Reader letter - No child should ever be having water on their cornflakes, munching on pork pies, or gulping energy drinks

I shed a tear reading teachers’ stories of kids packed lunches and the desperate food that was in them.
By Star reader
Published 6th Oct 2020, 15:09 BST
Updated 6th Oct 2020, 15:23 BST
1966: Beatles singer, songwriter and guitarist John Lennon (1940 -1980) performing against a lit backdrop. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)1966: Beatles singer, songwriter and guitarist John Lennon (1940 -1980) performing against a lit backdrop. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
1966: Beatles singer, songwriter and guitarist John Lennon (1940 -1980) performing against a lit backdrop. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

One lad had brought a pork pie and a can of shandy, as there was nothing else in the fridge, while another had brought an energy drink.

When questioned later, the mum said she thought it would give him a boost, as he had been on the Xbox until gone midnight and he was shattered. He was aged just seven.

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The list went on, including a little girl bringing in a cold Happy Meal. The nan explained it was from the day before when she didn’t want it, but it was a shame to waste good food, so packed it for her to have at dinner time.

Is this what a healthy packed lunch should look like? Image: PAIs this what a healthy packed lunch should look like? Image: PA
Is this what a healthy packed lunch should look like? Image: PA

The saddest one was a boy who had said he was hungry, but he’d had a bowl of cereal, but with water as his mum had the last of the milk for her coffee.

It brought several tears to the eye.

Life can be hard. I get that, but kids need food to function.

No child should ever be having water on their cornflakes, munching on pork pies, or gulping energy drinks.

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They are our kids, they are expensive – I have one, I get it – but we should be sending them out with full bellies and decent packed lunches.

They come first – I would forego my coffee with milk so my son had cereal with milk. He needs it more.

Jayne Grayson

S35

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