A UK mom pulled her son out of school for the day after his teacher allegedly banned him from having his favorite snack: three plain crackers topped with butter and cheese.
Rachael Elizabeth, whose viral TikTok video has already racked up more than 560,000 views, said she was left “actually fuming” when she was informed that her son George’s go-to snack was not allowed, even though cheese in sandwiches was permitted for lunch.
Rachael’s son is a fussy eater caught in a confusing school rule
Image credits: rachaelelizaabethh
In her TikTok video, Rachael showed George’s carefully packed lunchbox, which included salted chips, cucumber, hummus, a small pancake, natural Greek yogurt with honey, and a jam sandwich, according to the New York Post.
She explained that cheese and crackers had long been her son’s favorite snack, noting, “He’s had this snack for forever. Three crackers with a little bit of cheese on and butter.”
Image credits: LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)
The mother admitted she understood the importance of healthy eating policies and acknowledged why some schools may push back against processed snacks like Lunchables.
However, Rachael argued that banning cheese on crackers during snacktime while allowing cheese in sandwiches during lunch seems inconsistent and unfair.
Image credits: rachaelelizaabethh
According to Rachael, the school’s new head teacher was behind the strange rules.
“School won’t let him have crackers with cheese for his snack. We’ve got a new head teacher, and she’s brought in lots of new rules, which is absolutely fine.
“I mean, I’m with her on a lot of it when kids are coming in with packs of Lunchables and stuff like that. I get it. I wouldn’t send George in with that.”
Image credits: rachaelelizaabethh
“However, George is a fussy eater. So this is his snack. He’s had this snack for forever. Three crackers with a little bit of cheese on and butter, and they won’t let him eat his snack because it’s got cheese on it.
“He’s allowed to have cheese on his sandwich in the afternoon, but he can’t have cheese on his cracker for his snack,” Rachael stated in her video.
Parents and teachers clash in heated debates online
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Rachael’s frustration struck a nerve online, with parents and former educators jumping in to share their thoughts.
One former principal backed her up, saying, “It’s parents who should decide what their children eat, not schools.”
Another commenter added, “It’s your child. You feed him what you want. These schools are getting away with way too much now.”
Others were baffled by the double standard since cheese was fine for lunch but strangely not for a morning snack.
Image credits: rachaelelizaabethh
Some suggested it might be related to allergy management, with one pointing out that during snack time, kids often mingle on the playground, while lunchtime is more controlled.
Not all agreed with Rachael’s stance as well. One teacher explained, “The rule is probably the same as mine. Fruit or veg only for snack. If it didn’t grow, then it’s not for snack time. Keep it for lunch instead.”
Another echoed the idea, noting that “All the schools I’ve worked in and sent my kids to ask for only fruit at break because it’s healthy and readily available to everyone.”
Schools are facing growing scrutiny over food policies
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Rachael’s video has raised bigger questions about how much control schools should have over children’s diets.
She asked viewers directly: “Why do schools think they can just control everything? Why do they get so much control over that? I just think it’s got out of control. Schools have gone crazy.”
The official gov.uk website stated that healthy school lunches in England must meet mandatory school food standards.
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These requests include daily portions of fruit, vegetables, and starchy food, along with a dairy portion, according to the Daily Mail.
The NHS, for its part, noted on its official website that fruit or vegetable snacks are “always the best choice,” but if kids have packaged snacks, they should have no more than two a day.
Interestingly enough, the official NHS website also lists “Cheesy oatcakes with tomatoes,” which are quite similar to George’s crackers, as one of its suggested snacks.
This could suggest that the ‘no cheese and crackers’ rule may have really been a matter of preference for the school’s officials.
Netizens shared their thoughts on the UK mom’s story about her son’s school experience
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