Why would you give your child unhealthy foods?

[RBBMummy]

At easter my son tried some unhealthy foods for the first time I don't like it but i thought he had come to a good age for his first taste. He didn't really care for it and much preferred the healthy treats. Now im struggling to see why i would offer unhealthy foods ever again. But i would hate to see him become an adult and make bad food choices because he hadnt had any exposure to bad foods. Why would you give your child unhealthy foods? Ive been overthinking this for days

You are one of those, aren't you?
Unhealthy? Which foods do you consider unhealthy?

Because they taste nice. You sound like a pretentious knob!

Is she pissed? On fruit leather?

This has given me a right laugh

I wouldn't dream of giving my dc a fruit leather type thing. I'm free and easy with the chocolate and biscuits though. Priorities.

Her child is very special from the looks of her other posts

I don't think anyone gives their child the "unhealthy" choice every time but I agree with other posters who have said everything in moderation. Also have to agree with the dried fruit being very high in sugar. It's the drying process that concentrates the sugar, so whilst its not added, it is concentrated.

Fruit is healthy but its also contains fructose (fruit sugar) its the sweetest and is absorbed directly into the blood stream as well as glucose. Milk contains lactose (milk sugar).

So its very difficult to avoid sugar - its easy to avoid sucrose which is table sugar but that is only one form of sugar.

Raisins contain more sugar than marshmallows and chocolate (in weight form so 100g vs 100g). Soy milk also contains sugar as well.

I remember going to a 2nd birthday party where they were adamant their child was not having sugar, the cake was completely covered in fruit and they served raisins as a snack.

Yes just browsed her other posts. My my

I was on a thread with OP before. Be kind please. Her child has a host of issues and she’s understandably stressed. I believe he’s autistic, non verbal and partly sighted? I don’t think it’s helpful for everyone to pile in.

Because food is food. It contains calories. It contains carbs. It contains protein. A balanced diet will - shock horror - include the odd takeaway, pizza, chocolate bar, slice of cake, burger.....you get my drift.

Of course you can live on raw broccoli and lentil stew but life's too short to refuse chocolate cake when offered.

There's been a run of these judgy food threads lately, what's up with that?

Fuck me there are some sanctimonious OPs the last few days.

Because I know one adult whose mother brought her up on no sugar, no salt, carob Easter eggs, referred to cream as cholesterol... when she left home she went nuts with junk food.

This thread is batshit.
People are seriously trying to argue that fruit is more unhealthy than a biscuit! Naturally occuring sugars in fruit are comletely different to the sugars in a custard cream, eating fruit you will also be getting vitamins, minerals and fibre and the sugar. Added sugar has no nutritional benefit, its only linked to health problems.

Oh another batshit eating thread

Also, I hate the label "unhealthy". What's unhealthy for your child is lifesaving for my adult son. When he was little I had to drill into him, "What's healthy for most people isn't healthy for you." It was most important if he had school dinners.

MN is pretty bad for posters trying to out-health one another.

I see it didn't take the anti carb anti sugar brigade long to arrive.

Upside no one is saying fruit is unhealthier than biscuits. They are saying dried and concentrated fruit aren't much better than biscuits, and that you can't discount that even whole, fresh fruit still has relatively high naturally occurring sugars and this should be taken into account when thinking about a balanced diet.

People are seriously trying to argue that fruit is more unhealthy than a biscuit!

No people aren't. People are pointing out the loss of nutrition from highly processed fruit. Concentrated fructose. Its an interesting discussion because there are a lot people that would just assume because something derives from fruit that it's automatically healthier. It's 'batshit' not to understand the point a vast amount of people are trying to make. You know, it's ok for people to say, 'oh right! I never realised that!'

I would offer a range of foods including so-called healthy and unhealthy to a pre-schooler, because once they got to school and started going on play dates, they will have to make some choices about food and cope with being offered a range of things.

In their wider life, they won't only be offered the very narrow range of foods offered by op, but a variety of processed foods, both sweet and savoury. I would want to know my DC wouldn't be phased by such things, but able to eat a meal at school or a friends house and that food and food choices were not going to become an 'issue' for them. The way to avoid this is through exposure to all kinds of things and not making a big deal about good and bad foods. At home, yes offer more good foods, but don't make a big thing about sweets or processed food - unless you are going to keep your DC at home forever and never let them out, you have to accept that they will be exposed to and eat all kinds of things. You and they shouldn't be frightened by this - it's all about having perspective. So yes, give your child a good, balanced diet at home, without making a big deal of it. And when you're out and someone offers chocolate, just let them have it - worst thing is to make a big deal about the bad chocolate and make them start wondering about it, especially as they will see other kids eating it. So be sensible and realistic and accept you simply won't be able to control everything DC eats and you want them to be able to choose for themselves - those who learn to make sensible choices are those who have had balance previously. Those given a very restricted diet or had certain foods excluded or been told frequently about healthy and unhealthy and been controlled are more likely to have food issues.

It was a cabbage Tinkly. And Rapunzel is actually a variety of cabbage (I listened to far too much Gardener's Question Time as a child).

Raisins contain more sugar than marshmallows and chocolate (in weight form so 100g vs 100g)

Find me anyone who would advise we give our children 100g of marshmallows in their lunch box instead of 100g of raisins? Do you seriously think your making a valid point in terms of which is the healthier option?
Naturally occruing sugars vs added sugars
Protein 3.1 g vs 1.8 g
Calcium: 5% vs 0%
Vitamin C: 3% vs 0%
Dietary fiber: 3.7 g vs 0.1g
Vitamin B-6: 10% vs 0%
Iron 10% vs 1%
Magnesium 8% vs 0%

They are saying dried and concentrated fruit aren't much better than biscuits

But it is, a handful of raisins is better than a few custard creams. Dried fruit shouldnt be eaten in excess like any food because of the high (natural) sugar content, Its not highly processed its just fresh fruit with the water content removed, it mostly contains the same amount of nurtients as fresh fruit just condensed into a smaller serving. (natural) Sugar is needed as a part of a healthy diet, added sugar is not, the vitamins and minerals in fruit are also needed.

upside
No one is suggesting fruit should be banned or is 'bad for you'.

Concentrated sugar in fruit leathers which sticks to your teeth longer than other snacks is not 'healthier' than other foods when one leather = 3/4 of a childs daily sugar intake?

Judging other people for giving different snacks while not knowing the sugar content of the snack you are proclaiming to be healthy is pretty much shooting yourself in the foot.

Everythng in moderation.

Ok im not sure how i said this wrong or you misunderstood but there is no added sugar in fruit leather, its literally just fruit

Fruit contains LOAS of sugar, it doesn't need to be added.

Where do you think sugar comes from?

That wasnt my point. My point was that we just see sugar as the sucrose that you can buy in bags.

Personally I loath raisins (and all dried fruit) and see fresh fruit, vegetables etc as a much more healthier choice. Raisins are a good choice (if you like them) as a snack if you fancy something sweet and would like a sugar hit - but for an adult on a diet they are not a good choice