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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to ask if your kids eat junk food?

92 replies

happylittlefish · 26/06/2016 14:47

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???

OP posts:

scottsporridgeoats · 27/06/2016 10:03

Yes, 7 and 5 year old sons have a sweet treat every day when they come home from school; we have a sweet/choc box for Sundays, and often have sweets in my bag as bribery. I think we have all got neurotic about this kind of thing. Treats as part of an otherwise balanced diet are fine. My 2 year old DD has far more "junk" than DS1 would have at his age and I don't feel bad about it.
I had lots of sugary treats while growing up and am healthy(I hope!) and not overweight.

whiteonesugar · 27/06/2016 10:24

Last night my DS (16m) had a birdseye potato waffle for dinner! With some cubed cheese, cherry toms and cucumber. He gobbled it all up.

The night before he had fish, new potatoes and peas. He also gobbled all that up.

Everything is ok in moderation!

splendide · 27/06/2016 11:33

Really good point about how adults should be eating well as well. I think my diet has improved since we've had a toddler eating with us - he's 20 months so early days.

So for example, I'll make a bolognese and think - "oh he really needs something green with dinner" and steam courgettes or something. Whereas when it was DH and me on our own we'd probably just have had it on it's own.

He eats some convenience type food definitely but I don't think anything unhealthy as such. I work full time and buy a lot of pricy short-cuts like ready made mash and prepared vegetables and ready to roast meat in foil trays but there's nothing in them that I wouldn't add at home. He eats cake sometimes if we're in a cafe and he loves ice cream but again we only have it out rather than something he can mither for at home.

BarmySmarmy · 27/06/2016 11:36

I have never used any food as a bribe or a reward, or made DC aware of any ration or set limit. I leave our chocs and biscuits open and available on the sideboard, and left over Easter choc is still there. My kids do not hanker after sweets or choc as Forbidden Fruit, and would prefer a chicken sandwich to a Mars Bar under most circumstances. I have allowed them to interrupt a main meal for a bite of pud, put sweet alongside savoury for free choice when weaning, and experienced the usual
Toddler suspicion of veg.

Just feed, supply and offer appetizing nutritious food and don't make a big deal Of it.

JacquesHammer · 27/06/2016 11:37

Yup.

But then I don't buy into the concept of junk food/food being given as treats etc.

ANY food is bad for you if you eat too much of it. I think rather than saying there's "good food" and "bad food" you teach moderation and wise choices.

OldManJenkins · 27/06/2016 11:38

I use to eat something chocolate or cake nearly everyday butility I read it is how diabetes happens so I stopped now it's like maybe once a week.
I think your kids diet is okay but maybe limit the crisps and chocolate to 3 days a week

weeblueberry · 27/06/2016 11:41

I don't give my toddler chocolate every day.

How the hell else would I bribe her to do things if it's not considered a reward.

Thefitfatty · 27/06/2016 11:43

use to eat something chocolate or cake nearly everyday butility I read it is how diabetes happens so I stopped now it's like maybe once a week.

That isn't how diabetes happens.

Statelychangers · 27/06/2016 11:44

I normally try to keep sugar to a minimum, I still feel they eat too much though. On a recent trip home to my parents house - ds told my Mum he'd had enough sugar - she was shocked, none of the other grandkids had ever expressed a need to break from mainlining sugar and giving the dcs junk food is how she gives them attention, would be better if she tried talking to them!

splendide · 27/06/2016 11:46

Presumably it's harder second time around as well. Mine has never had sweets (like a haribo or something) because why would I? If he had an older sibling with them in party bags or whatever I'm sure he would have.

weeblueberry · 27/06/2016 11:47

Definitely splendide. My older daughter didn't get juice til she was nearly two. My younger got water until she realised there was something better in toddler's cup and kept stealing it.

Much harder with second...

splendide · 27/06/2016 11:51

Oh yes I can imagine! DS has never drunk anything except water and milk - I am pretty certain he would love squash if he knew about it. It's not like a huge anti-squash campaign or anything, just that there's none in the house so it's easy.

margewiththebluehair · 27/06/2016 11:56

I agree with most above - that you just need to be sensible.

With DS, I am blessed with a child that just naturally doesn't like sweets, other than plain milk chocolate. He veers towards the savoury - like crisps. He is also very circumspect in terms of how much he eats - I have never seen him 'gorge' on anything. He is just not much of an eater - food is functional rather than a treat or a pleasure.

He will usually have an apple followed by a couple of home made cookies after school. We let him have some chocolate as dessert when he wants it - which is about 2 or 3 times a week. He doesn't ask for it every day - even if we offer it he will just say 'no thank you'. He gets crisps now and then instead of the cookie.

BUT, he loves to eat at McDonalds - he only gets to go once a month or so, but he cherishes it when he goes (and no - its not a happy meal he orders). He also loves Pizza - but we have converted him to home made or fresh ready to cook - rather than overly greasy takeaway.

I have seen mothers who would say "I would never let my child eat at mcdonalds - they only eat organic fresh foods" - I find it really pretentious and I am sure the moment the kids grow up and get their free choice, they will eat burgers everyday!

MangoIsTheNewApple · 27/06/2016 11:58

I don't buy squash, fruit juice, biscuits, sweets, chocolate etc. I rarely make pudding or bake cakes (life's too busy). So it's not there to have at home. The DC (and I) get plenty of that from school / work, at parties, from granny etc.

It's the same to me as buying brown rice rather than white, that's just what I prefer (partly for taste, partly for health). Occasionally I will think 'ice-cream would be nice while the the weather is so hot' or 'it's nearly Xmas, I'll get some mince pies' and buy some, but it's not a regular thing.

Statelychangers · 27/06/2016 12:13

I've heard a few parents say that they won't restrict their dcs sugar in an effort to avoid their dcs having a bad relationship with food and while they were preteen it looked like it was working but when the teenage years hit their teens put on a huge amount of weight.

emilythomson313 · 27/06/2016 12:53

Your son's diet looks pretty good to me! It is okay to have one treat a day, but make sure he engages in physical activities as well!

willfuckformichilenstarfood · 27/06/2016 13:17

Yes they do, however I do limit them to 1 packet of crisps a day and 1 sweet treat a day. When they choose to eat that is up to them. Constant battle with my DH though who would allow them to eat whatever they want all day. I also tend not to have fizzy drinks in the house. Because DH is too lazy to make them a drink so will just pour fizzy. Makes me rage! X

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