I don't know about other families, but my child won't eat bacon and eggs or other non sugar laden breakfast. I eat bacon and eggs every morning. My child wants cereal, or poptarts, or frozen waffles/pancakes etc. When I removed these items in an effort to have him eat other healthier foods, he decided to not eat anything at home - he'd go to school and instead eat their sugar and carb breakfast. So while I can understand the thought process and well meaning of OP comment, it's one of a non parent attempting to give advice on parenting.

> a non parent attempting to give advice on parenting

Let's not suggest that parents don't have almost complete control over their kids at this age.

I can reconcile your anecdote against how I was raised: My school didn't have free food, so I didn't have a choice and your scenario was impossible. I either ate breakfast and packed a lunch or went the day hungry. I preferred the former. My parents didn't buy poptarts. I had to learn to enjoy healthy food for breakfast and a ham sandwich for lunch, and I'm very thankful for that.

I have seven kids. Parents don't have almost complete control over their kids at this age.

>I either ate breakfast and packed a lunch or went the day hungry.

Yes, a lot of kids will actually fast and make themselves ravenous, have blood sugar crashes, be unable to concentrate, act badly towards classmates, etc. rather than eat the food they don't prefer. Some will lose weight. One of mine in particular will fast for _days_ until eventually someone will feed him something sweet. It's a real problem. In his case he'll sometimes eat a dinner one day, then a week later refuse the same food, until we wear him down until he will finally take a bite, then he'll realize he likes it, and eat a full meal. If he is not actually with us, though, we can't force his behavior like that.

This is especially true of kids who are "on the autism spectrum," and I suspect that a lot of HN readers have kids on the spectrum, as I do.

We feed the kids the healthiest food we can at home, almost all the time except for occasional special occasions. But _other_ well-meaning people at churches, schools, playdates, etc. can really screw up the eating habits a parent tries to instill.

I was reading the top and I was like, “oh, ASD!” The food peculiarites can be lifetime problems. My girlfriend almost cannot feed herself and will fast to collapse without routine. For people that don’t know, food is a massive sensory experience. ASD is largely a sensory disorder. This leads to hyper specific “safe” food choices which frequently cause anorexia or obesity without clear other options.

I was raised differently as well; food in front of you is what you're eating. However in this day and age, it's tantamount to neglect or abuse to refuse a child something to eat. IE "Chicken is what is for dinner, no you can't eat pizza" -> "You can't not feed your kid, let him eat". I commented to another poster about the school breakfast/lunch situation. TLDR: I have no choice in the matter. The kid wins.

Well it’s advice on diet more than parenting.

the advice is the same but if you believe it carries more weight coming from a pediatrician and father of 8...here is a link to Thornburg Pediatrics, I recommend signing up for their newsletter.

https://thornburgpediatrics.com/site/

He'd rather pay his own money for a sugary breakfast at school? Or do they provide it for free?

Neither. He'd rather have the school sugary breakfast than to eat at home. The school will not refuse him (or any child) food. So they'll send a bill home that we now owe them money for the breakfast. I have repeatedly asked and responded to them to deny him breakfast at school, which... did not go over well and caused some other issues. So he eats sugar at school, because he won't eat at home, and I'm required to pay for it as his guardian, although I do not want it.

It sounds like another strongly worded letter to the school along with a note/email from a doctor explaining the situation might fix this. I don't think trying once and then saying "Well i guess i cant stop my kid from doing something" is a good idea. As someone who grew up with 0 restrictions on what I ate and when I ate it pains me now to think back on what my parents fed me/allowed me to consume.

Thanks, this is something I don't have to deal with for a few more years, but I'm starting to have to think about it. That's a bit insane that the school is refusing to restrict your kid's access to sugary food.

Then again, thinking back, we all drank chocolate milk in school, since you needed something to cover the awful taste of the underlying milk, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

However, bacon contains a considerable amount of sodium, as does miso (even the "low-sodium" types).