What don’t you let your kids eat/drink?
Discussion
As I sit here eating the sweets my kids were given at a party at the weekend, it made me wonder what others stop their children from having.
My two are 3 & 4. They’re both great eaters and eat a balanced diet. I’d think we’re probably fairly restrictive in the ‘junk’ we’ll allow them to eat, but it’s difficult to set a ‘normal’
Ours have:
No sweets - Dried mango/fruit bars/raisins as substitute.
Occasional chocolate/cake but very limited, mostly yogurt coated rice cakes/soreen.
Water or Milk, very few other drinks. Occasional diluted fruit juice and squash only at parties when friends are. The youngest prefers oak milk. They’ve never had a carbonated drink.
No fast food. Neither are particularly bothered by oven chips so can’t see they’d eat it anyway.
Is it reasonable to not give them sweets/take them to McDonalds yet? I’m sure most of their friend have both, but before they’re even in school I just can’t see either being a good idea. Whilst they’re still excited by healthier food I can’t justify giving them junk for the sake of it. I also don’t understand handing out sweets at a third birthday, but maybe I’m the odd one out?
My two are 3 & 4. They’re both great eaters and eat a balanced diet. I’d think we’re probably fairly restrictive in the ‘junk’ we’ll allow them to eat, but it’s difficult to set a ‘normal’
Ours have:
No sweets - Dried mango/fruit bars/raisins as substitute.
Occasional chocolate/cake but very limited, mostly yogurt coated rice cakes/soreen.
Water or Milk, very few other drinks. Occasional diluted fruit juice and squash only at parties when friends are. The youngest prefers oak milk. They’ve never had a carbonated drink.
No fast food. Neither are particularly bothered by oven chips so can’t see they’d eat it anyway.
Is it reasonable to not give them sweets/take them to McDonalds yet? I’m sure most of their friend have both, but before they’re even in school I just can’t see either being a good idea. Whilst they’re still excited by healthier food I can’t justify giving them junk for the sake of it. I also don’t understand handing out sweets at a third birthday, but maybe I’m the odd one out?
They love 99% & 100% dark chocolate, as been given it from young age.
The fussy eater gets taken to McDonald type affairs just to more protein in him, but it would be sandwhich + milk type orders rather than coke or those crap mega-salted fries (proper chips from a chippy is what they get!). And we interact rather than using the screens...
They love the protein bars I sometimes eat, so a 1/3rd of one is the equivalent of a Mars bar to them currently.
They know smoothies/fruit juice are sugar and general message of sugar is bad, with teeth being main example (when their older cousins 1st teeth naturally fell out, I told him it was because of the sweets she eats
). That "eating sugar no papa" song was taught at playgroup too.
No sugary cereals, porridge, pancakes etc. Avocado smoothie. Nuts, wholemeal rice/breads/wraps. Butter not margarine +nut butters. And Honey. Goji Berries are well liked.
They use Cinnamon to add flavor to porridge etc. Jams and Marmalede are the St Dalfour ones, which have a little less sugar iirc
Croissant/Scones etc go down well. Thick double cream too,
Posh ketchup rather than Heinz was the starting point, but relaxed for the fussy eater.
OP- on the takeaway front, they have never had a Donner kebab, they get the higher priced, actual meat in them shish/kofte orders from takeaways. Burgers from proper burger places, Nando's type grilled chicken rather than cheap fried chicken shops. Wood fired pizzas.
I expect it to all go out of the window in their teens, and then hopefully revert back in 20s.
If ill, bad times or special occasions then no rules. Its about a treat being seen as a treat, and rest of time healthy. You also have to be careful to have them in agreement with you, as you don't want them to rebel later as they wanted that extra slice that time.
Also I'm less fussy with what they eat whilst being looked after, some parents at nursery are very strict with their instructions, I let it slide to an extent.
The fussy eater gets taken to McDonald type affairs just to more protein in him, but it would be sandwhich + milk type orders rather than coke or those crap mega-salted fries (proper chips from a chippy is what they get!). And we interact rather than using the screens...
They love the protein bars I sometimes eat, so a 1/3rd of one is the equivalent of a Mars bar to them currently.
