'My child's teacher wouldn't let her eat her lunch'

"I asked her why and she didn't know. I haven't heard a thing from the teacher, and we have an app for communication."

Parents spend hours upon hours packing lunch boxes for their children each year.

Every one is a little bit different, but at the end of the day, the goal is the same - to make sure your little one is fed over the course of a huge few hours at school. But, what if their teacher said they couldn’t have it?

One parent has taken to Facebook asking for advice on this exact scenario, and to say people are fuming is an understatement.

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Image: Facebook.

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“She told me her teacher said she can’t eat them”

An Aussie mum has taken to the Kids Lunch Box - Australia Facebook group after her daughter’s lunch box kept coming home a little fuller than expected.

“Yesterday, once again, chips came home untouched,” the mum said in her post.

“I asked if she didn't like the flavour, and she told me her teacher said she can't eat them. I asked her why and she didn't know. I haven't heard a thing from the teacher, and we have an app for communication.”

To combat this, the woman began sending healthier food options, in the hopes that this would fix the problem.

“So today I left the chips out and I'm trialling those soy crisps, not that they're really any healthier,” she said.

“I've packed mostly food I know will get eaten with a couple of new things plus a together to go in her monti co ice pack to keep it cold because if she chooses not to eat it, it's fine because the pack keeps it cold!”

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“It’s unacceptable”

Fellow school parents flooded to the comments in support of the mum, saying that it’s completely unreasonable for a teacher to dictate what their child eats, or in what order.

“I really wish teachers stopped having an opinion on kids' school lunches. You're there to teach my kid not watch their diet. My kid barely has anything healthy in her lunch box but she has ASD so she's eating and that's all that matters,” said one commenter.

“Honestly it's unacceptable for kids to be denied food they have in their lunch box especially today with the cost of living,” another agreed.

“I have a real issue with teachers placing shame or negative comments on food. In our house, we eat a balanced meal. And some nights he gets a treat. I send Mr 4 to kindy with an array of different foods. Prime example. And he eats most if not all. But if he ever came home and said he wasn’t allowed to eat his chippies or banana cake or choc muffin, all hell would break loose,” a third said.

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“This happened to me”

But, it seems she’s not alone, with multiple other mums reporting that their kids have also been told what they can and can’t eat already this year.

“My boy got told yesterday he couldn’t eat his crackers, not sure if the teacher meant just in the class or not,” one commenter said.

“This happened to me, his fav foods kept coming home and I knew something was up and when I asked the teacher she said they do brain food first so they make them eat the ‘healthier’ options first and then the rest later on. My son took that as he wasn’t allowed to eat it,” said another.

“First day, my son told me he was not allowed to eat in the order he wanted,” a third agreed.

“Have a chat to that teacher!”

Parents in the comments overwhelmingly encouraged the mum to reach out to the teacher and ask more questions before changing what she packs - as it may have been nothing but a miscommunication.

“I used to be an EA. I know the teachers would tell the kids to eat the sandwich first as kids mostly wanted to eat the fun foods first. Maybe that’s all she meant?” one commenter suggested.

“Have a chat to that teacher. No food is not allowed. All food is ok if mummy says so x” a second person said.

“i’d be personally speaking to the teacher. that is so wrong to say you can’t eat that. a family friend left a note in her kids lunchbox to show the teacher my kid will eat what they please so don’t say no to them,” said a third.

“I heard back from the teacher…”

The mum came back just hours later with an update, saying she listened to advice and spoke to the teacher.

Thankfully, it was all sorted quickly.

“I heard back from the teacher and she said she encouraged her to eat some of her other food first. While I prefer my baby get to eat in any order I'm just happy she wasn't straight up refused, so I'm glad I talked to her to clear it up,” she wrote.

“I told her I generally let her eat in any order as she's usually good with her food but I'm not going to push it for now. At this point, as long as she eats (which she did) I'm happy.”

Originally published as 'My child's teacher wouldn't let her eat her lunch'