AIBU to think some weekly shops contain far too many snacks?and this is not grocery shopping!?

Yes this is how I see it. We don’t have those things in the house as they’re not ‘every day’ foods. I would never ban them from eating those things, but if they want them they walk to the shop and buy them. I’d say they only bother once or twice a week at most (the shop is 5 mins away so not a particularly onerous trek) and that’s usually only because they’re with friends who want to go to the shop.
They’re not massively fussed about crisps/chocolate/sweets and none of them like fizzy drinks.

They do because it's what sells. It's what people want. The majority of people are overweight or obese. Threads about anything food related is full of excuses.

I was a child in the1970s. We had crisps occasionally and sweets were a rare treat. We didn't help ourselves to 'snacks' and we didn't have them in the house normally.
We ate meals.

I still don't eat snacks (I mentioned biscuits in a pp). I might eat a few boiled sweets if I want something sweet, and if hungry between meals, I might have some oatcakes.

I am not overweight. The 'inevitable middle-age spread' didn't happen.

@ThreadGuardDog , shocking isn't it. I weigh pre-packaged foods too. They are often underweight.

Never watched this stuff and never go to a large supermarket to see how other people shop (weekly supermarket delivery). But I find the figures on how much of the average diet comes from UPF incredible, so I'm sure your right. Some people are clearly buying/consuming an unhealthy amount of this sort of stuff. It is still grocery shopping though I guess, just very different.

Now that kids are grown up we don't really buy any readymade snacky stuff on a regular basis (I remember I used to buy nakd bars regularly). I will sometimes buy some crisps/nuts if we were having people drinks, or get some elderflower fizz of something, or pop out to get some posh biscuits if people dropping in for cuppa, but none of these things form part of our every day shop. It's just now how we like to eat. It's not even some careful effort, it's just what we have always done..

Good grief OP, take a day off. Some of us like snacks, it's a little joy in a sometimes shitty life. Guess what too? Not everyone that enjoys a snack is a morbidly obese, type 2 diabetic, NHS draining cretin. I have several snacks a day, I'm not overweight. I'm going to die young and fuck me I'm not doing it having only eaten rabbit food before I go. Shock horror, DD has some form of snack, chocolate, sweets or pudding every day! She swims competitively and for fun, she plays sports and she never sits down. She isn't anywhere close to being over weight - she's actually a little under - and she has perfectly healthy teeth.

Unclench a little, you might like it

Your body doesn’t know or care about the difference between the source of the fructose though. It processes it the same.
But I agree the healthy/unhealthy divide comes in where concentration, delivery and quantity is concerned. ie. You’re more likely to eat a whole packet of Haribo than a whole packet of dates.
The current trend of fearing certain ingredients is something that bothers me as a dietician by profession, people are so desperate to avoid glucose for example but your brain relies on it. Food-avoidance fads are largely based on morality (and a dash of superiority!) and not nutritional understanding.

I don’t mean to say that date flapjacks are worse than or as bad as sweets, pop etc. but just pointing out that just because an ingredient is labelled “healthy” by society doesn’t make it perfect. Coconut oil is great example of this as other posters have mentioned it is so problematic.

A lot of the time “healthy” versions of normal foods are just swapping one type of ingredient with another version of it and not really achieving much other than spending more time and money than most people can afford.

Well humans do live for fatty foods and sugar, as we need both things to survive. I don't smoke or drink, meanwhile country walks make me miserable, I'd rather stick pins in my eyes! My hobbies probably won't meet your approval either.

So just scroll on? It doesn't concern you what other people eat.

It’s definitely not akin to feeding your kids meth, but I think the question is more why would you use it at all when it’s so much worse for your health than many other similar products on the market. Like anything, over time it will have an effect.

I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing to instil in children that these things are treats and not for everyday consumption. If there isn’t a supply of them on tap from the weekly shop and they have to buy them themselves with precious pocket money then it teaches the value of both. A good life lesson.

Each to their own. It’s partly what their pocket money is for.

Actually, I have been stocking the fridge, for the kids to get themselves food and snacks, from Ocado. That is my main grocery shop.

I buy an awful lot of our meat and veg with yellow stickers, as and when, and cook them up for the main meals.

Just can’t imagine making my kids use their pocket money if they want a bar of chocolate or packet of crisps.

It doesn’t sound like they’re asking your permission?

Why are you watching? Why are you bothered?
Our weekly shop contains lots of meat, veg,
pasta etc… and also crisps and chocolate. Yes, we eat chocolate weekly, shock horror!

I’ve actually started looking at the bulk values too. It makes you realise how expensive certain everyday items have become. In any cases it also highlights how much smaller pre packaged items have become. Certain butter brands have not only increased their prices, but have reduced the pack size from 250g to 200g. Presumably they believe in the old saying - less is more.

Err… what’s wrong with that? If my kids want junk food they walk to the shop and buy it with their pocket money.

That actually sounds really good

On the flip side there are some interesting videos on YouTube where people buy different versions of popular products. They compare the cheaper versions to the more expensive end of the range and it’s an eye opener.

Fish fingers are just one example - the cheaper products being nothing more than a thin layer of grey minced fish and mostly yellowy breadcrumbs, while the higher end tend to be white fish fillet and natural crumb. The ingredients listed on the packaging varies according to price too. I know we all basically know this, but when you see them compared in these terms it makes you realise that many people are missing out on valuable nutrition because they simply can’t afford to feed their families the better quality versions of these things.

I'm surprised you're surprised OP. Any supermarket sell something like 30% pantry stuff, 10% if that healthy and 60% is shitty stuff full of fat, sugar and processed stuff.

They do because it's what sells. It's what people want. The majority of people are overweight or obese. Threads about anything food related is full of excuses.

We are an unhealthy nation that eat and drink the wrong stuff and encourage our children to think it's normal and okay.

Chocolate or crisps with their own pocket money???

Poor little sods.

The people who complain that fresh food is too expensive are probably the ones who buy 'snacks'.

I rarely buy biscuits but fancied some but when I looked at the prices, I left them there. I don't like the usual cheap ones like bourbon and custard creams but even they are something like £2.25 a kilo. Carrots are 69p a kilo.

The chocolate digestives I fancied were £8.46 a kilo.

I think you're getting a hard time because you're being quite judgemental and also a bit vague. If your complaint is tha tpeople say they've spent a fortune and hardly bough tany actual meals then sure, I get that. The person complaining they can't afford things but who is buying unnecessary shit is annoying but even then, I'm not convinced judgement is helpful as it's just as likely they don't know better or have other things going on that make them do this.

But a blanket, "people buying snacks is bad" thing is ridiculous. Among my broader circle of friends and family I am generally considered to be someone who is an excellent cook, providing healthy, diverse meals for my family. But of course I also buy snacks and treats. I'm completely okay with DD having a packet of popcorn or a Twirl, alongside her largely healthy, home cooked, UPF-light diet. And yes, we have fizzy drinks and biscuits in the house too.

They know they'll get more commenting if their only showing the snacks not the food they make actual meals with.

I love my snacks and shall ignore people that judge. I rarely drink, dont smoke. Biscuits or choccie bar with my cuppa is def staying. I am not over weight either.

My grocery trolley is often full of snacks! Crisps and biscuits. Plus some convenience foods like pizza, Higgidy Pies etc. Alongside fruit and veg, pasta, rice, pulses and some meat.
Two adults and two teen DC. We're all skinny and active and happy and healthy.

Maybe I'll put my next shop on Instagram to generate some rage? 🤣