Or is toast with honey a perfectly acceptable breakfast for a 4yo?

[n0ne]

Just that, really. DD(4) is asking for toast with honey for breakfast. DH is telling her she can't have it. I ask why, he says it's just pure sugar and looks at me like I've got two heads. Surely toast with honey is a perfectly normal breakfast option? It's not like she eats it every day (or in fact ever before).

DH is foreign, if that makes a difference. He has some really weird (to me) ideas about what is and isn't an acceptable meal

Everything in moderation. But I wouldn't give it to my 4yo because I know they'd probably then want it every day and I would rather deal with saying "no" once now than every day for weeks after.

honey needs kale's PR team

That actually is a really important point. The kale trend was created in a very intentional and manipulative way by a woman named Oberon Sinclair. Kale didn't just become popular organically as 'clean eaters' discovered it via word of mouth and realised it had health benefits. There was a whole really targeted marketing campaign by 'big kale' to first position kale as a hipster celeb superfood, and then to take it mainstream. Kale's image is as controlled and manipulated as coca cola. Google it, it's fascinating.

Remember that scene from the Simpsons where Lisa is excited about Dalai Lama-aid? (At 3 mins in this clip.) That.

really it doesn't negate the calories of the honey, it simply ensures that the meal contains some beneficial nutrients. Nothing wrong with a bit of sugar on occasion but it would be better to have it with banana so the meal also contains vitamin c, potassium etc.

And I didn't suggest it for reasons of obesity, simply from a general health perspective.

Meh, my DD1 has a swirl of honey on her weetabix every morning and has been doing since she was about 4. She's not obese or addicted to sugar etc. She eats a perfectly healthy diet and loves her fruit & veg etc. I don't think a bit of honey will do any harm OP.

There was a whole really targeted marketing campaign by 'big kale' to first position kale as a hipster celeb superfood, and then to take it mainstream

That actually is interesting. I found this article: www.mindbodygreen.com/0-22984/the-strange-mystery-of-who-made-kale-famous-and-why.html that suggests there is no "big kale" though. It seems to suggest that Oberon Sinclair invented all of that too, and she just marketed and promoted kale because she wanted it to be popular and wanted people to eat more healthy food...?

Bizarre.

It is nigh on impossible, given time pressures etc to balance every single meal though. But the clue is in the phrase balanced diet. Diet. Not individually balanced meals.

Yep, honey absolutely already contains vitamin c! Wasn't sure about how much potassium, though

Surely toast with honey is a perfectly normal breakfast option?

Yup, perfectly normal. I would give it to my four-year-old on occasion - she also likes porridge with honey in it.

My only qualm is if we're going out it might not fill her up all that much. If we're home she can always nibble something through the morning, but if we're going to be doing something I prefer her to have something a bit more substantial first thing.

I wish people would stop talking about "healthy" and "unhealthy" food.

The human body requires all kinds of nutrients, in different proportions (depending on the person's age, personal circumstances, exercise, etc.). We all need proteins and carbohydrates as well as sugar and fat. And yes, children need more sugar and fat than adults.

The point is having a balanced diet overall, which excludes nothing (even junk food now and then). Obsessing about "healthy" food is a surefire way to create eating disorders.

A piece of toast with honey is a perfectly reasonable breakfast. Your husband is being extremely unreasonable.

impossible, given time pressures etc to balance every single meal though

Seriously???

To balance healthy carbs, protein/dairy, veg/fruit at every meal is 'nigh on impossible'.

I don't find that hard at all and we are very time pressed as a family.

All the elderly, who are living longer than ever, grew up under rationing; probably had toast and marmalade and sweet tea to drink every day. The big difference is that people just didn't have snacks between meals, and fizzy drinks were a rare treat. No nonsense about having to be constantly hydrated either.

Every meal has a perfect balance of carbs, protein/dairy, veg/fruit Laurie? Every single meal and snack?

I'd say we do OK as a family because I try and balance every day. Certainly every week. Every meal and snack every day is, I'd say, almost impossible for most

For example, no dairy in my lunch or dinner today. But since I had egg muffins for breakfast, I'm not going to get too het up about it

Every single meal has a balance of carbs, protein/dairy, veg/fruit, yes. I fail to see what's so very difficult about that.

Not snacks, because snacks are usually just one thing. But then we don't do a whole lot of snacking anyway.

Well I never eat dairy

Surely it's about the overall diet being balanced

I'm expecting imminent collapse then since I had vegetable soup for lunch. No protein! The horror! But as I say, two eggs for breakfast, lean chicken for dinner...I'll take that

Protein or dairy. Basic balancing of some carbohydrate, some protein and some plant based food in all meals. Is that so very difficult?

I wouldn't obsess over every single meal hav8ng a perfect balance. As long as the course of a day/week it out. We sometimes have soup at lunch that may not have protein and amounts of cheese/ehg/meat aren't obsessively measured for each meal.

Overall everyone gets a balanced diet and no unhealthy food rules or obsessions!! Having done the rounds of eating disorder groups so many weird eating rules or disorders stem from controlling parental rules around food as a kid (alongside other issues).

And I'll probably have some nuts before my exercise class later. Carbs will all be from fruit / veg plus a little couscous with dinner.

I would like to warn you though that the recipe I'm making for dinner tonight contain the poison formerly known as honey

it's not difficult it's just not necessary - ie veggie soup above but proteiney dinner! Or the odd fish and chip supper on the beach but lovely salad at lunch .

I'm expecting imminent collapse then since I had vegetable soup for lunch. No protein!

The hyperbole is just silly. Who mentioned collapse?

You said it was 'well nigh impossible' to achieve balance at every meal. Which it isn't. A bit of cheese would have done it. Entirely up to you if you don't want to, but it's very far from impossible.

I wouldn't obsess over every single meal hav8ng a perfect balance. As long as the course of a day/week it out.

Agree

Laurie I genuinely don't think about doing that for every meal. Probably it happens for the majority of meals by default. But I try and eat (and give my kids) a balanced diet as a whole. Not a balanced meal three times a day iyswim.