Can anyone explain why Box Tops for Education are mostly on JUNK food, and why the schools push for you to get them? I understand that it helps the school, but why not put them on healthy snacks and cereals. I also understand they come on some non food items, but those are ususally more expensive, and things we do not need. Very frustrating!!
My school does the classroom contest too. Boy, talk about diappointment when my doughter had turned in 200 and her class did NOT win. This is so ridiculous!
Cascadia Farms is an all organic line of snacks like granola bars and cereals that does box tops. Scott, toliet tissue and Kleenex tissues also has them. That's where I get most of mine. They are on Pull-ups and Bounty papertowels too. Yes they might be a little more expensive brands but they are also the brands that I happen to like and buy.
Do what you can and don't sweat the small stuff!
I started buying Land-O-Lakes cage free, vegetarian fed eggs and they have the Boxtops. I also get them when I buy L-O-L cheese, Juicy Juice, Campbell's Soup and Huggies diapers. I wouldn't consider any of those to be unhealthy.
I have found them on "healthy" cereals and junky ones alike. It is certain manufacturers and brands that have them, like General Mills and whoever makes General Mills. I don't go out of my way to buy a product because they have box tops on them, but if I have a product that does then I will cut the top off. It is worth 10 cents to the school, so to throw it away is like throwing away money. Our school made several thousand dollars off of them this year.
Funny, we eat so many General Foods cereals,(Cheerios, Fiber One, Kix, Cheerios, Cookie Crisp, etc..) I still send in Box tops to the elementary school our daughter attended.. even though she is a senior in College this year..
Also anytime the Ziploc bags are on sale I purchase them too..
Back in the day when I was baking for events, I would purchase the mixes or cookie dough with the box tops and send those in too..
Remember, you never HAVE to participate in this stuff.. I used to only purchase what we really were using.. I also asked neighbors and families members to keep it in mind in case they ever came across any of the things the school collected.. it adds up fast.
Also if you want to help but do not really want to send in box tops.. . Volunteer to organize and count the Box Tops.. They will really appreciate your help..
hmmm... We buy 90% organic. One of our favorite brands is Cascadian Farms They have box tops, also others that I cannot think of right now- healthy food, have box tops (I mean, they MUST because we still collect them!). We honestly don't even glance at the junk food isle. LITERALLY, so I'd have no clue about those brands having box tops and whatnot. Maybe at your particular place you shop don't offer the healthier brands that have box tops... I'm all for the idea of checking with the Box Tops website.
Sorry but its really hard to imagine how someone could harbor so much anger over BOX TOPS! Its because the schools get money for them. Sometimes lots of money. To use for equipment and all kind of other stuff at the school. And you run contests to , God forbid, make it a little fun for the kids. And not every child is a winner and life is fraught with disappointment. The more we sheild our children from even the littlest setback the worse that they are going to be for it. And we run these contests in our school too and I have never heard of any child being that disappointed that their class did not win. Honestly I don't think they really cared at all.
And please don't complain to Box Tops. I would hate to see this WONDERFUL program cancelled because the 'junk food police' have aproblem with it.
I am one of the Box Top ladies at my children's school. Not that I condone the junk food affiliation with Box Tops, but this is "free money" that our school would otherwise do without. Believe me, they are a lot of work to prepare to send in, hours and hours. But our small school of 300 students K-12 submitted $750 worth last year. We use the money to supplement classroom needs. I rarely buy food items associated with BoxTops. My biggest source is from Kleenex. We go through those like water at our house. They are on many other 'non food' items. Our school also collects Campbell's soup labels. We don't get cash for those, but prizes purchased out of their catalog. We have been able to purchase many nice things for our school that way. I always remove BoxTops from items as soon as I get them home from the store. That way they don't get thrown away before I get to them. I have also trained my family to watch for them.
What about the pillsbury items they are on...biscuits, crescent rolls, etc....I believe they are on cheerios & wheaties....like someone said, try the paper towels, kleenexes & that...I know for a long time my kids did not get to participate because if it wasn't Aldi or off brand it didn't happen. I wasn't going to pay 50 cents more so my school could get a 10 cent certificate, sorry! If I happened to buy something they came on, I would save it but I did not go out of my way. I haven't been to the website,but if they have a list of current items they are on, maybe you can go through it & find the stuff you use & focus on those items.
I agree that they are on a lot of things that I would consider unhealthy. Such as fruit snacks ect. I am the box top coordinator at our school. The first one to every have the class room drives. Our school which is in a very economically depressed area still collected over $2500 dollars last year. We used part of that money to buy a "crash mat" for the gym so the kids could use the new climbing rope. (New school, new rope....state didn't supply a mat, go figure.) I spend hours and hours preparing them. We give classroom parties for the winners but if 2 or more classes are close we give it to them too. In my house most of what goes in is from fiber one cereals, plastic bags, and kleenex. They are also on some green giant products including fresh produce. I just got 2 off of heads of cauliflower! We have neighborhoods that collect them for the school and local churches that do the same. I also have my family collect them for us too as well as soliciting from face book friends who don't have kids or whose school doesn't collect. I realize your daughter was disappointed but the big picture is money for the school so all of the kids benefit.
I have wondered the same thing.
Very good point!
Ask neighbors/family to help collect them--they add up quickly and not in your pocketbook or waistline!
Funny, I'd never realized that they're mainly on junk food. Apparently I've been in a deep fog.... :)
I feel much like that about the "Paper recycling" program as well. Last year, I think the school got a "whopping" 45 bucks. I do it becasue I believe in recycling all that I humanly can....but geez.
You need to look a little harder...I just got one off my butter tub this morning. I've gotten them off eggs, cherrios, pull-ups, Kleenex, cheese, granola bars, cake mix & frosting, and yes, gummies. Even items packed in larger sizes at COSTCO come with them.
Contact, Box Tops For Education, and ask them.
They have a website.
It is probably all about, what corporations will want to align themselves with this venue and purposes.
We buy Kleenex. From Costco. Its something we use a lot of.
Box Tops are on the box.
It sounds like you were changing your buying habits so that her class could win the party because they had promoted the party so much and got the kids excited. Then when they don't win they're disappointed. I get it. My suggestion would be to not change your buying habits and just give the box tops that come with your normal purchases. Explain to your daughter that even though her class didn't get the party the money still goes to the school and helps them buy things for all the children to enjoy. If you like you can ask the teacher if you can throw a little party for the kids maybe a popcorn party or something simple? That way she gets her party, you're still donating the box tops but without changing her buying habits, and the school still gets some money. It sounds like it would be cheaper for you to throw the class a party on your own (if the teacher agrees; maybe don't say it's for the box top thing but rather just because) than to buy all those box tops anyway?
You have to think outside the box(tops) sometimes :0)
