Kindy ”lunch Nazis”

Hamish Heard
“Lunchbox Nazis” are confiscating snacks such as fruit juice and muesli bars from kinder kids’ lunchboxes in a pilot program enforcing healthy eating.
An angry parent yesterday attacked the program at 36 Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula kindergartens as an insulting infringement of parents’ rights.
Kerry McKenzie, whose youngest child attends Corio West Kindergarten, said she was angry when told the school would confiscate foods it deemed unhealthy and send them home with children at the end of the day.
“Insulted” parents had labelled kindergarten staff “lunchbox Nazis” after they issued a list of rules specifying acceptable foods under the Smiles for Miles program, Ms McKenzie said.
“It really concerns me that many children may be going hungry because staff at these places are going through the children’s lunches and removing or preventing them from having what has been sent by parents for their children to eat,” Ms McKenzie said.
Under the rules, children can eat only kindergarten-approved snacks including fresh fruit and vegetables, dry biscuits and certain sandwiches.
A “water-only policy” bans fruit juice, cordial and soft drinks.
“It looks like they’re taking away the right of parents to decide how to feed their kids,” Ms McKenzie said.
She was upset about the kindergarten stopping her baking biscuits, scones or cakes for her youngest child’s lunchbox, as she had done for her eldest children.
“Many parents cannot afford to always have fruit and vegies for snacks every day, especially single-income families,” she said.
“They find it hard enough to provide basic meals and a sandwich for each school day and toward the end of their pay week the cupboard is very bare. Often it is only the so-called junk food that is normally an occasional treat left for their children to have for lunch.”
Minister for Children Lisa Neville said Smiles for Miles was one of two pilot programs at several kindergartens and child care centres throughout Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula.
“The programs are trying to educate and inform children about what is healthy and working with parents to help them change their children’s habits in terms of what they eat,” Ms Neville said.
“Obviously parents will always play the biggest role in a child’s development.