to think that having a packet of crisps a day is not healthy

[Badgerwife]

or am I being precious?

I was having this discussion after watching Britain's Favourite Supermarket Foods on tv with some friends yesterday, who all thought that having a packet a crisp a day was totally fine and clearly thought I was weird to think that it was totally unhealthy. I'll admit I was appalled surprised but this may be because I was brought up in France where you don't really eat crisps unless you're having a picnic, in fact, I'm not even sure you can buy individual packets. So it was a bit of a culture shock when I first moved to England when I realised it's a staple snack/lunch item.

Even now, I never have crisps in the house - unless I'm pregnant like now and I crave the salt content like crazy and they are moreish and delicious plus it's cheaper than my other craving which is McDonalds and way more shameful to admit to but then I worry about my cholesterol going up and clogged arteries with all the fat.

So AIBU?

If a treat for a child is some strawberries only, then when they have access to crisps, chocolate etc, they try to shove in as much as possible in one go. I have seen this time and time again as a teacher when we have had class parties. The children who eat a healthy and balanced diet which includes crisps, cake etc will eat sensibly. The children who are denied will binge eat.

I am a firm believer in a bit of everything and not demonising food.

I am a firm believer in a bit of everything and not demonising food

Exactly!

Well said pudding.

I don't think a packet of crips a day would be considered particularly unhealthy by most people. Unless we are talking about a gigantic packet. I agree about fruit juice. That's worse but people think it's so healthy. And alcohol is a lot worse for your health than a packet of crisps. Gets of soap box.

but having them once a week does that too - having some crisps or some chocolate at the weekend is not demonising them.

havng them daily is making them probably 10% of that child's regular daily diet which is not so good

IMO

anyway back to work now (salad finished )

Again, agreeing with bigkids.

It would never occur to me to feed them to a child ( or myself/ any adult) as part of lunch or on a daily basis

Did you know crisps are a major contributing factor to tooth decay? It's because they get all squashed on your teeth, and people don't generally clean their kids teeth after crisps whereby after biscuits/sweets they would be more likely to.

When I was at primary school in the 70's the school tuck shop sold them and everyone had a packet a day at morning break. The headmaster regularly went to the cash & carry to buy boxes of crisps and it was a good earner for the school.

I depends on what your diet is like overall. If you eat nothing but healthy food the rest of the day a packet of crisps is fine. But if you also eat chocolate, puddings etc then it is too much I think. Personally, although I'd love to, I would consider eating a packet of crisps a day as unhealthy, as I'd like to eat other not so healthy stuff like sweets etc once a day too. I probably have a packet of crisps once a month or so.

I occassionally give my DCs no salt crisps (I can't remember the brand now, just a normal brand nothing fancy). It's only got potato and sunflower oil as ingerdiants so I can't see that it can do any harm at all.

linky

I wouldn't do a packet a day but I wouldn't save them as treats either.

The whole association of food with treat is a damaging one.

"I am astonished children have a bag of crisps and a chocolate bar every day in packed lunches. You wouldn't eat that for lunch at work would you."

Ummm... when I was working, I used to nip out to the shops at lunchtime and come back with a piece of hot quiche, a bag of crisps, a can of Coke and a chocolate bar.

If I was really busy, I would just get the Coke, crisps and chocolate bar and munch on them through the afternoon while working.

Still a size 8 though...

MMmmm, prawn cocktail.....

I do like crisps. But rarely buy them. Bought a lot when I was pregnant as I needed something to nibble on all day, and salty crisps were what I needed most!!

But now, I might buy the very occasional 'share' packet, but only if they're on offer, or a new flavour I haven't seen before.

Same here Anonymumous - when I was working in hospitality, I regularly had a bag of crisps, a sandwich, a chocolate bar, a carton of juice and a bit of fruit. (we used to make pack lunches with these in for guests, and were allowed to take one for lunch for free!)

Agree with BigsKids and Newbie

When I had a packet of crisps / bars of chocolate daily, I was 4 stone heavier than I am now. Guarantee way to increase weight for me.

Appreciate 'anecdote does not equal fact' and each are different.

We only have the Sainsburys Salt Your Own crisps for the children, and without the salt (which we take out when we give them the packet), they have 127 cals and 7.9g of fat, mostly monunsaturated. That's 30 fewer calories and nearly 56 times less sugar than a Jordans Breakfast bar (157cals, and 0.2g vs 11.3g sugar). Similarly a banana has nearly 90cals in a medium sized one and 12g sugars. So frankly if it fits your macros, a packet of no salt crisps is no better or worse than any number of other typical snack and lunch foods. Whilst I don't give them to my children every day, when they get them once a month I don't give it a second thought.

Basically it pays to be as clued up as possible about nutrition and to read the labels like a hawk because you will surprise yourself - did you know that two plain Rich Tea biscuits have less calories and sugar than a single Farley's Rusk for babies? Bet you didn't...

Yeah, well maybe 'appalled' wasn't the best word to use, considering I'm eating some right now .
Let's say I had a strong inner reaction at the time which might have come at as 'OMG', thankfully we were able to move past it and you'll be pleased to know I am not losing sleep over it either!

According to the British Heart Foundation - it says children drink 5 litres of cooking oil a year as a result of their one packet a day crisps. [yuck]

Do they drink crisps then?

Yanbu.
As others have said there is no nutritional benefit to crisps except possibly potassium which you can get from other sources and only a very small amount is needed anyway. Your body only needs a certain number of calories every day so its best to avoid 'empty calories' as much as possible. I would include most fruit juice in that description.
And I love chocolate and crisps but try not to eat every day.

I eat a packet about 4 times a week. I don't think that's either healthy or unhealthy. I am a size 10, never get ill , hardly drink alcohol and never eat chocolate or puddings or biscuits.