Mum receives warning note over 'bad food' in lunch box

A South Australian mother was left mortified after her three-year-old child's preschool sent home a note about the contents of the lunchbox she had packed that morning. 

She had included a piece of chocolate cake for her child to eat during the day, which she quickly learned was against school policy. 

When her child arrived home, she came with a note featuring an oversized, red frowning face image. 

'Your child has chocolate slice from the red food category today,' the letter read. 

'Please choose healthier options for kindy.' 

The mother-of-eight was mortified, and shared the note with her friend Melinda Tankard Reist, a prominent commentator and writer. 

Ms Reist posted a picture of it on her Facebook page, and told her followers she had advised the woman to 'put in two slices tomorrow and tell them to get lost'.

State funded schools in South Australia are subject to the Right Bite programme, which classifies foods into red, amber and green categories. 

Red foods are strongly discouraged, while green foods are heavily encouraged. 

The programme encourages schools to work with parents to stop them packing 'red' foods for their children.

Suggestions include using newsletter notices, information sessions and canteen duty as a means of communication - as opposed to notes written in red.

Commenters on the post show a fierce debate between parents who believe they should be able to pack what they like and others who see the programme as essential. 

One man shared a similar experience with his child's preschool. He said packets of Tiny Teddies were sent home, with children told they were not allowed to eat them. 

'Since when are preschool teachers qualified dietitians,' he asked. 

Another declared: 'This is worse than Trump', while someone else suggested the teacher may have been 'overzealous' in her handling of the situation. 

A woman said she agreed with the policy, as it encouraged children to seek out healthier food, but like most commenters had some issues with the school's communication method - which most described as childish. 

'This is pretty normal for kinders [sic] and schools trying to combat childhood obesity and help parents who don't healthy diets for their children,' she wrote. 

'I don't see the concept as unreasonable, though the delivery could probably do some work.' 

- Daily Mail