Baked goods for school events

[randee555]

When I was a kid, parents baked cakes and cupcakes for our parties at school or other school events. My son's school has a rule where you can't bring homemade goods to school for events, everything must be store bought. I understand why they changed this but I was just wondering are other schools doing this too.

 

[Preya_M]

When I was in high school I was the president of a club, I usually hosted many bake sales and the members of the group would bring in many baked goods. They were the typical cupcakes, cookies, muffins and cakes. The principal never seemed to mind that we were selling homemade goods, in fact he would also purchase some. Our club made about $2,000 on just bake sales actually.

 

[SmartPea85]

I’m a teacher at an elementary school and my school does not have this store-bought-only rule for classroom snacks. They are, however, strict about what can be brought into certain classrooms because of student allergies. For holiday parties and birthday celebrations, teachers of students with peanut, gluten or other food-specific allergies should let parents know what kinds of things are appropriate, and what kinds of things should be avoided. That way there are no surprises or disappointed kids. Parents should also be sensitive about bringing in items that students with diabetes may not be able to enjoy. One student in my school is on a strict Kosher diet, so his snack choices are limited in other ways.
Parents at my school are very understanding and accommodating; For our Halloween celebration this year parents made or brought in alternative things like sugar-free cookies (easily made at home), string cheese poked with a pretzel stick to look like a witch’s broom, ends of peeled bananas decorated to look like ghosts, and orange pumpkin rice krispie treat balls. Still cute and holiday-fun, and Ok for everyone to eat!

 

[LindaKay]

That is what pretty much all of the schools around here have. I don't know if they are worried about someone poisoning the students or if they are just concerned about allergies, cleanliness, etc. Either way, our schools only accept food that is sealed and was made in a bakery or bought from a store.

I think it's sad because I used to love the treats that my mom and friends' moms sent to school back in the day!

SmartPea - That's great that your school hasn't done away with that yet. I'm sure that you and your students enjoy it.

 

[OhioTom76]

I'm kind of surprised they would do something like this. I think it's relatively safe to say that parents wouldn't be inclined to send anything to school that would make all the other kids sick. Isn't it setting a worse example having them eat processed packaged food instead of something home made?

I don't have any kids myself, but if I did I would rather them be eating something home made, perhaps made healthier as well - lower fat, use applesauce or bananas in place of some of the oil, added oats/bran, etc... Carrot muffins, Zucchini muffins, Bran muffins...

 

[Lacey]

We have a pretty small school and it is a rural area and we are able to still bring baked goods to our school activities. Most parents now are bringing store bought goods just because it is easier, but the kids go crazy for homemade goodies. I always try to bring something special that I baked for my daughters birthdays at school to make it special for her.

 

[NThomas]

I think we are just going overboard now, most parents can handle baking a cake or cookies for a bake sale. Demanding that someon buy them from a store just to sell them all over again send a bad message. This is a waste of money what would be the point of having a bake sale with store bought goodies , how would you turn a profit? This is the first time I have ever heard of something so crazy.

 

[dandeliion]

Yeah, it's definitely becoming a more common thing these days. My university doesn't even allow us to sell baked goods for fundraising anymore unless we do it at the school which is a hassle.

 

[ACSAPA]

There have been a lot of reports in the news of school violence ,so the powers that be are probably worried about students lacing homemade baked goods with poison or drugs.
It only take one emo kid who is upset about being bullied to lace a tray of cupcakes with rat poison. It's a sick world and you can't trust anyone.

 

[Jessi]

Unfortunately, yes, most public schools have switched over to requiring storebought baked goods. The reason is obviously for public safety. You don't know what kind of kitchen environments are at various people's homes, but at the very least, manufacturers and bakeries are required to pass certain certifications (even if they aren't necessarily following all the rules anyway).

 

[Annabell]

Sadly this is becoming more prevelant. I can understand why they're doing it. It is to save the children from any potential risks, and also to protect the school from any law suits for allowing non-safe products to be sold.

But of course, there is still the risk that there will be something dangerous in a store bought product, but if this happens the blame is not upon the school or the seller, but upon the company which made the products in the first place.

 

[LetThemEatCake]

Sad, but understandable. They don't have that rule at my niece's school yet, but we live in a really rural, small town. We made cupcakes for the last day of school and she took them in.

 

[sweetkymom]

The schools here in my area adopted the no homemade food rule. Sports teams and all are events we are allowed to being homemade stuff as long as its after school. I really like this rule although it gets very expensive after time and with two kids.

 

[Annabell]

Sad, but understandable. They don't have that rule at my niece's school yet, but we live in a really rural, small town. We made cupcakes for the last day of school and she took them in.

Thankfully, I think the smaller little schools will have a while before they adopt this policy, if ever. Usually because everyone knows each other, and everyone knows what each child is allergic to, so that helps.

 

[Tina Nord]

It is sad that some of the most favored school traditions are no longer allowed. I can see the risk involved now with all that is happening at the schools. I would not put it past one sick individual to lace the baked goods with something harmful. It is sad that we have to think like that these days.

 

[kammy]

At my daughter school she is allowed to bring homemade baked products to her bake sales or school harvest...the parents are somewhat close-knit and i can't remember a situation where any of the children have ever being poisoned. At times though i am feeling a little lazy and will purchase baked products from the stores.

 

[Danyel72]

When I was a kid, parents baked cakes and cupcakes for our parties at school or other school events. My son's school has a rule where you can't bring homemade goods to school for events, everything must be store bought. I understand why they changed this but I was just wondering are other schools doing this too.

We have the same rule at our school too. I remember when I was younger, my mom would bake all the time for bake sales and school functions. Those days are no more. Now with allergies, they have put a stop to homemade all together. Makes me sad in a way but I can understand why.

Danyel

 

[JessiFox]

Yes, that's how ours is now, too. It makes me a little sad and nostalgic but between worrying about allergies and some of the other crazy stuff you hear about these days, I guess you truly can't be too careful.

 

[tangela]

I volunteered at a local elementary school for a quarter as part of school credit and they actually had a rule that was specifically "No Baked Goods". The treats that were brought from home were something along the lines of fruit and stuff like that, no baked goods like we had when we were little. I think it's because they're ingraining into the students' lives about dietary choices and obesity, as well as taking care to not let those who have food allergies be in harm's way.