Celebrations at School?
Many of our local schools and school systems are contemplating policies that would restrict all foods from being brought into the school for sharing purposes. Some of our neighboring town schools have already moved to this policy with very positive results.
No more cupcakes and cookies? Schools are looking at such a policy for many reasons, and the confidence to do so is coming from various groups ranging from educational leaders to the CDC. The reasons to implement such a policy include concerns about food allergies, food safety, interruptions in the classroom, and childhood obesity.
Our local schools have taken some great steps in recent years to improve not only the nutritional quality of food in the cafeteria, but also other foods that are available at the school through vending machines and snack carts.
At the same time, many parents place great value on the role that food plays, especially in celebrating special occasions (like birthdays), and it is important to some to send special food to school to honor the birthday child.
A few national perspectives on school wellness and food policy can be found at these links:
http://www.unitedwaysc.org/PDF%27s/Go%20For%20Health%20School%20Wellness.pdf
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1352376
What do you think about sending food to school for celebrations? If it is not a concern for your child (allergies, weight, etc) - can you understand how it could be a serious problem for some children?
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