My kids eat different food to others in their school - Its now a problem, what do you suggest I do?

Question

My kids eat very healthy food and they prefer that most of the time. The problem is at school they are constantly upset because someone has insulted their dinner for being healthy or foreign. The other day I made them stuffed pittas with salad and olives and chilli sauce and they were ridiculed so much my son starved himself and my daughter cried. My son ate his lunch in the car on the way home. Why is eating differently such a huge problem in this day and age when you can practically buy what ever nations food you want in Tescos? I'm not going to give into their peers and give them crisps and crap but what should I give them that makes their pack up interesting yet healthy and not embarrassing?

Answer 1

I'd just ignore what they say. It'll take some time, but they will eventually tire of teasing them about the food that they eat and will just stop.

Kids will tease other kids no matter what they do or say. If it's not about the food they eat, then it'll be about the clothes they wear, the music they listen to or the house they live in. It's just a part of growing up.

Maybe the other kids are jealous that you care so much to take the time and pack a healthy lunch for your kids while their parents just depend on the school to feed them.

If they still feel self-conscious, you can pack sugar-free puddings and fruit snacks. Juicy Juice is supposed to be 100% juice but a apple or orange slices would be better because they'd get more fiber that way. Whole wheat bread (stay away from anything that says "Enriched"), low fat lunchmeat, cheese and mayo to make a sandwich is good too. They also have the baked variety of Lays and Cheetos but they tend to be a little salty to me.

I hope that this helps and I wish your kids the best in their academic endeavors.

Answer 2

My daughter went through the same thing! It's really annoying. We didn't give in, we explained to her the benefits of healthy eating and why we felt it was better to stick to it rather than be like the other kids. She eventually grew confident enough to be able to say "well, I like it..." or "whatever". We have now reached a better compromise. I buy a lot of healthy, tasty food and she makes her own pack lunch as she pleases (I keep a very discreet eye on it). Sometimes, she'll make a nice salad out of left overs. I've also bought lots of nuts to add to her pack lunch. The other thing is we're not too strict on this issue and we allow her the occasional school lunch. And ....she always chooses the healthy options...with the occasional treat, but she makes sure she has vegs and doesn't eat to much fried stuff!
Kids like finger foods like cherry tomatoes and cucumber sticks and lovely cheese with fancy bread.
You have to explain to your kids that children will always find something to criticise or embarrass other kids, and if it's not the food it's something else. Good on you for paying attention to what your kids are eating!

Answer 3

Congratulations on rearing your kids to prefer healthy foods. That is quite an accomplishment.

But I agree, they should not be ostracized for their food ways. That is bullying, the same as if they were pickedon for any other stupid reason kids pick on each other.

First, I'd go by the school and talk to the teacher, and then maybe the principal. Find out what the supervision is like at lunch. Tell him/her you are concerned that your children are bullied at lunch b/c they eat healthy, and you expect it to stop. Maybe they can simply reassign yoru kids to a different table w/ no bullies, or if the teachers sit w/ the kids, they can sit nearer the teacher. (At my kids' school, there is precious little supervison at lunch, and it sucks IMO.)

Second, I think you probably could back off a bit on the overtly healthy stuff. They can have a healthy lunch of a fresh apple, peanut butter in a whoel wheat pita, and milk and not draw attention to themselves. So while I wouldn't start sending potato chips and Lunchables (gag), I think I would soft-pedal the wheatberries and tofu just a tad, KWIM? That, coupled w/ the school staff being aware of the bullying (and call it that when you talk to them! it is a "key word" they pay attention to!), should make your kids' lunch time more pleasant.

Answer 4

I know this is true because we were vegetarians and my mom gave us lunches like that and we would throw them out because we were embarrassed. Any how, there are a lot of healthy foods out now that look the same as regular foods. Get whole wheat bread or rye bread and use soy lunch meat and cheeses. Boca burgers look like regular burgers. Give them a lot of fresh fruit etc. and fruit cups with no corn syrup, just pack in its own juice. Baby carrots with dressing. It is hard because anything that is different causes kids to tease. But there is absolutely no need to give them potato chips and stuff. And teach your kids some quirky remarks to tell bullies. My son was being picked on by a bully for being smart and I told him to tell him, "You'll be nicer to me when I'm your boss one day." The boy left him alone after that.

Answer 5

Good for you.
As a father of three i wish i could be as health concious as you when it comes to there school lunch. A lot of the time i tend to go for 'grab and go' foods like crisps and yogurts etc.
You stick to your guns and tell your kids the whole benefit of what your doing.
Kids can be cruel and will find anything to create a pick-on situation, wether it be clothes, size or even, in this case, food.
I'm sure your kids must get effected by whats going on, but i'm sure if you explained to them that all there friends are filling there bodies with nothing but chemicals and proccessed animal scrapings, and that there the one's who are eating far better things, and that you love them enough to ensure they stay healthy, and get them to use this as a defence against the torment.
Dont give up. your doing the right thing.

Answer 6

Mabye you should try encouraging your kids not to listen to what the others are saying and to realise that what they have is a superior lunch. Sounds tough? No way, my kids are 8 and 9 and they also eat differently to most in school, I tell them look, that's why those kids can never concentrate in class, because they had bloody coco straws for breakfast, let your kids know that what they eat feeds the brain as well as the body and try pointing out what the effects of junk food have on the behaviour, see if your kids recognise any of these in thier classmates

Answer 7

Kids can be monsters!
I feel for you and your children.
I would respectfully suggest that you ask your children what they would like to eat and see if you could come to a compromise. Simple sandwiches - cheese, with cherry tomatoes as a side portion and a banana? Something along those lines.
Depends on how old your children are and how much they can stand up for themselves. It's not worth sticking to your guns rigidly on this, if your children are going to be picked on. They will suffer psychologically. Sounds as if some damage has already been done.
Just make sure they eat well at home....

Answer 8

I think it's great that you put so much thought into their lunches, instead of assembling a bunch of prepackaged crap. My advice is to focus more on how the food LOOKS. Continue to fill their sandwiches with wholesome mixtures, but put them between two pieces of regular bread, instead of a pita. Also, save foods that require a fork or spoon for eating at home. Pack them finger foods, like fruit or veggie pieces with a dipping sauce. The other kids are judging your kids' lunches purely on appearance. If it doesn't look so "controversial," they are less likely to notice or care.

Answer 9

I think that you should discuss it with the teacher, I very much doubt that it is part of the curriculum. As stated before these are not the most healthy places but they do provide healthy options, but I also would not want my daughter singing about them and then it instills that everytime in her mind when she sees thes places she wants to go. My husband had spoiled my daughter once and everytime after preschool she wanted McDonalds, so now I bring her a healthy snack in the car, because toddlers or small children get easily addicted to sweets and fast foods.

Answer 10

How horrible kids can be! I would suggest those little lunch box packs of fruit pieces as well as maybe just a couple of slices of bread and butter with cheese. A smoothie would also help towards the 5 fruit and veg portions. You can make up the shortfall when they come home. I think it is important not to give in to the bullies but not to attract more attention to your children - balance is the key!