Flaming Hot Cheetos are NOT a health food choice!

[River Song, RN]

Have you ever seen the vomit that is expelled after consuming flaming hot cheetos? It is a particular shade of red/pink that does not exist in a normal body and it actually can stain your bathroom floors and walls if not cleaned quickly enough.

The first time I encountered this lovely vomit shade, I was perplexed until I asked what the student had eaten for lunch.

I should mention that I see TONS of random stomach aches in my Pre-K to 5th grade population and it's always the same story, no nausa or diarrhea, they don't need to use the restroom but their stomach just hurts across the front of their abdomen.

Imagine my surprise to learn that they actually SELL the flaming hot cheetos in our cafeteria. So in addition to children bringing their Takis from home. our own cafeteria peddles this particularly heinous "snack" product. Dozens of children were gleefully eating them when I went to the cafeteria.

I'm at a Title 1 school that provides free breakfast to everyone and essentially all students are on free lunch. I don't begrudge them buying a snack with their limited funds at all ... but for the love of all that is holy, why does anyone think this is a good idea???

OK rant over luckily it's the custodian's job to remove the neon puke :)

[OldDude]

I totally agree, our cafeteria sells them too. Flaming Hot Cheetos vomit is quite impressive and colorful and smells a lot like battery acid. They might be a good substitute for ipecac syrup.

[caliotter3]

My grandson could easily live on this snack. Contributes to him looking so sickly.

[NurseBeans, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I'll be honest, I'm appalled at pretty much all the food in the cafeteria. Including the hot cheetos. So much so that the cafeteria manager offered to let me fill my snack bucket with food from her stock (for breakfast-skippers) and I turned it down. I can't in good conscience give kids cereal, much less the cereal they serve. She told me they can't have whole milk...like the fat in whole milk is the center of the obesity problem? I had one of my students with diabetes telling me he had funnel cake for breakfast and I thought surely he's mistaken but no, it sure was funnel cake (they called it a dutch waffle on the menu, clever). Funnel cake for breakfast?? What even?

Sorry, I went on a bit of a rant there. Flaming hot cheetos, probably the reason for upwards of 50% of my tummyache complaints.

[River Song, RN]

I'll be honest, I'm appalled at pretty much all the food in the cafeteria. Including the hot cheetos. So much so that the cafeteria manager offered to let me fill my snack bucket with food from her stock (for breakfast-skippers) and I turned it down. I can't in good conscience give kids cereal, much less the cereal they serve. She told me they can't have whole milk...like the fat in whole milk is the center of the obesity problem? I had one of my students with diabetes telling me he had funnel cake for breakfast and I thought surely he's mistaken but no, it sure was funnel cake (they called it a dutch waffle on the menu, clever). Funnel cake for breakfast?? What even?

Sorry, I went on a bit of a rant there. Flaming hot cheetos, probably the reason for upwards of 50% of my tummyache complaints.

PREACH!

[PeakRN]

I personally love flaming hot cheetos and cell phones. It helps out my triage notes with the 15 year old who has had belly pain for "as long as I can remember, it's like the worst thing in the world, I can't stand it any more" who has red fingers and is texting all of her friends.

[SaltineQueen]

Our high school sells Mountain Dew Kickstart. It meets federal safe/healthy (whichever they call it) guidelines. :/

They run out quickly because kids buy 4-5 at a time because they're sold so much cheaper than at the gas stations.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

Our school doesn't sell this thankfully, but I loath the new add Monster to a Dunkin' drink that is being marketed. Also a couple of our local coffee places within walking distance of school sell Red Bull Rickeys. Yep, just what is sounds like Red Bull in a lime rickey - sugar and lots of caffeine.

[Farawyn]

I personally love flaming hot cheetos and cell phones. It helps out my triage notes with the 15 year old who has had belly pain for "as long as I can remember, it's like the worst thing in the world, I can't stand it any more" who has red fingers and is texting all of her friends.

*spit Take*

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

I love you people.

Yes, when you look at the nutritional guidance on the back, Flamin' Hot Cheetos make the nutritional cut while the regular Cheetos do not. In order to make the snack not taste like cardboard, I think they had to throw in a taste-bud-killing dose of capsaicin.

But I've never seen the vomit. However, this is good for me because it's bound to happen sometime and now I know!

[BeckyESRN]

I had a 5th grade boy that ate 5 or 6 bags of flamin hot cheetos and drank 10-12 cartons of milk on a dare. I have never seen so much vomit in all my life! And it was neon. His dad was not amused...

[Cas1in72]

I had my first experience with Flamin' Hot Vomit last week. Just before he puked all over my floor, he was doubled over holding his stomach. I honestly thought he might have an Appi. Wish I had known what to expect with the color, I was shocked and at a loss at first.

My big issue this year has been with kids bringing in Ghost and Carolina Reaper Peppers in their lunch boxes and daring other unsuspecting kids to "try them" The first kid in my office had burns to his eye, had to send him home. The second episode of a kid with horrific stomach pain set me over the edge. I got with the principals about safety issues and that I was on the verge of writing kids up if it didnt stop. UGH!!

I am so glad I found this website. This is my 3rd year of school nursing, 1st in elementary school ( which I loved beyond words) and 2 in Middle School. Reading about what other school nurses encounter and have had frustration with, makes me feel so much better!!!!