So my kid's pediatrician says Rice Krispy Treats are OK to snack on, but......

[southern_redhead]

Did your kids sit at a desk in K? Mine sit on our big carpet for snack. And yes, pudding and applesauce spills are much worse to clean up on carpet. The kids don't spill a drop, they drop the whole daggone container all over themselves and the carpet. And 4-5 year olds cleaning up that spill completely?---never seen it in my 12 years teaching. Crumbs are much easier to clean with our little push sweeper and the cleaners get anything we miss in the evening. With wet spills, the rug turns gross, and they won't clean it during the year unless there is blood, urine or vomit on it. Even spilled on the floor, wet spills are worse than dry spills(teachers have to spend time cleaning it or kids will slip; kids have to change clothes). That being said, we don't put restrictions on what can be brought in unless we have allergies.

No, they sat at their desks for snacks. They also served milk in cardboard containers with snack so ...... I'm sure milk gets spilled and that's GOT to get nasty if it gets into carpet I was just shocked that a teacher ASKED for chips and cookies. I mean, way to promote healthy eating. Don't get me started on carpets in our classrooms - eeeewww! There is just NO reason, IMO, for there to be more rug than perhaps carpet squares that are taken up. Many of our teachers have circle time rugs in a direct path to the bathroom....those things smell like pee because the kids (boys especially) pee all over the bathrooms, it gets on their shoes and they track it in. That also amazes me - the teachers give you this look: and say "You know how boys pee on things." I don't know what is going on in THEIR homes, but peeing in the floor would warrant some trouble for the kid in my house. I've potty trained 3 boys and 1 girl, never had a drop on the floor. I'm either extremely lucky or I am the "potty whisperer" LOL

 

[npmommie]

'

..my kids have the choice of fruit or junk and they go back and forth between the 2)

this is worth repeating and a good plan.
this is how it is here. we have some junky stuff, but also fruits veg and other healthy snacks the kids can choose from.

 

[bumblebee]

I don't think that is what is being done here. Unless I am reading it wrong they are limiting what kids can bring in for other kids to consume. I have absolutely no problem with that. I would have a problem if they dictate what you can send in for your own kid to eat.

I think the schools need to change a lot about what they feed kids. I think they need to serve fresh food instead of processed crap and should not sell candy or pop. I do think parents should be able to send in those things in a packed lunch but I think the schools need to do a much better job of feeding the kids nutritious food instead of processed garbage. Things like rice krispie treats are ok in moderation as is most other food but that moderation can come from home, not the school. Education about nutrition is just as important as the 3 R's though sadly under taught and the should teach by example in the cafeteria. Just my opinion.

I completely agree.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Those aren't the only things in a cheesecake

Adding a little fruit doesn't make something healthy.

I know that...

 

[fireflymedic]

I don't think that is what is being done here. Unless I am reading it wrong they are limiting what kids can bring in for other kids to consume. I have absolutely no problem with that. I would have a problem if they dictate what you can send in for your own kid to eat.

I think the schools need to change a lot about what they feed kids. I think they need to serve fresh food instead of processed crap and should not sell candy or pop. I do think parents should be able to send in those things in a packed lunch but I think the schools need to do a much better job of feeding the kids nutritious food instead of processed garbage. Things like rice krispie treats are ok in moderation as is most other food but that moderation can come from home, not the school. Education about nutrition is just as important as the 3 R's though sadly under taught and the should teach by example in the cafeteria. Just my opinion.

Yes I agree we should not teach our kids to share, we should send in nice treats for thim or candy and tell thim to show it to all the kids thin eat it all themselfs. Never share or give something to anyone keep it all for yourself. Get thim ready for the corparate world

 

[kirstenb1]

No, they sat at their desks for snacks. They also served milk in cardboard containers with snack so ...... I'm sure milk gets spilled and that's GOT to get nasty if it gets into carpet I was just shocked that a teacher ASKED for chips and cookies. I mean, way to promote healthy eating. Don't get me started on carpets in our classrooms - eeeewww! There is just NO reason, IMO, for there to be more rug than perhaps carpet squares that are taken up. Many of our teachers have circle time rugs in a direct path to the bathroom....those things smell like pee because the kids (boys especially) pee all over the bathrooms, it gets on their shoes and they track it in. That also amazes me - the teachers give you this look: and say "You know how boys pee on things." I don't know what is going on in THEIR homes, but peeing in the floor would warrant some trouble for the kid in my house. I've potty trained 3 boys and 1 girl, never had a drop on the floor. I'm either extremely lucky or I am the "potty whisperer" LOL

Not to sidetrack this, but regarding boys and pee....I used to volunteer in our dd's kindergarten class. They had a toilet right in the room, and the children could go to the bathroom as they needed. Unless the teacher stopped the lesson to inspect the bathroom after each child, there is no way of knowing who the offender is. The teacher would check the bathroom during resource time, and often clean it herself.

