to think DH is over-reacting to the kids' breakfast?

[EmGee]

Kids generally have homemade banana bread (I do add some dark choc pieces...), or other homemade cakey/bread/muffiny thing sweetened with fruit puree, a bit of brown sugar or some maple syrup. I add ground almonds and things like chia seeds or oat bran as much as possible, and try to use alternatives to white flour to vary things. Always cut down the amount of actual sugar that is given in the recipe to the absolute minimum.

I also make flapjacks and have successfully reduced the sugar content dramatically by using mashed banana for example. Kids are less keen on the banana version though.

My reasoning is that these things are homemade and I know exactly what has gone into them. The kids like them. It's quick and easy in the mornings. Is it so wrong?

They normally have water, milk or I make hot chocolate using unsweetened dark cacao powder and add a bit of brown sugar to sweeten.

He thinks weetabix is 'better' and it's ridiculous that they eat 'cake'.

AIBU or is he????

I think the mass marketed is relevant as their marketing team have clearly done a good job of convincing the people on this thread that a processed wheat product is a nutrious, healthy breakfast. I'd be surprised if OP's cake wasn't just as nutrious but others seem to find that hard to believe. That must be in part due to the marketing.

Oh and weetabix are awful hate them. With the risk of being flamed, i agree that raisins are "bad food".

There are no 'bad foods', only bad diets...

Well I never. There are people in the world who think Weetabix and raisins are 'bad food'.

A Starbucks 25 sugar latte is probably bad food. Weetabix...not so much.

I'll tell you what "bad food" is. Kale crisps and sweet potato brownies

I don't think weetabix is a "bad" food but I don't think that everyone would be so supportive of the husband if he'd suggested a piece of brown bread (no butter or other toppings) and a cup of milk as an alternative breakfast. I doubt there is much nutritional difference to the weetabix but it wouldn't be perceived as a healthy breakfast in the same way.

I don't think of Weetabix as healthy or unhealthy. I think of it as a simple filling breakfast that my children like AND can make for themselves.

But it has CARBS in it, Partron, and doesn't contain any poncey, expensive ingredients.

Will no-one think of the children?!?!

Failed again this morning. The kids had a chocolate muffin AND a banana. Call social services.

There are no 'bad foods', only bad diets...

^this!^

I genuinely believe people over think this stuff. 3 decent meals a day. Home made meals using fresh local ingredients where possible to me seems the best basis of a good diet. If the basics of the diet is good the odd sugary treat will do you know harm.

Learning to eat when you are actually hungry, not bored or thirsty and to eat until you are full not stuffed is a large part of the issue of obesity imo.

OP's cakes sound lovely, but I wouldn't be giving them every morning personally.

So much crap talked about food these days. My friend suggested sugar is the new (food bogeyman) salt - so true!! Obviously it's bad for you in large quantities, but it isn't inherently evil either. In fact both are needed to bring out food flavours and make our food more interesting. These threads always end in a sugary witch hunt and I'm always agog to see how many people have children who apparently eat unsweetened porridge or bran without complaint. And eggs aren't the 100% healthy option either - small children can get very constipated and adults also need to watch cholesterol etc. again all things in moderation imo.
It's been mentioned that breakfast is important because kids need the energy for school etc. I think that's why many people are in the same boat as me and see 'something slightly sugary' as healthier than 'absolutely f-all' (especially if your kids are still at the meltdown stage and you have a busy morning ahead).
With that in mind my kids had the following for breakfast: one bite of bagel and a yoghurt (ds1 aged 4); half a clementine, some hot cross bun, and a yoghurt (ds2 aged 1). I'd love for them both to have had porridge with chia seeds and a gogi berry to share, but real life isn't that way ime...
Oh and OP I think your brekkies sound fine. Plus the rest of your kids' diets. Dh and I take it turns to do morning stuff so choose the brekkie we feel is appropriate, maybe yours can do weetabix on the days he does it :-)

Agree that it's the new cool "thing" to be sanctimonious over sugar. Much like it was with carbs, and sat fat.

Actually, I don't think this thread has turned into an anti sugar witch hunt. Apart from a few posters, it has been relatively sensible.

Eggs don't cause high cholesterol by the way. They really are a brilliant, easy food if you are lucky enough not to be allergic to them.

