Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Contraband Confections

My creativity is being stifled! My goal of being the most-hated snack mom in the school district is in danger of being crushed. Last night, as I began creaming the butter and sugar for some scary but delicious Yummy Mummy cookies http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=8073&page=1&per=1&keyword=yUMMY%20mUMMY#content_area I suddenly remembered: only STORE BOUGHT foods are allowed for school parties! What is a creative, recognition-mad mom to do? I scoured the school and district web-sites for loop-holes, but to no avail: the policy is not even mentioned. How can I get around a policy if it isn't even publicly proclaimed? I guess I could have claimed ignorance in hopes the teachers would make an exception, but I ended up taking the cookies to the parent-teacher meeting instead. The remaining cookies went to the teacher's kitchen for the staff to eat.

Wait a minute--I can feed the teachers and staff, but not the children?! Just what is the purpose of this ban, anyway? In the absence of actual facts, I have come up with my own list of possible rationales:
1. The school district is afraid some rabid parent will want to poison all the children in a classroom, including their own. Apparently they are not worried a parent will try to poison a teacher, however.
2. The administration is concerned about food-borne illness. But how many cases of food poisoning have ever been linked to school cupcakes? If we were bringing in day-old fried chicken or raw eggs, it might be a valid concern, but for cookies and candy?
3. Allergies. Of course, if they were really worried about allergies, they would have bans on specific foods, like peanuts, instead of just all home-made stuff.
4. The grocers lobby has successfully infiltrated the district administration in hopes of increasing sales.

I think the most likely answer is a group creativity-challenged parents just wants to level the playing field. If they don't have the time or inclination to Google "Halloween cookies" and make Yummy Mummy Cookies for their kids, none of us should be allowed to do it. I guess I'll have to think of another unworthy ambition...maybe most-hated costume maker? I still have sixteen hours before they get on the bus on Halloween morning.

2 comments:

Juliet A said...

Your children are attending a school that still allows Halloween parties. Count your blessings.

I remember kids not being allowed to eat anything that wasn't store bought and packaged when I was growing up. the reason was that they were kosher, and couldn't even have kosher food that placed on a non-kosher plate. the only way the parents could guarantee that the food was still kosher was if it was still in its original packaging when it got to their child's mouth.

mary said...

You can send me some mummy cookies!