 

[drewmer]

Since everyone has a different definition of what is healthy or acceptable it would seem that not everyone would agree that the approved school lunches are good for their kids? If parents don’t want their children eating certain foods that is fine but that should not stop the other families for enjoying a snack. I worked in an elementary school and I guarantee the kids did not only eat that their parents approved. We should be happy when someone sends in a treat to share. If you want your child to be left out just let the school know that you don’t want your child to eat anything outside of the approved list in the lunchroom but be prepared that he or she may miss out on some things.

 

[Michelle67]

It totally rubs me the wrong way to have schools/gov't dictating diet, and yes some schools DO dictate what can come in an individual child's lunch, not only what can be brought in to share. As it happens, my kids have never run afoul of the food police, but the very idea irritates me, especially given what nutritional garbage the average school lunch is.

As far as rice crispy treats go, they are largely air, so yes they are a better choice than many for a "sweet." I remember my friend's endocrinologist when we were in high school telling her that to feel like she was getting a big treat, she could (occasionally) have a small piece of pie with a big glob of whipping cream on top, since the whipping cream is mostly air.

 

[Michelle67]

Since everyone has a different definition of what is healthy or acceptable it would seem that not everyone would agree that the approved school lunches are good for their kids? If parents don’t want their children eating certain foods that is fine but that should not stop the other families for enjoying a snack. I worked in an elementary school and I guarantee the kids did not only eat that their parents approved. We should be happy when someone sends in a treat to share. If you want your child to be left out just let the school know that you don’t want your child to eat anything outside of the approved list in the lunchroom but be prepared that he or she may miss out on some things.

This is true, about missing out. Some teachers may be open to keeping a stash of treats that you approve of for your child to have at those times, though. I have a daughter with severe food allergies, which left her out in the cold pretty much any time someone brought a treat to share. However, we were really fortunate in her teachers being willing to keep a stash for her.

ETA: we supplied the stash. We never expected the teacher to keep the stash AND bear the expense, of course.

 

[2binak]

I would have a problem if they dictate what you can send in for your own kid to eat.

I agree. Friends of ours sent their child to one of the most expensive daycare centers in our area for pre-K. Not only did they pay over $1000 a month tuition, but they also had to supply his snacks. They were given a list of what those snacks should be and if they sent an "unapproved" snack, the snack was sent back home. I can appreciate schools wanting to take an active role in teaching healthy eating habits, but that was just too far reaching IMO.

 

[Tinkermommy]

Since everyone has a different definition of what is healthy or acceptable it would seem that not everyone would agree that the approved school lunches are good for their kids? If parents don’t want their children eating certain foods that is fine but that should not stop the other families for enjoying a snack. I worked in an elementary school and I guarantee the kids did not only eat that their parents approved. We should be happy when someone sends in a treat to share. If you want your child to be left out just let the school know that you don’t want your child to eat anything outside of the approved list in the lunchroom but be prepared that he or she may miss out on some things.

It's just not healthy that is a consideration when bringing in snacks/treats for the class. I live in a pretty diverse area so there are many different religions in one class that you have to consider (also allergies, diabetics, vegans, etc).

No one is saying you can't bring in whatever you like for YOUR child, but there are many families that have restrictions that need to be respected.

 

[cm8]

Big Cuddly Bear, The RKTs couldn't be taxed so that's why the school denied your children the pleasure of passing them out.

J/K...... I'm sorry that your daughters were not able to share a birthday snack with their classes, but I can assure you that they had no problems getting to bring them all back home to snack on Maybe you can give them out to some of the children in the neighborhood where you live

 

[Jaime4004]

My kids go to public school and I am sooo glad we don't have to deal with ridiculous "food police" policies.

Birthdays and holidays are all celebrated. Homemade snacks (with peanut butter!! ) are fine, as are store bought treats.

The teachers and staff love treats.

Same here. I can't believe all the rules in other schools... I'm happily sending in the huge costco star wars cupcakes for DS's birthday next week. He wanted to buy them last month for his class, didn't quite get that we couldn't store them for the month.
Kids with celiac/allergies are allowed to keep snacks that they can have at the school, including snacks that need to be be refrigerated/frozen so they can always have something when parents bring in surprise snacks.
I doubt any MD office believes rice crispie snacks are healthy, but they are still a better alternative to those sinful cupcakes that I will be bringing in. Shame on me...