They know smoothies/fruit juice are sugar and general message of sugar is bad, with teeth being main example (when their older cousins 1st teeth naturally fell out, I told him it was because of the sweets she eats
). That "eating sugar no papa" song was taught at playgroup too.No sugary cereals, porridge, pancakes etc. Avocado smoothie. Nuts, wholemeal rice/breads/wraps. Butter not margarine +nut butters. And Honey. Goji Berries are well liked.
They use Cinnamon to add flavor to porridge etc. Jams and Marmalede are the St Dalfour ones, which have a little less sugar iirc
Croissant/Scones etc go down well. Thick double cream too,
Posh ketchup rather than Heinz was the starting point, but relaxed for the fussy eater.
OP- on the takeaway front, they have never had a Donner kebab, they get the higher priced, actual meat in them shish/kofte orders from takeaways. Burgers from proper burger places, Nando's type grilled chicken rather than cheap fried chicken shops. Wood fired pizzas.
I expect it to all go out of the window in their teens, and then hopefully revert back in 20s.
If ill, bad times or special occasions then no rules. Its about a treat being seen as a treat, and rest of time healthy. You also have to be careful to have them in agreement with you, as you don't want them to rebel later as they wanted that extra slice that time.
Also I'm less fussy with what they eat whilst being looked after, some parents at nursery are very strict with their instructions, I let it slide to an extent.
Edited by hyphen on Wednesday 26th June 23:55
The only fixed rule I have is i wont allow fizzy drinks for my 4 and 6yr old and that will continue until they reach high school. Luckily they had never tried them until some daft bint at a kids party offered them some recently, to which the fizzy aspect of it made them not like it whatsoever. Water and milk mostly for drinks in our house. With the odd hot chocolate.
I will allow sweets in moderation, and they have a pack of quavers in their lunch box 3 days a week but otherwise we have no junk food in the house. I despise them going to the in laws house as she plies them full of all sorts of shyte.
Luckily, my daughter has a real fondness for quite healthy snacks. Apples, raw carrots, pod peas, cucumber, most fruits, peanuts and raisins. My lad less so and a very sweet tooth. He is open to trying more foods though which means he has a more varied choice of dinners unlike like his sister who is fussy, particularly at evening meal time. The only meat she will eat is chicken for example.
Its tough going though when you let bad habbits sink in. A friend of mine has an 8 yr old daughter who will only eat the beige muck that comes out frozen ready meals drowned in ketchup. No fruit or veg whatsoever apart from grapes. Will not drink water without cordial in it.
I will allow sweets in moderation, and they have a pack of quavers in their lunch box 3 days a week but otherwise we have no junk food in the house. I despise them going to the in laws house as she plies them full of all sorts of shyte.
Luckily, my daughter has a real fondness for quite healthy snacks. Apples, raw carrots, pod peas, cucumber, most fruits, peanuts and raisins. My lad less so and a very sweet tooth. He is open to trying more foods though which means he has a more varied choice of dinners unlike like his sister who is fussy, particularly at evening meal time. The only meat she will eat is chicken for example.
Its tough going though when you let bad habbits sink in. A friend of mine has an 8 yr old daughter who will only eat the beige muck that comes out frozen ready meals drowned in ketchup. No fruit or veg whatsoever apart from grapes. Will not drink water without cordial in it.
My six year old daughter eats a good balance.
She has limited sweet treats, as someone has already mentioned the No Sugar song helped and also me have a lot of fillings (i eat way to much sweet stuff as a kid) helps as she doesn't want "those funny black bits" in her mouth like dad.
She loves fruit and veg of all kinds. She can't stand and fizzy drinks, always drinks water.
Doesn't like butter, cream or anything like that. But I suspect that will change as she gets older. She has school dinners everyday and generally has a wrap or similar with veg and fruit. So that good.
We always let her try new things and she has a real taste for ramen and chilli squid for some reason which is odd as she densest generally like spicy food.
She has limited sweet treats, as someone has already mentioned the No Sugar song helped and also me have a lot of fillings (i eat way to much sweet stuff as a kid) helps as she doesn't want "those funny black bits" in her mouth like dad.
She loves fruit and veg of all kinds. She can't stand and fizzy drinks, always drinks water.
Doesn't like butter, cream or anything like that. But I suspect that will change as she gets older. She has school dinners everyday and generally has a wrap or similar with veg and fruit. So that good.
We always let her try new things and she has a real taste for ramen and chilli squid for some reason which is odd as she densest generally like spicy food.
