Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Original poster

unhealthy food, other parents and toddlers! grrr.

170 replies

MaeBee · 12/02/2008 12:36

i give my 16mth old a fairly good, balanced diet on the whole, although i'm a bit too easy on those Organix oatbars (sweetened with apple juice).lots of organic veg, fish, a mixture of wholemeal and white, and he's a big fan of fruit. he's a good eater, especially fond of his greens like brocolli and peas etc.
but im finding toddler groups difficult cos other parents keep bringing in "treats" to share with the group. its ALWAYS something to celebrate. today a box of biscuits arrive cos its chinese new year. also some kids have squash (euphemistically called juice to my annoyance!) whilst others have water.
if i don't let him have them when all the other kids are allowed, there is, of course, tantrums. and it feels very unfair too. so i usually let him have one, especially if he finds some on the floor...(!) cos its too late to fish it out his mouth. and i don't want him to be neurotic about unhealthy food. its okay for a treat. but several biscuits several times a week is way too much, isn't it? had to carry him screaming home today after he tried to grab his third one off another child.
have raised this with the leader of the group and she's relatively onside but i understand it puts her in a bit of a tricky position cos she has to say no to people. she wouldn't compromise on the squash though unfortunately.
fruit is offered as well, and he wolfs that down too.
any ideas or tips or advice? except to chill out and stop being so Jamie Oliver about it...?!

OP posts:

Desiderata · 14/02/2008 12:14

MaeBee, I just want to set you straight on the broccoli/pea thing. At 16mnths, dcs will eat pretty much what you give them. Mine ate a lot of broccoli until he hit two .. now he's three, and the only greens he'll reliably eat are his own bogies.

Don't be disappointed, a year or so down the line. Kids prefer sweets to vegetables, and it was ever thus. Sometimes it gets so exasperating that the only thing you can give them is (your idea of) junk.

HairyToe · 14/02/2008 12:15

When DD1 was younger it did stress me out that everybaby group/activity and playdate we went to seemed to come complete with a plateful of biscuits. I never thoughtit was wrong tbh but DD1 was for a long time a reluctant eater when it came to mealtimes (although surprisingly enthusiastic when a plate of custard creams appeared). I just used to get a bit worked up with trying to restrict her, knowing that even if she only had 1 or 2 biscuits she'd probably not eat her tea (she had/has a v. small appetite).

Much more relaxed nowadays as her eating is a lot better and DD2 seems to cope better with snacks. Plus I go to a lot less 'baby groups'!

anniemac · 14/02/2008 12:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

FairyMum · 14/02/2008 12:17

Not wanting your children to fill up on crisps,biscuits and custard at noon is draconian? I don't see many posters on here refusing their children any kinds of treats. I agree that would be silly. I am talking about crisps, biscuits and custard at noon. And biscuits at 9.30 for toddlers. That is not okey in my book. I also have a problem with every birthday boy and girl bringing in sweets for their birthday at school.

I also think that you need to first introduce the healthy diet in your child life and then you can introduce the odd treat. I have seen too many toddlers getting the taste for biscuits and squash and suddenly they don't want their sandwhich or they don't want to drink water because it doesn't taste of anything.

I think its a big problem in this country with the food given to children and I am a big fan of Jamie Oliver for what he was/istrying to do in schools. Its not just obesity that is a problem, I see so many incredibly skinny children who look so pale and sickly and I am sure their diet has a huge part to play in it.

Brangelina · 14/02/2008 12:19

Hear hear FM

notnowbernard · 14/02/2008 12:19

I am not a big fan of J.O when he is paid by Sainsbury's to market their 'Blue Parrot' range of "healthy kids foods"

Hmm, processed, bland shite, anyone?

Tosser!

anniemac · 14/02/2008 12:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

gingerninja · 14/02/2008 12:24

Maebee, loving this thread. My mum saw no problem with giving my 6 month old DD an easter egg last year and we had an argument because I didn't think it was appropriate and she wanted to feed her the whole lot! I'm not against DD having anything in moderation and she has been known to polish off a milky bar in one mouthfull but people who tell you what to do with your own child just because it justifies what they do with theirs stinks and this attitude, 'oh it must be your first' is so bloody patronising it's hillarious. I love this, 'I'm so laid back I might fall over'. It's like telling someone how funny you are. 'I'm just bonkers me' yeah, you're not wrong

Divastrop · 14/02/2008 12:26

maebee-my dd2(2.2)prefers to eat sand at M+T.the one i go to only offers fruit and crackers plus water or milk for snack time.thats why dd2 prefers to eat the sand i think.she doesnt like fruit.

as for squash,i get through 30 litres of fruit juice(apple+orange,i dont squeeze my own)a fortnight,as it is,so they have very diluted high juice squash as well.they wont drink water.

this thread has made me laugh,when i think of all the crap me and my friends used to get fed as kids.(giving a child ribena diluted 50/50 then smacking their arse when they were 'naughty'lovely).

there's a difference between giving your child a healthy start,and letting your own untreated OCD affect your parenting.

gingerninja · 14/02/2008 12:29

My mum is always trying to justify an unhealthy diet and she's as fat as you like and very unhealthy to boot. I grew up eating stodgy puddings and that is what i crave.

