Dear COLlive readers,
My daughter has attended one of local schools in Crown Heights for the past year and throughout the year I’ve been quite concerned about the casual way in which junk food is distributed and even encouraged.
I am sure this is not unique to that school and have heard other moms voice their concerns. Many people in our community are a lot more health conscious now than ever before. Sadly, instead of leading, our schools are way behind in this matter. This applies to school lunches at well, but I am here to discuss nosh goodies in particular.
1. Shabbos parties
The Shabbos Abba and Ima are both required to bring a nosh to distribute to the whole class. It has somehow become accepted that Shabbos is associated with junk food, maybe to sweeten the idea of Shabbos. Yet strawberries are sweet and kids love them. Blueberries are pleasing to the taste buds and fun to eat. Even a small slice of fresh cake is better than a nosh laden with high fructose corn syrup. Popcorn is another option.
You might say ‘Aw, it’s a shabbos party, let them enjoy it with some nosh’ but see, that is part of the problem. Why must enjoying Shabbos entail eating junk food?
My coworker mentioned something I have observed as well. In some Lubavitch preschools that cater to more health conscious communities, the Shabbos party consists of a sip of grape juice, and a slice is challah. That is the essence of Shabbos, not nosh. The children will not demand the nosh if they don’t associate it with the Shabbos party to begin with.
It may be too late for some kids but for the new kids entering school it is time to start a new chapter.
2. Rewards
Rewards in the school usually involve small prizes, stickers, etc. but on more than one occasion my daughter was awarded a lollipop for being a ‘tznius princess’. The following statement may be a stretch but to me this causes the children to further associate frumkeit with junk food.
Another issue is that nobody at the school ever thought to ask the parents whether they would mind if nosh would be given out during the school year. Nobody asked me, yet I do mind.
In my home I only allow one nosh, once a week as a compromise over my daughter’s sweet tooth and to avoid store tantrums. I do not send her to school to get her more involved with junk food. My kids love fruit and healthy ices and to them that is reward enough.
3. Birthday baggies
When discussing my daughter’s upcoming birthday party, the teacher mentioned two things: cupcakes and birthday bags (pekelach).
As far as the cupcakes go, I understand the need to standardize to avoid one parent bringing a large custom made decorated cake while another brings a tray of Duncan Hines brownies. That is understandable and actually laudable.
However, I protest the standardization of birthday baggies. If someone throws a party at home and wishes to give out party favors, that is their prerogative. This does not have to be the norm in schools. Every single child (or more accurately, their mother) has to purchase cute little bags and fill them with at least 3 different types of nosh and one or two small ‘prizes’. This all comes to a certain expense to the parents – not very large but not negligible either, particularly to those of us living on a shoestring budget.
In addition to these three points, I think nosh is also distributed at special gatherings for chassidishe yom tovs etc.
It is true that some parents are more lax with junk food than others and many kids come to school with an already developed sweet tooth, but for those of us who do not encourage nosh it’s all very disturbing. One-third of adults and almost 17 percent of children in America are considered obese, recent date showed.
Nosh has no place in school and it’s sad that we have come to the point where it is not a celebration if no junk is involved.
Growing up on Shlichus we had little to no access to nosh and a slice of homemade cake was the highlight of our day. We were not deprived for it and did not suffer horrible childhoods because of nosh deprivation. It is not necessary. Stand up for the health of your children.
who knows what makes the colors of those candies? who knows what hydrogenated oil can do to our arteries? who knows why some of us think it’s o.k. to put that stuff into our bodies? in days of old, these colors and oils were not unnaturally manufactured. then, with the manufacturing “progress” changes and culture shifts, quality was traded for quantity, shelf life, economic pressures and competition. ergo, junk food increasingly became the norm. if you notice, we are trying to get back to quality now. red dye, blue dye, chemicals to prolong shelf life, cheaper ways to produce products… Read more »
Aren’t you being extreme in your solution? Are you being sarcastic because you do not think this issue can have a good resolution if people stop to think about sensible alternatives? I KNOW that no child should be brought up with the example that sugary foods in abundance are no big deal. No one says that at a party sweets should be banned and celery should be the treat. But celery can be delicious, too. There are countries that never have the opportunity to come CLOSE to our abundant supply of junk food. Those children are EXCITED to get fresh… Read more »
If a school has high standards, it has high standards. For me this means that there must be high standards in all aspects of the school’s components, for this is what makes a statement of quality all around. It is an atmosphere of quality that I look for in a school for my child. Therefore, what the school values in issues of food is an important part of the whole picture. To me, it would be like sending my child to a school where everything is what I like, except no one cares enough to value the importance of neat… Read more »
Kids learn what the adults in their lives teach them, then they make their own decisions when they grow up. We all know this, yet somehow some of us forget this when it comes to food. Why? Furthermore, it is part of our religious heritage to take care of our bodies, but some of us forget this, too, when it comes to food. Why? Could it be that some of us are too influenced by the culture of gluttony? Money-making? Are some of us ignorant of healthy options? Are some of us not interested in physical health until we get… Read more »
