to ask if your kids eat junk food?

[happylittlefish]

Surely its okay for kids to have one treat or so a day? Or AIBU? My ds9 is really thin and a typical day for him might be:

• Porridge, banana
• Sandwich/wrap, apple, grapes, crisps/choc biscuit
• Tea
• Malt loaf/yogurt/fruit

His diet isn't that bad is it? Since joining MN I've been doubting it... So do you let your kids have junk food?? What do your kids eat in a typical day???

"Tea"? Home made cottage pie with veg or pizza and ice cream?

Sorry, realised I didn't elaborate 😂 usually something hm, like pasta bakes, cottage pie, curry, stir fry etc always with lots and lots of veg/salad. Takeaway on birthdays only

Mine are teens now so I can't really think what a typical day's eating involves.

But yes, of course they're allowed junk food as part of an otherwise healthy diet.

What ever treats they want. Always been the same.

I notice when friends who are limited to treat come over they are first in the sweet box.

of course they have junk food. just not daily. I try and make things as much as possible Dds have homemade bread and a cooked breakfast of some kind and I don't do snacks

but nothing wrong with pulling out the fish fingers and chips on a Friday.

Of course my kids have some 'junk food' within an otherwise nutritious and balanced diet.

And what is the boundary between junk and not-junk?

If your child was thin to the pin of underweight, anaemic, but wanting to do sport, would you feed them (if you had only these choices) a big mac and Macdonald's salad, or just the salad?

What is the point of your question?

I also have teens, who eat quite healthy but have crisps and choc every day. I always thought it was fine - they're slim, active, healthy and happy 😊

Was just wondering if others shared my views

Yes they do. And all three are happy and healthy.

This place has some awful snobbery on it.

I hung washing out on the line earlier and I always chuckle to myself as I hang up the underwear that maybe a bosom hoicker from here is watching and feeling faint.

Of course.
Mine are also teens, so, during these years, a lot more than they did when I had full control.
My world is so very often very, very different from MN though

This place has some awful snobbery on it.

And an awful lot of lies too I suspect.

Mine do. Usually sweets, chocolate crisps whatever every day

Not ideal, but meh. They're all healthy and on the slim side of healthy. Very active, brush teeth daily. I'm very slim and also eat 'junk' regularly.

Mine do. They have crisps or biscuits or both most days and often eat ice-cream and drink diet colas too. DS2 refused to eat anything for so long that I never had the luxury of controlling what they were allowed to eat. As long a she ate anything I was happy. Now, so long as they have at least 5 a day (usually more) and plenty of protein, I let them fill up on whatever they want, around those basics. They always have home cooked dinner in the evening which has loads of veg. They're not overweight, have no fillings and are fine academically and emotionally. I think junk food only sucks if it replaces good food on a regular basis or if it leads to over eating. A small amount daily or a whole meal of it occasionally is fine.

My ds's are older now 16-21.

They had chocolate and crisps everyday when they were younger, usually in their lunch boxes for school.

DS is 6 and has the occasional McDonalds and sweet treats at the weekend. Everything in moderation.

The thing is, because my kids are older, I'm now seeing the effect of overly strict parenting on a lot of their friends.

A lot of the kids who weren't allowed sweets/crisps/takeaways, are actually living off of it, now they have their part time wage packets (aged 16).

Equally, my DS(13) says some of his friends are never out of the chicken shops, when they have birthday or christmas money.

'Moderation is key', might sound like a boring phrase but imo it's a very true one.

There's nothing wrong with the occasional junk food. As long as they eat healthily the rest of the time, there's nothing wrong with crisps/chocolate etc.
Everything in moderation. As long as they have a generally healthy diet and are fit and active, nothing wrong with a bit of junk too!

Neither of my two girls live at home now, youngest is at uni and the oldest works. They grew up eating treats daily, all of their friends seemed to have similar apart from one girl who wasn't allowed treats at home and used to practically inhale then when given the chance.
My oldest daughter doesn't like to cook so always go for a quick option but tries to stay healthy, lots of salads and stir fry. My youngest is a great cook and always has something tasty on the go in the slow cooker.
I don't think my relaxed approach to treats has done them any harm at all.

I meet up with them every few weeks and we always go for coffee and cake , it's a lovely way to spend a few hours.

I'm gonna sound like that mum now but DD(3) does not get crisps and choc every day. Maybe once a fortnight. We rarely have that stuff in the house (except 'grown up' chocolate which she's not allowed ) but if we do, she's allowed a few crisps or whatever, but not loads. I don't think she misses it - she doesn't ask for it.

She does get a penny sweet if she uses the potty, though

Why do you think it's ok for 'grown ups' to eat chocolate but not kids?

Yep, quite often. It's mixed with a healthy diet and lots of physical activity. He's slim and has good teeth, I'm ok with it.

One thing I have never done was adult/kid food.

Growing up my dad would have a huge steak with the trimmings but mum would cook up sausage and chip for the kids.

What ever I cook ( apart from curry as both my kids don't like spicy food) the kids have.

Everyday they have something I'm sure others would term "junk food"
Alongside 3 meals, fruit and water.
Life is too short, and honestly judge all the "oh we don't have any junk food" people as I bet their kids will be binging on it as soon as they get their freedom.

I don't really see fish fingers and chips as junk food ...more convenience food. My DC diets are more or less similar to mine back in the 80s. Mixture of home cooked & convenience, a few healthy snacks , maybe one or two less healthy snacks/pudding etc per day. Lots of fruit . We're all slim & healthy.

Mine are only 2 and 7months so not had too many issues yet as they eat what they are given mostly, but we do allow the older one treats, though in moderation.

SIL breathes down the neck of DNeice constantly about what she can and cannot eat (she is 7) and I hav never seen a child so obsessed with food as a result. I have seen her to to hide taking food before and she has made herself sick at a children's party eating too much.

SIL now goes to all the parties with her to control what she eats. I worry she is an eating disorder waiting to happen- poor thing.

I think being too strict will backfire, but I may be wrong.