HairyToe · 14/02/2008 12:30

!!! OCD !!! ok... so is this when it really kicks off?

anniemac · 14/02/2008 12:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

HairyToe · 14/02/2008 12:30

Fruit shoot anyone?

HairyToe · 14/02/2008 12:31

anniemac - we had a soda stream ( and I used to put extra concentrate in )

Divastrop · 14/02/2008 12:36

i dont have aproblem with sugar but i wont give my dc anything that contains aspartame,i agree with whoever said that stuff is evil.

teeth have never been an issue for me or my dc(execpt ds1 who is lazy when it comes to brushing)as we all brush them regularly.

anniemac · 14/02/2008 12:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

anniemac · 14/02/2008 12:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

accessorizequeen · 14/02/2008 12:44

I just wanted to respond to twelveyeargap's post that fruit would be wasted because children wouldn't eat it. I've taken my ds to a storytime group (with fruit and water) and a music group (with crisps and 'squash'). I've seen the children there fine with both, all ages from 1-4. If they're hungry, they'll eat what's there, if they throw a strop about it, they go hungry. Tough.
I don't see in this age of childhood obesity it shouldn't be standard to serve fruit & cheese rather than crisps and biscuits at groups. Then it's up to parents to give their children treats as and when they want to. Parents can always take the leftover fruit home, but having provided fruit for groups before I've never seen any left. I"m not being a nazi - but if you put a bowl of crisps in front of ANYONE they'll eat it, they'd also have some fruit if that's what was there, looking juicy and attractive. I'm not saying no treats btw, but I think the OP is right, should be up to her and it's hard to control them when the other kids are all having biscuits - no dear, you have your nice clementine pieces.

morningpaper · 14/02/2008 12:50

Your baby is having far too many Toddler Groups I'm afraid

You really need to exercise moderation with Toddler Groups, otherwise it is a bit unhealthy

HairyToe · 14/02/2008 12:53

Oh great another thing for new Mums to feel guily about. Excess toddler group syndrome

Original poster

MaeBee · 14/02/2008 13:12

divastrop - love the name, very suitable for your thespian style comments. i'm not OCD myself, but thankyou for your concern. OCD stands for obsessive compulsive disorder, and involves obsessive compulsive behaviour. i think what you probably meant to accuse me of was some food neurosis. hope you're not too embarassed. sweetheart.
gingerninja - hi again! we do tend to find each other! easter eggs. lordy, thats going to be a big one. my dp is already rubbing his hands together hoping to get to whatever my lo gets given.

rejamie oliver: yeah, he's a sainsburys tit, but to my embarassment i did enjoy one of the programmes i saw about him and childrens food. (i enjoy tv sometimes... in moderation...with a hairshirt and a glass of wine...)the bit i can't ever get out of my head was the story about when some kid who had been eating junk food for ages vomited what looked and smelt like shit out of their mouth.
blimey.

re fruit: in my firsttime mum experience most little ones i know really like fruit. i have to limit mine so he's not pooing all the time. but mine is only 16mths, and his friends are that age too. maybe when they get past 2 they might start getting fussier? my dp alleges to like fruit. yeah, like so much he saves it for a very very special treat. once a year or something!

OP posts:

StarlightMcKenzie · 14/02/2008 13:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

AbbeyA · 14/02/2008 13:41

I am surprised at all the fuss this is causing! If you don't want DCs to have a biscuit at toddler groups keep them away from them!
If you eat healthily at home then you can relax about the odd treat. My DCs are all quite skinny, they eat sensibly and they get a lot of exercise. Nothing is banned so it doesn't become a big deal.
If your DC is under 2 then you don't need to let them know about chocolate etc but once they do, you need to relax a bit. Unfortunately those that are very rigid on diet never see their DCs when they are let loose without them! When the parent is about they are generally 'goody little two shoes' but if they can't be seen they are the ones stuffing crisps and sugary things because they know they won't get the chance very often.(not all but I have seen enough to know that it is quite common).If food isn't a big deal they won't be in the least bothered.
I really can't see what is wrong with custard once in a while.
I hope that all these no custard, no biscuits ever and only water to drink people have the same rules for themselves.I don't expect my DCs to do anything that I don't do.I eat healthily but I like the odd piece of chocolate or pudding (but I don't eat them every day) and I go running 5 days out of 7 on average and I am not fat.

Original poster

MaeBee · 14/02/2008 13:42

abbeya - i havent reread this but i don't think anyone is a no sugar ever person on here....
maybe i should go to pedants corner? x

OP posts:

padboz · 14/02/2008 13:50

I'm going to get shot down here I know, but the squash stuff here has bothered me and I really want to know what peoples problem is with it so I can decide if I need to have a problem with it. Mine have water and milk between meals and Ribena or diluted apple juice at supper time - someone who's not going to kill me - what exactly is wrong with this? If its just the sugar then I dont care much about that - they're not overweight and they have a healthy balanced diet including 5 a day. I'm a relative newbie so be a bit gentle.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7