A Lincolnshire mother has expressed her frustration after her three-year-old son was sent home from nursery with a handwritten note banning flavoured yoghurts from his packed lunch.
Katelan Martin, 24, from Spalding, collected her son Jeffrey from nursery on September 16 to find his Aldi Tube It strawberry yoghurt untouched, accompanied by a message stating that only natural Greek-style yoghurt would be allowed going forward.
The mother of two branded the restriction “absurd,” insisting her boy already maintains a healthy diet.
“I laughed and I phoned my mum and showed her the note and said what is this about, it’s literally just a strawberry yoghurt,” she said.
The nursery appears to be implementing government guidelines ahead of schedule, with new rules not due to take effect until September 2027.
During Jeffrey’s first three weeks at the nursery, Katelan noticed he was regularly coming home with uneaten items in his lunchbox, which she initially put down to him simply not fancying certain snacks.
But last month, she opened the lunchbox to uncover the note left inside. She explained: “It said ‘unfortunately due to new policies we can no longer allow flavoured yogurts, it must be natural Greek style only’.”
She added: “When we went and looked around the nursery, they said the government are bringing out new policies. I think they’re meant to come into effect in September 2027 so all educational settings are kind of getting a hold of it before then.”
Katelan Martin has expressed her frustration after her three-year-old son was sent home from nursery with a handwritten note banning flavoured yoghurts from his packed lunch
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KENNEDY NEWS & MEDIA
Katelan Martin collected her son Jeffrey from nursery on September 16 to find his Aldi Tube It strawberry yoghurt untouched, accompanied by a message stating that only natural Greek-style yoghurt would be allowed going forward
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KENNEDY NEWS & MEDIA
Katelan argued that packed lunches ought to be quick, convenient, and reasonably priced. The cost implications of switching to Greek yoghurt are significant, she noted, given that a tub expires just three days after opening and costs twice as much as a multipack of children’s yoghurt.
She fears the nursery’s approach risks teaching young children that ordinary foods are somehow harmful.
“I’m worried about the effects that this is going to have on him if he’s being told that a strawberry-flavoured yoghurt is a bad food and he can’t eat it,” she said.
“I think it is demonising food, we live in a world where, unfortunately, a lot of people suffer with eating disorders.”
Katelan argued that packed lunches ought to be quick, convenient, and reasonably priced
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KENNEDY NEWS & MEDIA
The mother also questioned whether such rigid restrictions truly serve children’s wellbeing.
Despite initially backing the nursery’s health-conscious intentions, Katelan now considers the policy to have gone too far.
“My kids eat healthy anyway but then to be told they’re not allowed flavoured yogurts, I do think it’s extreme,” she said.
The government guidelines due to come into force in September 2027 stipulate that schools may only serve lower-fat natural plain yoghurt and plain lower-fat fromage frais as part of school meals.
Regarding packed lunches, the rules direct headteachers to prohibit sugary drinks, crisps, and confectionery, while encouraging them to offer rewards for bringing in nutritious meals.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “The guidance we provide to early years settings is to help them make sure young children get the tasty, nutritious meals they need to grow and thrive – including limiting foods too high in sugar.”
The spokesman added: “Settings have always set their own rules on packed lunches. Our guidance doesn’t change that – it just helps them to encourage healthy choices, as well as including advice on cost effective healthy food so changes work for every family.”
Aldi has been approached for comment.
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