Is the rule about no homemade food allowed in schools enacted in most places in the US?

Question

I heard from one of my co workers in a grocery store that homemade treats were no longer allowed in schools. This was in indianapolis. I read a question from someone else that also said no homemade treats allowed. Is this rule being added all over the US? Was there a particular incident in a school that caused this change?

Answer 1

Yes, it is widespread.  The particular incidents that started this were a string of food related illnesses.  Naturally, the school Cafe' Le Puke', blamed it on food brought from home.  That sparked a debate, and several other factions joined in,,,, the vending machine companies pay lots of money to the schools, and they were on the side of, no home made snacks.  The risk managers and legal eagles also pointed out that drugs could be brought to school by use of home made food.  

The bottom deciding argument, was that the school could be pulled into lawsuits when a school club, or class were to sell tainted food products made from home, there would be no place to place liability except for the school.  This was also true of booster clubs who sold food.  

Now, your school system didn't have these problems.  But you still have the ban on home made items, killing the ever popular cake walk, bake sale, etc.  It's because school administrators go to the same conventions, have their own communication network, etc.....and when one system puts in a new rule, the other systems pretty much have to follow suit.

I wonder what's going to happen when someone points out that the hotdog stands at the football games, run by the boosters, are for all practicle purposes, home made food.  After all, they take it out of the package, and they cook it or alter it.  Liability is on the cooking organization.  I pick my butt and fix your hotdog just as easy at home, as in the hot dog stand at the game.  

I'm sure the boosters have PRODUCT LIABILITY insurance, and they have provided a certificate of insurance to the school system, showing the system as ADDITIONAL INSURED, which would mean they could sale home baked goods on the same policy that they are selling hot dogs and hot chocolatte.  

Answer 2

point

Answer 3

Some school systems started doing it for various reasons. Mainly it is a liability thing. The school doesn't want to get sued for letting a kid eat a cupcake that another student brought in to share. Either because some childrens' parents may not want them to eat certain foods, or because a child may have a food allergy and the school doesn't want to be held liable for what is in the food or how it was prepared.

I don't think it is that widespread but yeah, some schools started doing that.

Answer 4

My question is where did they hear this from? The National Enquirer?

Answer 5

If it's not in all the schools now, it will be! Great news for lawyers...