 

[Deb in IA]

You know, I AM a pediatrician, and after reading all this, I have a HUGE craving for a nice, thick Rice Krispie Treat!

Of course it is not healthy.

But a treat every once in a while - like, once every month or two for me - is seriously not going to kill me.

Now, a Rice Krispie Treat every DAY would be different . . .

 

[npmommie]

I know this thread is making me want to make rice krispie treats.
think I will do that this weekend with the kids

 

[torinsmom]

No, they sat at their desks for snacks. They also served milk in cardboard containers with snack so ...... I'm sure milk gets spilled and that's GOT to get nasty if it gets into carpet I was just shocked that a teacher ASKED for chips and cookies. I mean, way to promote healthy eating. Don't get me started on carpets in our classrooms - eeeewww! There is just NO reason, IMO, for there to be more rug than perhaps carpet squares that are taken up. Many of our teachers have circle time rugs in a direct path to the bathroom....those things smell like pee because the kids (boys especially) pee all over the bathrooms, it gets on their shoes and they track it in. That also amazes me - the teachers give you this look: and say "You know how boys pee on things." I don't know what is going on in THEIR homes, but peeing in the floor would warrant some trouble for the kid in my house. I've potty trained 3 boys and 1 girl, never had a drop on the floor. I'm either extremely lucky or I am the "potty whisperer" LOL

I don't know what it is about boys, pee and school, but my boys always pee on the seat and floor of our classroom bathroom. I don't know if they are in a hurry to get done or what. I am sure they don't do it at home, but they do it at school. I get tired of hearing, "Ms. Alston, there's pee on the seat!" And I get tired of wiping little boy pee off the seat too.

 

[C.Ann]

Did anyone ever notice that muffins and cake are pretty much made with the same ingredients minus the icing? Throw in a cup of dentist hated raisons and all is good.

What a time for this thread to pop up - and for you to mention "muffins"..

I have been collecting muffin recipes for years - currently I have close to 2000 recipes.. Yes - I said two thousand.. Actually it could be higher than that, since I haven't recounted them since adding more in the past year..

I love muffins.. They are my personal choice of "treats" - as I've never been big on candy and such.. I just spent all day Monday and Tuesday making muffins - several different kinds - so I can mark them as "hit or miss" for myself, my adult DD, her DH, and my 12 yr.old DGD..

So - as far as claims that they are "healthier" than a Rice Krispie treat, I'll list some ingredients here..

"Maple Bran Muffins":

flavored maple syrup
eggs
bran flakes
sour cream
all-purpose white flour
chopped walnuts
baking soda
-------------------------

"Corn Muffins":

all-purpose flour
sugar
cornmeal
baking powder
salt
eggs
butter or margarine
milk
--------------------------

"Very Best Bran Muffins":

all-purpose flour
baking powder
salt
bran flake cereal
milk
mayonnaise
light brown sugar
raisins

--------------

"Breakfast Cereal Muffins"

egg
vegetable oil
milk
honey
all-purpose flour
brown sugar
baking powder
salt
Choice of: Rice Krispies; Raisin Bran; Cocoa Crispies; Frosted Flakes

---------------------

"Morning Glory Muffins":

all-purpose flour
granulated sugar (white)
cinnamon
baking soda
salt
3 eggs
applesauce
vegetable oil
vanilla extract
grated carrots
apple
canned crushed pineapple
flaked sweetened coconut
raisins
chopped walnuts

------------------------------

"Orange Muffins":

all-purpose flour
whole wheat flour
baking powder
baking soda
salt
butter
granulated sugar
honey
brown sugar
eggs
grated orange peel
orange juice
chopped pecans
Confectioners sugar for glaze
----------------------------------

Those are just a very, very small sampling and as you can see (each recipe making only 12 cupcake-size muffins), not only do they have the nasty butter, milk, and unhealthy eggs - but some have up to four different types of sweeteners in them..

Point being, only one of any of the muffins I listed above would probably have more "unhealthy" ingredients in it than one 2" Rice Krispie treat..

And let's not forget - "treat" is the operative word here.. No one is saying a child should be fed Rice Krispie treats for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack 365 days a year..

Unless children are also using the breakfast program in school, only one meal - 5 days a week (if they have a full week of school every month) - over the 180 days of mandatory school - is being provided by someone other than the parent.. (If in fact the parent hasn't packed the lunch him or herself..) To place such a big portion of the epidemic of childhood obesity on the school just doesn't make sense to me - unless that is the only place the child eats..

