People have lots of opinions about what kids should and shouldn't eat, and parents have varying philosophies about forcing or forbidding their children from eating certain foods. When those two realities collide, it can create an uncomfortable situation for a child who may or may not have much control over what they have to eat. Or worse, it can lead a child towards an unhealthy relationship with food.
A father from Wales, Ross Hunt, took to social media to share his frustration with his daughter’s school after they repeatedly made comments about her lunch choices. In a TikTok video, Hunt impersonates his daughter’s teachers and their disapproval of her “non-healthy” food, pointing out that it's fine for kids to eat the chocolate cake the school offers but if you put it in a kid's lunch, they say "You shouldn't have that!"
Hunt shared that the comments from the teachers had gotten so bad that his daughter, Isabelle, was reluctant to bring her lunch to school anymore. Hunt decided to take matters into his own hands by creating a label for Isabelle’s lunchbox that read: “Welcome to Isabelle’s Lunch Box! We are aware of the contents of this box and are happy for her to eat whatever she wants.” The label also had an adorable photo of Isabelle pointing to the message.
(There was another label that wasn't so nice that Hunt considered putting in the lunchbox. Heads up that there's are a couple of f-bombs in the video.)
Designing a label for the lunch box 👀 #teddyevascents #parentinglife
Hunt shared that he had considered filling Isabelle’s lunchbox with only sweets as a petty response but decided against it as he knows how to feed his daughter a balanced meal. Hunt’s message is simple: "Stop telling kids what they should and shouldn’t eat and let parents decide for themselves.'
In a follow-up video, Hunt showed exactly what was packed in Isabelle’s lunchbox, along with the food she ate and the things she didn’t touch. He revealed that Isabelle didn’t touch her rainbow drops, but it was because she was supposed to eat her carrots first. However, Isabelle claimed that her carrots had fallen on the floor, but she was too afraid to speak up to the dinner lady. She ate her sandwich, which contained more sugar than the rainbow drops and the majority of her apple but didn’t touch her pear, chips, or chocolate egg.
Reply to @corey..cj Let’s see what she brought home 👀 #schooldinners #teddyevascents
Hunt’s frustration with the school’s comments about his daughter’s food choices is understandable. As more and more children struggle with body image issues and eating disorders, the last thing they need is teachers and authoritative figures to comment on their food choices. Children need to develop a healthy relationship with food that allows them to make their own choices and not feel ashamed or embarrassed about what they choose to eat.
Teachers and parents can work together to create a healthy environment for children that allows them to make informed choices about what they eat. Instead of making comments about what children should and shouldn’t eat, teachers can work to educate children about the benefits of healthy eating and provide them with the tools they need to make informed choices. It’s also important for parents to talk to their children about healthy eating and to model healthy eating habits themselves.
Hunt’s label in Isabelle's lunchbox not only sends a clear message to the school but also empowers his daughter to make her own choices about what she wants to eat. Hopefully, the school will take notice and work to create a healthier environment for all students.
Dad drops bold note into daughter's lunch box after judgmental commentary from her school
That's what we call food for thought.
What constitutes a healthy lunch is subjective.
People have lots of opinions about what kids should and shouldn't eat, and parents have varying philosophies about forcing or forbidding their children from eating certain foods. When those two realities collide, it can create an uncomfortable situation for a child who may or may not have much control over what they have to eat. Or worse, it can lead a child towards an unhealthy relationship with food.
A father from Wales, Ross Hunt, took to social media to share his frustration with his daughter’s school after they repeatedly made comments about her lunch choices. In a TikTok video, Hunt impersonates his daughter’s teachers and their disapproval of her “non-healthy” food, pointing out that it's fine for kids to eat the chocolate cake the school offers but if you put it in a kid's lunch, they say "You shouldn't have that!"
Hunt shared that the comments from the teachers had gotten so bad that his daughter, Isabelle, was reluctant to bring her lunch to school anymore. Hunt decided to take matters into his own hands by creating a label for Isabelle’s lunchbox that read: “Welcome to Isabelle’s Lunch Box! We are aware of the contents of this box and are happy for her to eat whatever she wants.” The label also had an adorable photo of Isabelle pointing to the message.
(There was another label that wasn't so nice that Hunt considered putting in the lunchbox. Heads up that there's are a couple of f-bombs in the video.)
Hunt shared that he had considered filling Isabelle’s lunchbox with only sweets as a petty response but decided against it as he knows how to feed his daughter a balanced meal. Hunt’s message is simple: "Stop telling kids what they should and shouldn’t eat and let parents decide for themselves.'
In a follow-up video, Hunt showed exactly what was packed in Isabelle’s lunchbox, along with the food she ate and the things she didn’t touch. He revealed that Isabelle didn’t touch her rainbow drops, but it was because she was supposed to eat her carrots first. However, Isabelle claimed that her carrots had fallen on the floor, but she was too afraid to speak up to the dinner lady. She ate her sandwich, which contained more sugar than the rainbow drops and the majority of her apple but didn’t touch her pear, chips, or chocolate egg.
Hunt’s frustration with the school’s comments about his daughter’s food choices is understandable. As more and more children struggle with body image issues and eating disorders, the last thing they need is teachers and authoritative figures to comment on their food choices. Children need to develop a healthy relationship with food that allows them to make their own choices and not feel ashamed or embarrassed about what they choose to eat.
Teachers and parents can work together to create a healthy environment for children that allows them to make informed choices about what they eat. Instead of making comments about what children should and shouldn’t eat, teachers can work to educate children about the benefits of healthy eating and provide them with the tools they need to make informed choices. It’s also important for parents to talk to their children about healthy eating and to model healthy eating habits themselves.
Hunt’s label in Isabelle's lunchbox not only sends a clear message to the school but also empowers his daughter to make her own choices about what she wants to eat. Hopefully, the school will take notice and work to create a healthier environment for all students.
This article originally appeared two years ago.