Cupcake Wars – School Bans Sweet Treats

September 1, 2014

Across the country parents and kids are preparing for the start of the new school year. Kids return to school with new clothes and new school supplies, but for some schools an old favorite won't be allowed back in the classroom this year. In one school, cupcakes and other sweet treats have been banned from classrooms birthday celebrations.

Near Seattle, the Edmonds School District no longer allows birthday treats in school and suggests parents who wish to have classroom celebrations to consider non-food party favors instead. While some parents fear this will create a new level of "mommy wars" over who can search Pinterest for the best non-food celebration, most Edmonds parents support the ban for many reasons.

  • It's healthier for kids, childhood obesity is a concern
  • It puts less stress on parents to provide dessert for the entire class
  • Provides peace of mind to parents of children with allergies

“I don’t want to spoil everyone’s fun, I just want a safe place for my daughter to learn.” - Melissa Dobrich, an Edmonds mother whose daughter has a severe peanut allergy

"I am delighted that I will never have to bring another food item to school. Delighted. Really and truly,” says Diane Mooney, an Edmonds parent of three

Edmonds schools spokeswoman, DJ Jakala, said the ban is part of a larger health program initiative. For 18 months, the district's Wellness Committee discussed various aspects of the Agriculture Department’s standards with staff, parents, students, community members, and vending machine suppliers. The USDA standards to provide healthy food options in schools do not regulate treats brought from home, those types of decisions are left up to individual districts and schools. Some schools in Kalamazoo, Michigan; Boulder, Colorado; Louisville, Kentucky; and Minneapolis, Minnesota have implemented similar types of bans.

While the new guidelines and ban on homemade sweets aim to reduce the problem of childhood obesity, they also reduce the amount of money raised for extra-curricular activities through bake sales and vending machines. In Edmonds, USDA "smart-snacks" are allowed in vending machines and at bake sales, and Jakala said the district is exploring other ways to limit the impact the cash shortfall will have on clubs and activities.

Tell us what you think in the comments below:

Should schools ban birthday sweet treats?

Has your child's school implemented any rules or  restrictions?

Source: Urist, J. (2014, August 5). Cupcake ban: Schools crack down on sweets. Today Parents.