Yes, diet plays a very large roll in childhood obesity - but lack of exercise holds just as much of a roll (if not more) than a Rice Krispie treat once in awhile..

While I agree that the school should do their best to educate their students in terms of healthy eating and healthy activities, I personally don't see where serving a muffin and chocolate milk is going to go very far in making big changes for these children..

More parenting, less "Big Brother"..

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Yes, diet plays a very large roll in childhood obesity - but lack of exercise holds just as much of a roll (if not more) than a Rice Krispie treat once in awhile..

While I agree that the school should do their best to educate their students in terms of healthy eating and healthy activities, I personally don't see where serving a muffin and chocolate milk is going to go very far in making big changes for these children..

More parenting, less "Big Brother"..[/B]

My thoughts exactly. I thought it was a joke when I read that the FL Board of Education is going to ban chocolate milk - but keep diet soda.

The Board of Education has agreed to move forward on a plan to eliminate sugary beverages and make Florida the first state in the nation to ban chocolate milk in public schools.

Board member John Padget, a former schools superintendent from South Florida, has been pressing his colleagues for a year to cut out most beverages besides water, pure juice and white, low-fat milk to help fight childhood obesity.

High schools would be allowed to sell some types of diet sodas and some other low-calorie, low-sugar drinks.

Source

 

[Tiger926]

What a time for this thread to pop up - and for you to mention "muffins"..

I have been collecting muffin recipes for years - currently I have close to 2000 recipes.. Yes - I said two thousand.. Actually it could be higher than that, since I haven't recounted them since adding more in the past year..

I love muffins.. They are my personal choice of "treats" - as I've never been big on candy and such.. I just spent all day Monday and Tuesday making muffins - several different kinds - so I can mark them as "hit or miss" for myself, my adult DD, her DH, and my 12 yr.old DGD..

So - as far as claims that they are "healthier" than a Rice Krispie treat, I'll list some ingredients here..

"Maple Bran Muffins":

flavored maple syrup
eggs
bran flakes
sour cream
all-purpose white flour
chopped walnuts
baking soda
-------------------------

"Corn Muffins":

all-purpose flour
sugar
cornmeal
baking powder
salt
eggs
butter or margarine
milk
--------------------------

"Very Best Bran Muffins":

all-purpose flour
baking powder
salt
bran flake cereal
milk
mayonnaise
light brown sugar
raisins

--------------

"Breakfast Cereal Muffins"

egg
vegetable oil
milk
honey
all-purpose flour
brown sugar
baking powder
salt
Choice of: Rice Krispies; Raisin Bran; Cocoa Crispies; Frosted Flakes

---------------------

"Morning Glory Muffins":

all-purpose flour
granulated sugar (white)
cinnamon
baking soda
salt
3 eggs
applesauce
vegetable oil
vanilla extract
grated carrots
apple
canned crushed pineapple
flaked sweetened coconut
raisins
chopped walnuts

------------------------------

"Orange Muffins":

all-purpose flour
whole wheat flour
baking powder
baking soda
salt
butter
granulated sugar
honey
brown sugar
eggs
grated orange peel
orange juice
chopped pecans
Confectioners sugar for glaze
----------------------------------

Those are just a very, very small sampling and as you can see (each recipe making only 12 cupcake-size muffins), not only do they have the nasty butter, milk, and unhealthy eggs - but some have up to four different types of sweeteners in them..

Point being, only one of any of the muffins I listed above would probably have more "unhealthy" ingredients in it than one 2" Rice Krispie treat..

And let's not forget - "treat" is the operative word here.. No one is saying a child should be fed Rice Krispie treats for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack 365 days a year..

Unless children are also using the breakfast program in school, only one meal - 5 days a week (if they have a full week of school every month) - over the 180 days of mandatory school - is being provided by someone other than the parent.. (If in fact the parent hasn't packed the lunch him or herself..) To place such a big portion of the epidemic of childhood obesity on the school just doesn't make sense to me - unless that is the only place the child eats..

Yes, diet plays a very large roll in childhood obesity - but lack of exercise holds just as much of a roll (if not more) than a Rice Krispie treat once in awhile..

While I agree that the school should do their best to educate their students in terms of healthy eating and healthy activities, I personally don't see where serving a muffin and chocolate milk is going to go very far in making big changes for these children..

More parenting, less "Big Brother"..

