British kids and eating habits - IABU ?

[lovemycoffee2]

I have two young kids and we live in the UK but we are not originally from here.

At home we cook everyday from scratch our food and we take that food at a lunch box at our workplace. We have a light dinner again made from scratch.

The issue is our kids which are of course going to school/nursery and they love to copy their friends!

In the UK it's healthy if a kid eats sausages (god knows what the meat has inside), or for example Heinz baked beans which have 10% sugar and 20% salt (leaving 70% being actual beans) or if they eat fish fingers which are pre-fried (even if you bake them they were already fried before got frozen) or chicken nuggets (again pre-fried which god knows what was the oil quality).

It's also acceptable to drink juices which have no sugar but plenty sweeteners.

Also, it's perfectly fine to have a ham sandwich for lunch which has ready made processed bread full of emulsifiers and ham which (like sausage) god knows what ingredients has.

It's ok that primary schools offer desserts, even if they are small portions and low sugar on a daily basis - not on a weekly or as special occasion! I don't have a dessert everyday, why my kid is offered one?

Honestly, are all these things ok? Am I paranoid?

I am very worried that the kids will either end up obsessed. with diabetes or with other health issues given all the processed food and the fact that we are what we eat.

YABU - are you crazy?

YANBU - unfortunately this is a "balanced healthy diet" in the UK!

Just to say the fish fingers and chicken dippers at my child's school are homemade. So it's possible they are at your child's school too?

I meal prep when I'm training so already had my chicken and broccoli thanks.

I don't believe for a second that you're from another country or that these are your views. I'm only replying for anyone who is gullible enough to take you seriously and may believe you're making a good point.

Having cared for children parented like this wait for them to become sweet obsessed and spend all their money on it once they have the freedom to do so.

It’s not all schools. There’s quite a big divide between private and state schools in terms of food quality. Private schools simply wouldn’t get away with serving some of the shite state school students are expected to eat.

Hahaha continental children don't eat unhealthily? When I was in Germany as a teen, I was sent off with a packed lunch of chocolate sandwiches!!!

Thanks for elaborating - I have to say that he does indeed sound like he deserves his hero status. I don't know how he fitted it all in! But you have been very fortunate to have such a good role model in your life. I'm not sure many could match him. x

OP why not just give your kids what you want to and if they complain that their mates are eating xyz then just say TOUGH.

My daughter was sent to school with a ham, cheese or tuna sandwich, a piece of fruit, a penguin bar and some crisps for most of her school career. She walks EVERYWHERE. She's slim and healthy. That was my standard of lunches.

But you do you!

Honestly, every family's budget, culture, time management and ability is different. I wouldn't judge, personally.

OK, so was there any reason whatsoever for OP (a) to mention that she was not from the UK or (b) to suggest that entire country endorses the unhealthy eating that she has observed?

Nonsense. Parents who cook from scratch are not the problem in this country. Parents who feed their kids junk food absolutely are.

OP - i completely agree with you. I'm British and it's so depressing having to raise children in an environment where poor eating habits are normalised. Currently I live in portugal thank god and the nurseries all serve soup made from a protein & 2 vegetables, the kids have this every day. Healthy eating is so achievable if it's normalised.

That’s right no-one on the internet lives anywhere but the U.K. And no-one things nuggets and burgers don’t really qualify as food.

Most kids in Denmark have packed lunches. School dinners are not a big thing.

Lots of DC out playing here too. Either out the front or in the gardens. The parks and playgrounds are busy too. I'm not sure what it is that makes the difference?

That's because it is paid for by the parents. The government fund the food for reception to yr 2

All this talk about the wonderful British food has made me hungry. I would kill for a sausage sandwich, can't eat it because I'm suffering from high cholesterol. Those good old days (sigh).

Get a power of attorney and then your wishes can still be respected even if you've lost capacity. DNARs are a medical decision, though not a choice for the individual.

What's the excuse for Secondary then?

Yes, I think you’re being unreasonable for a host of reasons:

1. you’re treating this as a British problem. I’ve been to Malta, there’s plenty of obesity there too!
2. our education system is on its knees. If you want better quality food I suggest you pay for it yourself - try private school - because there aren’t the funds for it to come out of taxes at present. (“Healthy” food itself may be cheaper than processed but the time, effort and expertise to prepare it isn’t)
3. unhealthy eating habits are created at home - frequently by parents who take a hard line on what is “bad” vs “good” food instead of teaching all things in moderation.
4. my mum home cooked everything including ice cream, bread and on occasion her version of baked beans. My dad has a sweet tooth and there was pudding after every cooked meal and some form of cake at teatime every single day I and my 3 siblings were home. No sign of diabetes or a single BMI over 24 for the 4 generations that I’ve personally known so far.

in summary, don’t give your child a complex, get them involved in cooking and let them enjoy food of all types. My 5 year old has recently discovered how easy it is to make choux pastry so for the time being all play dates are requested to involve profiteroles - cheesy or sweet!

Of course people get defensive about their country. It's a bit like when someone criticises a member of your family and you stick up for them. You can criticise that family member but woe betide anyone else who does!

Right and there’s no reason why they couldn’t provide more money for state school meals if it was seen as important, as they’re currently supporting poor nutrition and obesity.

Person who is rude tells person who they were rude to not to be offended by their rudeness and not be rude back?

I don’t get defensive about my country.

OP's country also has an obesity crisis. Just saying...

Never have I known anyone so obsessed with pudding!! Op get over yourself

British kids have had puddings with school dinners for years

Keep ya kid off its iPad and it can run around and burn it off. Goady nasty thread