Camp is a different story. It’s not school. Although I would expect a little leeway in camp, still I don’t think lots of junk is good for anyone. Maybe a few times a week is fine, but using junk food to bribe kids to behave is not o.k. The counselors who are inexperienced need guidance from experienced staff. Training is necessary. To be a camp counselor is not being a teacher per say, but one needs training and background knowledge in that area. If you haven’t been given that prerequisite exposure, I think the leaders in the camp are remiss.… Read more »
Try getting a bunk to have a good time and behave at the same time without instant motivation…kinda hard. okay, so you’re Ms. Fun- fun- your campers adore you, and listen to everything you say without making any problems – Good for you! Its not that easy for everyone else. Yes, i agree that nosh should not be given in bount, however, if your a new or typical counselor in high school it’s hard not to. Try it out if you never did it and if you did do it – then please say how you motivated the kids? Remember… Read more »
I would never send my child to a school where there is no concern for the health of my child. Furthermore, if those teaching/leading the school are so uninformed that they have no clue they are not protecting the health of the child, I would not send my child there either. My last point would be….If the powers that be in a given school are open to hearing your concerns and open to learning and changing, then to me that is all that is needed. I would then send my child to that school, although I would want to check… Read more »
Perhaps approaching the teachers/administrators with concrete information would support your requests for a healthier environment. Sometimes, I think, those allowing junk food to become part of the environment do not necessarily take the time to qualify each aspect of the school; however, if enough people approach this in an educated and concerned manner, perhaps changes would occur. Assumedly, the teachers and administrators are open and professional enough to want what would only become an even more effective and healthier school.
I agree with your points and I’m assuming you communicated your concerns with the teacher during the school year.
I am appalled by the junk that is given to the kids in ur schools I give grape juice and fruit for Shabbat party nd have tight the kids that shabas is. Time to look forward to spending time together nd not bout the type of junk they get for breakfast or in shul!! Bray parties re a simple beautiful yummy cupcake and goody bags are nt accepted in my classroom. Instead the money goes to buying a toy or book for the class,!! Do cooking/baking with my kids in school every week without fail and have been able to… Read more »
As a teacher who has made many health changes in my personal life, this year i made many changes in my class. Shabbos party consisted of a fruit and vegetable and one mezonos orhadama snack and no food coloring allowedfor birthdays and class food crafts. My students did not feel deprived and were overjoyed to snack on baby carrots and cherry tomatoes. Whe made rainbow out of fruits instead of sour sticks ect…i am proud that i had a healthy class this year
its not fair that you give sugar to my child, and then im the one who has to deal with her when she crashes, gets super kvetchy and wont go down easy at night. sweets are ok once a week for shabbos party, at my home we save all our treats for shabbos. it shows how special shabbos is, and then my children dont feel deprived. when my child comes home from school with so much treats, it makes me feel that the teacher is a bit insensitive.
There needs to be intelligent leadership from a base of accurate information about nutrition and healthy choices. I think that so much energy is focused on keeping things at a status qou so that the academics get done, some educators are forgetting that the quality of food affects the learning as well. As a child I was given sugary foods with artificial ingredients. I am one of those people whose body chemistry is susceptible to becoming addicted to that refined white sugar. I also connected the reward to some kind of positive statement about myself, as a child. All of… Read more »
Ok, we hear agreement almost across the board from parents. Where are the administrators chiming in saying ” I hear you, I will make effective policy changes in my school.”
Where can i buy coconut sugar? Does it need a hecsher? Thank you for the info!
I agree 100 percent
If you explain to your kids how eating sugar and food coloring ect.. is bad for the body .. and model good eating habits and constantly talk to them about foods that are healthy.. and explain how each food helps our body work… it wont be a dictatorship where as soon as u turn ur back there stuffing their faces with jelly beans…. you can offer treats that are not as junky occasionally… and then once in a blue moon when youre at a lchayim or somewhere where temptation is very hard to control .. you let them have some… Read more »
u dont have to deprive your kids…no one is saying not to give any nosh at all….just not all the time and there are more than plenty of healthier alternatives to candy and baked goods…. me and my 3 yr old bake all the time together but we use only ww flour…coconut sugar ( an unrefined sweetener) and oil vs margarine… also when it comes to special treat…i only buy with out food coloring and artificial flavors and corn syrup your kids dont have to be deprived and can still get special shabbos and birthday treats…or snacks for school but… Read more »
Not to compare to Public School LaHavdil but I never saw such a thing in all my life growing up secular and sending my kids to public school(BH we are Lubavitch BT’s for 19 yrs) this kind of junk food prize business is way out of f control , my grandsons came home with prizes of cans of diet coke for behaving in school and on the bus, what happened to just behaving because you are supposed to. I teach Preschool in a Chabad House in Long Island and this would never fly with my children’s parents there. A Shabbos… Read more »
And then you send them off to camp and they have access to all the junk food and soda they could dream of in the canteen with no limitations.
with everything written here!
it is disgusting that the y feed our children poison without our consent!