My daughter and son are 6 & 8 respectively. It's tricky to know now whether it's a placebo thing or not but sweets just send my eldest son a bit mental hence we restrict his intake of them quite severely. They've even both still got chocolate over from Easter!
We really don't let the have a lot of junk, there is the odd McD's but this is a rare treat a few times a year maybe, and realistically they get much more excited about going somewhere like Pizza Express that McDonalds. At home we generally try to eat together so they have what we have which is hopefully a fairly balanced diet.
They rarely have fizzy drinks, we don't drink the either. My eldest prefers milk above anything else.
They're active kids and they do seem to be "hungry" a lot of the time, often wanting a slice of toast or cereal or a banana before bed. Both of them in the normal weight range though.
We really don't let the have a lot of junk, there is the odd McD's but this is a rare treat a few times a year maybe, and realistically they get much more excited about going somewhere like Pizza Express that McDonalds. At home we generally try to eat together so they have what we have which is hopefully a fairly balanced diet.
They rarely have fizzy drinks, we don't drink the either. My eldest prefers milk above anything else.
They're active kids and they do seem to be "hungry" a lot of the time, often wanting a slice of toast or cereal or a banana before bed. Both of them in the normal weight range though.
My 3 year old has never had juice or fizzy pop. He drinks water or soya milk. He is allergic to dairy like his mother so there are a lot of things he can't eat rather than us stopping him from eating. He has had the odd McDonald's and KFC as a treat but he gets plenty of fruit, veg and home cooked food. He takes after me in that we both don't bother with sweets but both have a taste for chocolate. His is the milk free stuff but he does like a dairy free chocolate lolly now and then.
Dr Jekyll said:
What exactly is the issue with fizzy drinks?
Sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, sweeteners including sucralose, acesulfame potassium and aspartame, flavourings, colourings, caffeine and preservatives. Basically a chemical s**tstorm that has a similar effect to feeding Gizmo after midnight. My two (Oliver who is 7 and Poppy-Jemima who is 5) have very strictly controlled diets. After their 5 mile walk every morning they have a breakfast of gruel and millet seed cereal and skimmed Alpaca milk (all locally sourced from a a local organic farmer so we know EXACTLY what it contains, plus it cuts down on the CO2 emissions). For their packed lunch they have home made gruel and millet seed energy bars with papaya and coconut smoothies, and for their supper they have toasted gruel and millet seed crackers with boiled organic onion soup.
Jesus wept. I have no idea how my generation survived the culinary minefield of our youth.
Jesus wept. I have no idea how my generation survived the culinary minefield of our youth.
I'm a true believer that educating and moderation is better than completely denying children of certain things. I always feel that if they never get the opportunity to try something, or feel that it was 'banned' at a younger age, then when they are old enough and going out with friends then they might just abuse or over indulge in the forbidden fruits…
Of course this is my opinion based on my upbringing and I respect that its each to their own when it comes to their children's nutrition.
Of course this is my opinion based on my upbringing and I respect that its each to their own when it comes to their children's nutrition.
Countdown said:
My two (Oliver who is 7 and Poppy-Jemima who is 5) have very strictly controlled diets. After their 5 mile walk every morning they have a breakfast of gruel and millet seed cereal and skimmed Alpaca milk (all locally sourced from a a local organic farmer so we know EXACTLY what it contains, plus it cuts down on the CO2 emissions). For their packed lunch they have home made gruel and millet seed energy bars with papaya and coconut smoothies, and for their supper they have toasted gruel and millet seed crackers with boiled organic onion soup.
Jesus wept. I have no idea how my generation survived the culinary minefield of our youth.
Quite. Reading some of the above posts and all I can think is "poor kids"Jesus wept. I have no idea how my generation survived the culinary minefield of our youth.
My partner was really strict on our little guys diet to begin with, it has paid off though as he's a good eater now in terms of main meals with veg as well. Similar situation with only water or milk as a drink, he actually won't even drink/doesn't like squash and have never even tried him with a fizzy drink. We do let him have more snack food than we used to, we keep it to the kids stuff you can buy that's not loaded with sugar/salt or any nasty stuff (like the organix range) and fruit such as raisins, sliced apple, bananas and orange. He loves a yoghurt and on very special occasions an ice cream.
