It's official: lunch box-shaming has just reached peak-level hysteria.

If you’re not totally exhausted by being shamed for your parenting, how do you even know you’re a parent?

These days, it feels like not many of us get a lot right, thanks to many opinions, and policies we encounter…for example, for the very controversial issue of school lunches.

Who knew that the five out of (at least) 21 meals a child has every week could cause such a commotion? But far from being simply about the legitimate concerns of allergies and healthy eating, stories of lunch box shaming by schools and child care centres are published regularly.

It’s a minefield, and a battlefield; which is why we can empathise with a frustrated mum from Cornwall, who tried her absolute best with her child’s lunch, and just doesn’t know how she can do better.

Posting a photo in the comments section of a Cornwall Live post, mum Laura Lee said she was at a loss to explain why her son’s lunchbox has been criticised by his school.

Lee shared a photo of the contents, which showed three mini chocolate chip biscuits, as part of a balanced meal.

Lee shared her experience on Cornwall Live's Facebook page in response to an article where teachers shared the worst food students have brought with them for lunch; including cold McDonald's and Dark Fruits cider.

"I thought it was pretty balanced," she wrote.

"Evidently not."

The response to Laura's post demonstrated that other people were frustrated too with the rules around lunch boxes - and the criticism of parents:

"Amazing, when a child's free school lunch can have syrup sponge and custard for a pudding," wrote one mum.

"If the free school meal children can have cake and custard for afters then why can't a packed lunch child (with a lovely lunch as above) have some cookies! Its not like it's a chocolate bar."

Andrew Daddo still makes his teen’s lunches. Is it endearing, or a parenting fail? He discusses with Holy Wainwright, on our podcast for imperfect parents. Post continues after audio.

Another said that schools needed to be clearer on their expectations if they wanted parents to adhere to policies:

"I would be requesting a 'lunch date' with the headmaster asking him to provide a proper packed lunch as a way of example!"

Others shared their own experiences of confusing or questionable rejections.

"That looks great and well balanced, my son's drink got sent home because it was fizzy, it was sparkling water."

Oh dear. As every parent knows, there has to be a balance between what a kid will eat so that they don't starve the entire day.

One cheeky trick is to sneak in an Oreo biscuit, because, guess what? As we discovered earlier this year, they are vegan! Which means, as we're sure you'll agree, they have every right to be in a child's lunchbox as a carrot stick...