I am the mother of an overweight 3 year old. My husband and I are thin. We eat a very balanced diet in our home and very rarely offer sweets. So why is my daughter considered obese? The doctor has pointed out that some bodies just cannot handle even small amounts of sugar and non healthy foods. So yes, even chocolate chips and jelly beans are a problem for my daughter. How hard do we have to beg to be heard? Combine the sweets with the lack of open play spaces in Crown Heights and we have a serious problem.… Read more »
Crown Heights, it’s time to move on! Schools all over are becoming more health conscious even for birthday parties the child may bring in a healthy snack if they wish. The standards are set and the kids are fine with it.
thanks for voicing my concern and the concern ofso many other parents so eloquently.
I’m not sure why people are commenting that healthy snacks will make them crave junkfood. There are healthier lollies out there that my 3.5 year old happily eats as a treat (Yummy Earth brand). Same with healthy cookies. We just made out own (healthy!) chocolate which he loved. If you don’t deprive your kids and and model good behavior yourself, chances are they won’t go running for the junk when your back is turned since they know there’s a balance. I grew up this way and while I may have the occasional ‘junk’ food, I make smarter choices daily since… Read more »
I agree! Keep your kids away from nosh and they’ll find it anyway. I allow my kids to have candy here and there and they aren’t obsessed with it!
at time is is appropriate to have nosh, but not every time there is a reward given. nosh should be something that is a treat, once in a while. not something that kids associate with good behavior or tznius dress.
I agree with this idea in a preschool but as the kids get older, a sticker, a stamp etc wont do it for them.
Morah is not taking nosh away when they are 10 years old.
If the whole school and community revamped, it might work.
I agree totally. I don’t think food should be used as a motivational tool, it’s simply the wrong message. If parents want to send nosh, that’s their choice, but it’s not for the school to give kids pizza for prizes and nosh. An Oriental Trading junk toy is just as good (and probably cheaper ).
My mother was super healthy way before it was in to be and we never had nosh growing up. Well, whenever we had money or an opportunity to buy nosh, we did. We traded half our belongings with other kids for their super snacks. Sometimes we ate the apples we were sent to school with but most of the time we threw it out. None of us had or has healthy eating habits as adults and we had to be retrained to find the right balance. Nowadays, it is easier because it IS in and more and more families are… Read more »
My daughter’s shabbos note asked for grape juice and hadama snack or the like. This was both years of preschool. The teachers all want healthy snacks. Some parents choose to send in the junk food regardless. The same with birthday parties. A drink and pretzels with prizes is enough. It depends on the parents, so talk to your friends to send in healthy food…
in my daughter’s class in BCM, the Tatty brings grapejuice, the Mommy, a nash (mezonos) and the Shabbos guest brings a healthy choice and we suggest fruits, nuts, raisins…. so many mother’s accepted this police happily.
snacks are only fruits or vegetables. my daughter knows, that if she brings a lolly or bissli to school, her Morah will hold it until dismissal- she will not be allowed to eat it in school.
thank you Morahs for collaborating with us to instill healthy habits!!
I agree. In my daughter’s school it is not just one treat that the shabbos Mommy/Tatti have to bring, but two. In a closed bag. I also feel that party bags are not necessary if you are having a party at school – why the need to also send the kids home with a bag of nosh? In my son’s yeshivah they sent home a note in the middle of the year saying they would only be allowing healthy snacks. To the best of my knowledge this has not been enforced. While I am far from a health nut, I… Read more »
they wrote on the schedule friday that there would be a shabbos party. They served potato kugel, watermelon and a simple cake and sang shabbos songs. After the shabbos party kids kept asking, “When’s the Shabbos Party”?
Additionally, I am a preschool teacher and this year made sure that in my class the kids bring a small toy rather than a goodie bag. The kids loved getting a stamp or other small toys and never once asked for a goodie bag.
I remember in 3rd grade our teacher made sure our snacks had less then one gram of sugar, and if it did, we couldn’t eat it. Because if we have too much sugar it would take away from learning torah.
It was an invaluable lesson, one that i remember till today!
I dont mind the sweets, i mind the HUGE amount that now a days is considered normal while most adults would feel sick from that amount if eaten.
Giving a little sweet treat will not kill. When you restrict the kids find their own way to get the junk.Ive had students steal out of each others backpacks since they had no nosh at home.Also,these days it’s harder to motivate then it used to be.Even years ago,it was acceptable to give a “tzukerul” a sugar cube.the rabeim would give out to make the boys love learning Torah.making it sweet and enjoyable. You are right,that it doesn’t have to be overdone but alittle choc.chip or one jelly bean or 1 winki piece for example won’t hurt.what I do insist is… Read more »
I agree 100%! Everywhere I turn my kids seem to be getting more junk food! At parties, in school, in shul and the list goes on.
as rewards for my kids im gonna give them celery!
and at their birthday parties as well!