Teacher Exposes Kids Packed Lunches – Including A Cold ‘Happy Meal’

A Headteacher has recently shared his disgust about parents who send their kids to school with unhealthy packed lunches – one of which was a cold McDonald’s Happy Meal.

Jon Carthy is the headteacher at Byron Primary School in Gillingham, Kent in the UK. He shared examples of badly packed lunches for kids and he wants things changed. He used examples like a chocolate muffin, four yoghurts and packet of smarties; two bags of crisps and a crisp sandwich, one chocolate roll and a bar of chocolate.

He wrote in the school newsletter “Whilst extreme and funny to read on paper, I must make this clear THESE ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE examples of a balanced packed lunch. Children work very hard at school and a balanced meal at lunch time helps provide concentration for the afternoon,”.

The primary school has now given a long list of guidelines that parents have to stick when bringing in packed lunches for pupils. He reminded parents about the country’s government guidelines for packed lunches – which includes one portion of fruit and vegetable/salad every day, meat, fish or a source of non-dairy protein, oily fish and starchy foods such as bread or pasta. He added “If we feel as though any child is not getting a regularly balanced meal, we will contact you and offer you advice,”

The frustrated headteacher said that the parents of the school’s 525 kids were sent the letter and said that the school surprisingly received all positive feedback from parents. “I’ve only had positive comments back. Parents have said thank you and told me that someone needed to say this,” he said.

One of the Mom’s shared a photo of the letter on social media with the caption: “Never thought I could be so appalled yet so amused at the same time.” The mother added: “I found it shocking more than anything that some parents think that’s acceptable and it is clearly a reflection on their diets too. We’ve all woken up in the morning and realized we don’t have stuff for packed lunch or money for school dinners but surely there was something else in the cupboards. And, McDonald’s happy meals cost more than school dinners anyway. The school is clearly trying to educate the parents which I think is brilliant.”

Well done Sir!