OP are you based around Bristol?
OP are you based around Bristol?
Countdown said:
My two (Oliver who is 7 and Poppy-Jemima who is 5) have very strictly controlled diets. After their 5 mile walk every morning they have a breakfast of gruel and millet seed cereal and skimmed Alpaca milk (all locally sourced from a a local organic farmer so we know EXACTLY what it contains, plus it cuts down on the CO2 emissions). For their packed lunch they have home made gruel and millet seed energy bars with papaya and coconut smoothies, and for their supper they have toasted gruel and millet seed crackers with boiled organic onion soup.
.
I come across these type of milfs, they are 10/10 physically hence why the bloke let's them get on with it .
Kewy said:
I'm a true believer that educating and moderation is better than completely denying children of certain things. I always feel that if they never get the opportunity to try something, or feel that it was 'banned' at a younger age, then when they are old enough and going out with friends then they might just abuse or over indulge in the forbidden fruits…
Of course this is my opinion based on my upbringing and I respect that its each to their own when it comes to their children's nutrition.
I think we work to a similar view point.Of course this is my opinion based on my upbringing and I respect that its each to their own when it comes to their children's nutrition.
We're raising adults. They're kids now, but we're trying to turn them into adults.
Whether it's about food, attitudes towards other people or crossing the road, we're educating them to make good decisions.
amongst other conversations at the dinner table, we talk about the different things we're eating, and how our body uses them. We relate it back to things that they do in the day. In a simple spag bol, for instance, the pasta gives you energy to ride your bike, the meat is to make stronger muscles, and the sauce and vegetables contain all the bits needed to keep you healthy.
In response to the main thread title, they're not allowed alcoholic or caffeinated drinks, and fizzy drinks are strictly a treat.
Food wise we let them try pretty much anything, but certainly try to give them a healthy, balanced diet.
S100HP said:
Countdown said:
My two (Oliver who is 7 and Poppy-Jemima who is 5) have very strictly controlled diets. After their 5 mile walk every morning they have a breakfast of gruel and millet seed cereal and skimmed Alpaca milk (all locally sourced from a a local organic farmer so we know EXACTLY what it contains, plus it cuts down on the CO2 emissions). For their packed lunch they have home made gruel and millet seed energy bars with papaya and coconut smoothies, and for their supper they have toasted gruel and millet seed crackers with boiled organic onion soup.
Jesus wept. I have no idea how my generation survived the culinary minefield of our youth.
Quite. Reading some of the above posts and all I can think is "poor kids"Jesus wept. I have no idea how my generation survived the culinary minefield of our youth.
I feel a bit bad reading the above.
My kids (7&8) eat well, love veggies and all sorts of good and not so good for you cuisine. It's nice being able to go out for a curry as a family, for instance.
But on the flip side they also love sweets, ice creams, crisps, fast food and soft drinks. They get them too. On occasion. Like most things, i beliv you should manage a balance, indulge on special occasions, but don't overdo the bad stuff, and you will live a happy life.
I feel bad sometimes as it's been me who has corrupted someone's kid: one mum said to me after a play date "Amy was so pleased to have had her first ever Coca-Cola with you guys". Through gritted teeth
oops!
My kids (7&8) eat well, love veggies and all sorts of good and not so good for you cuisine. It's nice being able to go out for a curry as a family, for instance.
But on the flip side they also love sweets, ice creams, crisps, fast food and soft drinks. They get them too. On occasion. Like most things, i beliv you should manage a balance, indulge on special occasions, but don't overdo the bad stuff, and you will live a happy life.
I feel bad sometimes as it's been me who has corrupted someone's kid: one mum said to me after a play date "Amy was so pleased to have had her first ever Coca-Cola with you guys". Through gritted teeth
oops!S100HP said:
Quite. Reading some of the above posts and all I can think is "poor kids"
Yes you are right, it's often the parents with less money and so their poor kids...We have factories making man-made food, designed not to improve a humans health, but to give them momentary pleasure on their taste buds, whilst making it as addictive and convenient as possible. Home cooked food tastes far better.
So you can either buy that crap, or you can seek or make better quality food.
My kids won't grow up wishing they ate Frosties everyday, I don't look back now and think wow I ate so much crap growing up, I shudder at the thought.
Edited by hyphen on Thursday 27th June 12:49
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