Sydney mum criticised for using Spam in kid’s school lunch box

The mum had shared her “first attempt” at making a tasty lunch for her child – only to be criticised over one “weird” ingredient.

A mum has divided opinion among other parents after revealing she sent her child to school with Spam.

Posting in the Lunch box Ideas Australia Facebook group the woman shared a photo of the lunch she had packed.

The school lunch included a Yakult, chips and fruit, but it was the sandwich that got people talking.

“First attempt making sushi sandwich, pan fried Spam, scrambled egg and cooked shredded carrots,” the mum wrote. “Hopefully it will be eaten.”

RELATED: Mum slammed over child’s ‘grown up’ lunch

The mum revealed she had made her child a fried Spam sandwich. Picture: Facebook/Lunch box Ideas Australia

In since-deleted comments, some parents expressed concern that the woman’s child could be teased over the “weird” lunch, as well as the fact that Spam was highly processed.

“Was … it eaten?” one woman asked.

But others leapt to defend the mum, pointing out that as long as the child liked the sandwich that was all that mattered.

“My son has tinned corned beef sandwiches at school. He’s 12. He loves it,” one mum wrote.

“Why does everyone have such a problem with the Spam? I personally don’t eat it, but isn’t the goal to have fed happy children?” another person wrote.

RELATED: Child’s generous lunch divides parents

Not everyone was sold on the idea of eating Spam for lunch.

“And any kid who picks on another just for their food choices has unfortunately probably been raised with a small-minded parent.”

“Anyone ordered fried rice from a takeaway shop? Guess what you’ve eaten … SPAM!” one person commented.

Another person said they “grew up on Spam” and they “always have a can in the cupboard”.

“I grew up in Hawaii – classic staple. Don’t really enjoy Spam as an adult but it still remember how much I loved them as a kid,” one person commented.

Woman's spam lunch divides internet. Picture: Instagram/

WHAT IS SPAM?

While Spam gets a bad reputation for being highly processed it contains just six ingredients: cooked pork (shoulder and ham), salt, water, sugar, potato starch and sodium nitrite.

Spam first hit supermarkets in 1937 but became a pantry staple during World War II when meat became scarce.

Today Spam is sold in 44 countries around the world and is most popular in Asia and the South Pacific.

A person in Hawaii consumes an average of 16 tins of Spam a year, while McDonald’s there also has Spam on the menu, Huffpost reports.

More than seven billion cans of Spam have been sold, with the company estimating 12.8 cans of Spam are eaten every second.

According to Healthline, while Spam is convenient it should be eaten sparingly as it is high in fat, sodium and calories.