Absolutely agree about muffins, so that's why our cooking teacher substitutes ingredients. You don't need all of that oil, eggs, etc., as you can substitute applesauce, and she does not use corn syrup in any of her muffins. Yuck! She also cuts down on sugar, and doesn't make any muffins that use cream or sour cream. When you have to implement healthy eating guidelines for your students, you learn to get very creative!

In regards to schools taking on the responsibility of healthy eating, that is two-fold:

1. Students are with us for the majority of their eating/drinking in a day. Some schools serve breakfast, morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack, so as you can see, we are feeding the kids all day long. You then count those kids who are in beforeschool or afterschool care, and you have additional snacks, so mom and dad are only serving dinner, and possibly a nighttime snack. This is how it is for so many kids these days...

2. Number 1 fits in here, since many parents aren't feeding their kids healthy foods at all, nor sending kids to school with healthy snacks. How about cans of coke, big Macs or gum for a snack? That is what some parents consider to be healthy. None of those are healthy, plus it causes many kids to get hyper or mood shifts due to the high salts, sugars and fats that they are ingesting.

Many of you seem to have a very middle/upper class attitude in regards to this, IMHO - please remember that many kids don't have parents at home who are able to feed them properly. Not all parents can afford fresh vegetables/fruits, and so at-risk kids, typically eat junk, as it's quick and convenient. Once we start implementing healthy snacks and healthy breakfasts in our at-risk schools, you can't believe the behaviour and academic differences we see in our kids. This is how the whole healthy snacks thing started, and now, due to the benefits, it is being implemented across the board, in all schools, regardless of sociodemographics because we do see that many kids who are not at-risk, still eat this way as well, as that is what is being purchased for them to eat.

Part of our curriculum in Ontario is healthy active living - kids have daily physical activity (DPA), more gym time is being phased in, and healthy snacks are required. Part of healthy active living, or gym, is making the whole person healthy, so kids are taught about eating healthy, getting physical, and staying healthy in a mental way (we teach about sexual health, addictions, etc.).

I understand that many parents have problems with this, but what is the alternative? Most parents work late hours, and so kids are in our care, for more time than they are with parents, and that is why this shift is happening. Some kids, as I mentioned, are in beforeschool and afterschool care, so they only share dinner with their parents, if they are lucky, and so there is barely enough time for any interactions, let alone physical activity. And in many of these cases, they are eating fast food due to time constraints.

In 2011, life is very busy, and people's eating and physical activity levels are at all time lows, while obesity and diet related illnesses are at an all time high, as are things like depression. As far as we are concerned at the school level, only good can come out of teaching kids to get physical, as well as to take care of their minds and bodies. So, if that means not allowing Rice Krispie treats on a regular basis, or not allowing a can of Coke for lunch, it's no big deal. Many schools around here have snack or breakfast programs now as part of the school budget, so we can provide those kids who can't afford healthy snacks, a better form of nutrition.

My students are living proof of the positive changes that come from healthier eating, and now that we have a fully functioning cooking department in our school we are seeing: happier kids, less mood shifts, less meltdowns, more positive attitude, elimination of many behavioural issues and an increase in academic potential. We have enjoyed all of these benefits, now that we are feeding our kids more healthier foods. Our students will actually eat spinach pie (baked in oven), homemade vegetable soup (fresh ingredients, homemade broth) or cranberry oat muffins (whole grain flour, honey, cranberries), over going to McDonald's, so for us, it has been an amazing success! And when we have our school BBQs/dinners (a few times a year), we do serve homemade chocolate cake or other desserts as treats. This may change once the new guidelines come into place, but for now, we are teaching them about healthy portions and they love baking and serving those treats to their fellow peers!

Tiger

 

[luvmy3]

past year..

I love muffins.. They are my personal choice of "treats" - as I've never been big on candy and such.. I just spent all day Monday and Tuesday making muffins - several different kinds - so I can mark them as "hit or miss" for myself, my adult DD, her DH, and my 12 yr.old DGD..

"Breakfast Cereal Muffins"

egg
vegetable oil
milk
honey
all-purpose flour
brown sugar
baking powder
salt
Choice of: Rice Krispies; Raisin Bran; Cocoa Crispies; Frosted Flakes

---------------------

"Morning Glory Muffins":

all-purpose flour
granulated sugar (white)
cinnamon
baking soda
salt
3 eggs
applesauce
vegetable oil
vanilla extract
grated carrots
apple
canned crushed pineapple
flaked sweetened coconut
raisins
chopped walnuts

------------------------------

I know this is OT, but what did you think of these hit or miss?