Happy Birthday! Peel an Orange

A number of nurseries in the UK are trying something new for kids--no more birthday cake, or any sweets for that matter.  The elimination of the the age-old tradition of birthday cake is removed from children's diets as part of a program called the "Pre-school Nutrition Project," which is basically a program geared toward encouraging healthy eating.  It was set up by the Knowsley Borough Council and Chester University.  


I love this.  Stick a candle in an apple and I'm happy.  


But don't worry, birthday cakes and sweets are still allowed on the kids' birthdays--they just can't be eaten on-site.  The sweets will get sent home with parents, who can them decide on their own whether to allow their kids to indulge or not.  


Is this taking it too far?  Or is this a great idea to combat our overwhelmingly growing obesity problem and teach children healthy eating habits?