We all need to eat healthy and healthy habits start when we’re children. What we enjoyed eating and were fed in our younger years forms our food cravings as we get older. This includes what we eat at school. In some schools, the lunches and breakfasts provided aren’t always the healthiest and some parents would rather pack their own kids’ lunches. I always took a packed lunch to school but looked on at the kids eating fries and chocolate treats with envy. Today, I’m glad I didn’t eat that food every day.
But, in some schools in Canada, parents complained after staff took the healthy eating drive a little too far.
In Durham, Ontario a healthy eating initiative was introduced in schools where children were not only served healthy lunches but encouraged to bring healthy food from home.
But in one school a child was left very upset after his homemade slice of banana bread was taken away from him and thrown away at snack time.
Upset and confused
Staff said the reason was it had chocolate chips in it.
The boy, who was only 4 at the time, was left upset and confused and when he went home and told his mom, she complained to the Ajax school principal.
Mom of two Elaina Daoust said she was infuriated that her son’s food had been thrown out and instead he had to eat the grapes out of his lunch box.
“He came home with a chart (listing healthy snack ideas) and told me he and the teacher talked about it and healthy choices. She also sent a note to me. I was really, really, really mad for several reasons,” Elaina told The Star.
More than 30 parents have said their child has had food taken from them.
Lessons on healthy eating
A few of the items that were thrown out were juice boxes, Goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, granola bars, chocolate milk, and string cheese.
Durham Catholic District School Board says lessons on healthy eating is part of the school curriculum.
“There is nowhere in our policy or procedures that says our staff is allowed to take food away from a student,” says James MacKinnon, a teaching and learning consultant with the school board.
