kids are welcome to learn about other cultures...a holiday party isn't going to negate years of training from home!

Excellent post!

We saw it go from Halloween costume parades to "I Love a Book Day" to nothing. Why? For one, teachers don't want to hassle with it and two, "the bussed-in kids can't afford a costume". Really - it is beyond the point of ridiculous.

Why do I feel practically guilty for mentioning the word Christmas when my kids have come home with dreidels, menorrahs, and even Kwanzaa necklaces????

I'm the OP on this thread and I will repeat, What is the world coming to?! Tolerance is one thing, but backing down from our own traditions and beliefs is another.

 

[jellybeans0607]

And before anyone gripes, if the schools wanted to throw an Eid or Kwanzaa or Channucha party...go for it! My kids are welcome to learn about other cultures...a holiday party isn't going to negate years of training from home!

But, as a parent who wants the most out of your child education, wouldn't you rather they just throw one party and combine them all? Would you really rather they have a party for every possible celebration?

I for one would certainly NOT want that. I much prefer we leave religion out of school and just stick with the seasonal festivities.

 

[disneynewbee]

We had the only store bought goods for quite a while now but now they have a new rule that all snacks have to be healthy so cupcakes are out completely now. They aren't allowed to do fundraisers for anything that is not healthy anymore either so no selling candybars, cookies, etc. I think it's gone too far who cares if they restrict the snacks in school if they go home and their parents give them nothing but junk. I think they should stick to teaching and leave it at that, provide the parents with information on nutrition and hope they enforce it but don't shove it downt their throats.

 

[adnil530]

We had the only store bought goods for quite a while now but now they have a new rule that all snacks have to be healthy so cupcakes are out completely now. They aren't allowed to do fundraisers for anything that is not healthy anymore either so no selling candybars, cookies, etc. I think it's gone too far who cares if they restrict the snacks in school if they go home and their parents give them nothing but junk. I think they should stick to teaching and leave it at that, provide the parents with information on nutrition and hope they enforce it but don't shove it downt their throats.

You wonder where does it end? My daughter came home from 2nd grade a few weeks ago and told me that the teacher wanted to talk to me about sending healthier snacks. My daughter has always been in the 10 percentile for her weight. Her pediatrician has no qualms about what I can GET my daughter to eat. So if I send her with a snack size bag of chips or a granola bar (no rice crispy sticky treats or bags of candy) that should be alright. I told my daughter that anytime teacher wanted to talk to me she can call me. While I see teacher several times a week, she has not brought it up to me and I am not going to seek her out to discuss it. Nor have I stopped sending my child with a snack that she indicates that she will eat. I have a pediatrician that I discuss her food intake with.

On another note, the cats on the counter... We were invited to a BBQ by a neighbor once whose mother brought a chinese chicken type of salad. The dressing was creamy and LOADED with dog hairs!!! Noone seemed to notice but my husband and I. It was gross. That being said, it would be difficult for a teacher to inspect homemade food products being brought into the classroom and accept or reject them on a visual basis. I am all for store bought products in the classroom (or just the ones that I bake ).

It is different for cake walks and fundraisers. They don't normally hold cake walks or other fundraisers involving food sales during school hours and you have to assume that the child is there with an adult who is supervising them. It would be up to the consumer whether or not they wanted to purchase a cookie or take a home baked cake from the cake walk.

Nut allergies. In kindergarten, my daughter had a friend in class with a peanut allergy. If memory serves me right, her class was not allowed peanuts of any kind in lunches and the entire school was taught to wash after eating so no peanut oils were deposited on playground equipment. It wasn't something that we questioned, we just did it because the child had such severe allergies.

Here, the teachers/district/principal frowns on sugary treats for any occassion. However, in the past, the reward for this school contest or classroom participation has been an "otter pop" party. That is all changing these days. We may have to settle for a yogurt cup party with someone sneaking in some sprinkles.

Signed,
The lady with sprinkles stuck between her teeth

 

[ZPT1022]

You wonder where does it end? My daughter came home from 2nd grade a few weeks ago and told me that the teacher wanted to talk to me about sending healthier snacks. My daughter has always been in the 10 percentile for her weight. Her pediatrician has no qualms about what I can GET my daughter to eat. So if I send her with a snack size bag of chips or a granola bar (no rice crispy sticky treats or bags of candy) that should be alright. I told my daughter that anytime teacher wanted to talk to me she can call me. While I see teacher several times a week, she has not brought it up to me and I am not going to seek her out to discuss it. Nor have I stopped sending my child with a snack that she indicates that she will eat. I have a pediatrician that I discuss her food intake with.

DD's teacher asked us before school even started to please send in healthy lunches- her reasoning was that if one kid has something "junky", they all want something junky. That may be the case in your daughter's classroom as well. Just a thought, not a judgement