But lots of people don't need sugar on porridge or weetabix. Your body eventually finds many, many products too sweet.

My four year old only ate half the lovely home made birthday cake at her friend's party because she said it tasted too sweet.

I completely agree that a little sugar and salt is no bad thing. Our bodies actually need salt.

But don't accuse those of us don't think processed wheat isn't a terrific breakfast choice as being "trendy".

My four year old only ate half the lovely home made birthday cake at her friend's party because she said it tasted too sweet.

It Is quite trendy though roonerspism. I think as with most things, the middle way is often the best and easiest.

its absolute fucking child abuse to make a child eat porridge or weetabix without extra sugar imo.

I don't actually have much of a sweet tooth but I agree, porridge without sugar tastes of nothing.

There's so much angst around food these days. Usually ironically from the people who have nothing to actually be angsty about as they feed their child nothing but organic spinach and unsweetened oatbran.

I'm beginning to wonder about oatmeal - as opposed to rolled oats. Traditionally the Scots would eat theirs with salt. A site I've been looking at - American - recommends spices eg cinnammon for flavour.

porridge needs salt AND sugar

"Usually it's brioche and smoothies. At least 5 times a week, I have slim healthy kids."

Smoothies may be packed full of micronutrients but they are also high in fructose (fruit sugar) which plays havok with blood glucose levels. We can get away with not having an optimal diet for many years because when we're young our bodies are very good at repairing the damage caused. But over time it can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, which incidentally is becoming far more common in younger people than it used to be because of high sugar diets. Just because someone is slim doesn't mean they aren't at risk (diabetes isn't restriced to overweight people) and healthy now doesn't mean healthy in 20 years time. It can catch up on us.

"It's certainly carby but to say it contains a lot of sugar is incorrect."

Well, technically carbohydrates are starches and sugars, both of which ultimately break down into glucose. Glucose = sugar.

"The hatred fir raisins on mn always makes me laugh, as though they have ni nutritional value!"

They do have nutritional value but they are very high in sugar for their size and they increase the incidence of teeth caries because they're sticky (much like many sweets). Better to eat grapes (in moderation).

Dry Weetabix with a thick layer of butter on top is a guilty pleasure . But Weetabix with milk taste disgusting and no amount of sugar changes that.

"Twitterqueen" a big problem is high fructose corn syrup which is found in a lot of processed foods. Plus we are a nation of snackers who also seem to have no idea about portion control, nutrition, or how the food we eats effects us. But it's complicated and multifaceted, so if you can, try and find the documentary "The Men Who Made Us Fat" online (you can watch it free BTW), because it's well worth a watch and will explain a lot. Basically we are screwing around with our biochemistry which can then make it hard to lose weight.

"One of the basic banana breads I make...No idea what the calorific/fat content."
EmGee if you go to MyFitnessPal it lets you put in your own recipes; you have to list all the ingredients and weights and it will work out the nutritional data for you. Really useful it is.

"Eggs could be an option but they tend to have omelettes or boiled eggs quite often as a lunch or quick dinner."
Perhaps swap breakfast with lunch?

Monkemamma, they've now overturned that advice about eggs and cholesterol. No evidence to say that eggs increase blood cholesterol levels. You're rught about constipation though, which is why DS no longer gets them for brekkie.

I'm not a big fan of processed cereals myself. Not least because I do some work with these companies and know that the profit margins are staggering. So I refuse to line their pockets

But weetabix is a perfectly fine breakfast choice and only the mumsnet mafia would argue otherwise. It's not a treat though. That's madness.

"Oh for God's sake. I'm sure parents who give their kids Cheerios for breakfast have more than a passing interest in their children's health"

They might have an interest but possibly don't really understand nutrition, which can mean they aren't giving their children the best diet possible. But then, as a nation, it is considered the norm to have cereals for breakfast (which I can understand because they are really convenient and tasty), even though they are far from an ideal start for children expected to do a full day in the classroom. They aren't great for adults either...energy slump, hunger, grumpiness mid morning anyone? Far better to have a higher protein, lower carb breakfast such as eggs, fish or beans.

I would be incredibly surprised if the children of the parents who are ok with Cheerios smoothies and what not did not grow up to have far better attitudes towards food and eating than the kids of the ones who go as far as typing their home recipes into an app to work out if it's ok to eat or not.