Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Well my "style" seems to be rare... or those of you like me are too shy to say it?

329 replies

velcrobott · 21/03/2005 19:26

In the past few weeks I have posted on topics such as food, Mc Donald and TV....
Now Am I the only one who always cooks from fresh for her kids (because they enjoy the quality of the food and I like cooking), does not go to McD (they wouldn't like it as there is no way I am buying the "gift") and who thinks they have a far better time playing then watching tele.

I was quite surprised to read that several people (and I am sure thousands more) feel it's a treat to feed your kids occasional junk food... what has our society come to??? For those who have the desire, time and interest to not feed junk, allow much/any tele... is it normal that we are considered the odd ones out, the weird ones? It use to be like this (generations ago), it was the norm... now we're called all sorts of things but made to feel that we are too puritanical.

I am sure some of you are going to take this as a controversial thread, it isn't meant like that I want to know if anyone feels like this too.... I feel very lonely on Mumsnet with my more "puritanic" stance

OP posts:
snafu · 21/03/2005 21:37

(I wasn't being serious...)

JanH · 21/03/2005 21:37

How many mummies here found their first (angel) child would eat anything, so they preened and huffed about how well they'd raised it, and then the second (devil?) was picky eater from hell and they had to take it all back?

JoolsToo · 21/03/2005 22:14

or they ate like a demon to start with - then at about 2 yo suddenly their lips stuck together

tigermoth · 21/03/2005 22:18

I too am in the healthy food usually, but junk food sometimes camp. IMO there is a time and place for both in our family life. Same as watching TV. I love snuggling down with my boys on the sofa and watching The Simpsons, sometimes my boys veg out and watch TV while I work, other times we all play a grame or go out for a day somewhere - we're all happy. I can't imagine our life without this variety.

Velcrobott, interesting that you say you 'don't allow much/any tele' Are you saying you think on the whole TV is bad for children, but occasional TV watching won't hurt them?

With food however, you seem shocked that many parents here would allow the occasional junk food treat.

It seems you have two viewpoints here or I am misreading you? Are you saying you are shocked so few parents are consistent 100% of the time, or is it OK to have firm rules but bend them on occasion? I am not exactly sure what you mean by your message.

Original poster
velcrobott · 21/03/2005 23:17

Tigermoth, my kids don't watch "tele" but they have a few DVDs/videos but they don't watch those on a daily basis.
I am not a big fan of tele for kids but as I hardly watch it I can't pretend to know a lot about it. I can only comment on what i see at firends/relatives' houses with their kids and the regular TV watching that goes on there, including tele on all day (to IMO the detriment of conversation!)... And whilst i will not make any generalisation as I don't know enough people to do this, the couple of kids who I am thinking of who were great TV watchers when they were 2 or 3 are now game boy and computer game addicts... I am thinking where are the exercises, the interaction with others ? When DS goes and plays at their house they won't even stop playing their game boys...... DS is not interested in those games and will play (on his own as they are glued to the Game Boy) with either playmobils or legos...

As for junk.... depends what you call junk.... I have never fed fish fingers or nuggets (though I am sure school has - though kids are now on packed lunches)... they have had samosa's from a deli counter, they have had pizza express' pizzas - this is not a regular occurence by any means but my kids eat a very healthy diet (they are not forced to by the way... they love food and eat large quantities - much more so than many/any kids I know)... so it's easy peasy for us but I can't help but find that we are very much the exception so I am glad to read that we are not alone

OP posts:
Beetroot · 21/03/2005 23:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
velcrobott · 21/03/2005 23:23

It's cooked in unhealthy fat.

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 21/03/2005 23:24

tsk don't you know tis an endangered species????

Original poster
velcrobott · 21/03/2005 23:24

Sorry should add... what's wrong with a piece of cod NOT in crumbs and batter?

OP posts:
Original poster
velcrobott · 21/03/2005 23:25

That's right CD

OP posts:
Beetroot · 21/03/2005 23:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Beetroot · 21/03/2005 23:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
velcrobott · 21/03/2005 23:27

I would have gone for steamed fish... hey you asked

OP posts:
CountessDracula · 21/03/2005 23:27

my dd had crips for dinner

so what? As long as you don;'t eat crap often it's fine

Fishfingers not really crap IMO is just fish and breadcrubs. As long as you oven them not fry and have veggies with them

maisystar · 21/03/2005 23:31

i asked you earlier (assume you didn't see post) velcrobott, what if your kids want this 'junk' food occasionally, or to watch tv when they are older? i am firmly of the mind that the more you forbid something the more attractive it becomes.

Beetroot · 21/03/2005 23:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Gobbledigook · 21/03/2005 23:35

Fish fingers rule - they showed you on Tikkabillar or Come Outside how they make them and it's literally fresh cod fillets packed into a box and frozen, cut into 'fingers' dipped in batter then breadcrumbs and that is it. Oven baked or grilled I see no problem with that at all.

AND see how educational TV can be!! MY ds knows all about how fish fingers are made, how you get the stripes in toothpaste AND where poo goes

CountessDracula · 21/03/2005 23:38

where does poo go then?

Original poster
velcrobott · 21/03/2005 23:40

I read this on the web : Fish fingers are the seafood version of hotdogs ? delicious, easy, but not too healthy.... (I guess not all brands are as bad)

Then found this too on The Times website:
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has drawn up guidelines defining what it considers unhealthy levels of fat, sugar and salt in products. For fat, it is any product with 20g per 100g; for sugar 10g; and for salt 0.5g.

Products that could be targeted include Kellogg?s corn flakes, which can have up to 1.19g of salt per serving; and Birds Eye fish fingers, which have up to 0.75g of salt per serving; according to statistics from the FSA and Which?, the consumers? association.

OP posts:
Surfermum · 21/03/2005 23:42

{grin} CD. I've never seen the episode but my friends keep talking about it.

Original poster
velcrobott · 21/03/2005 23:44

Maysistar, I don't forbid at all... That is not a word I ever use.
I explain, I offer nicer alternatives...
DS has heard of Pizza Hut for the first time this week... he WANTS to go.... I told him, it's a pizza restaurant and their pizza is not very tasty so I think this other pizza restaurant is better... maybe we can go to that one... he drops the matter as I think he actually believes me (also we make poizza ourselves which I know he prefers to the PE I have occasionnally bought)....

TV is the same, why would you sit in front of it if there are so many other things to do? Today he came back from school, played football outside, drew a picture for me, helped prepare tea, made a puzzle,...

OP posts:
JoolsToo · 21/03/2005 23:49

I'm doomed - bottle fed and gave them chips

Gobbledigook · 22/03/2005 00:14

Velcrobott - what if your kids get invited to a party at PE or Wacky Warehouse - will they go and will they eat the food as well?

Ameriscot2005 · 22/03/2005 06:39

My 2-year old went through a phase of saying "dot com" after certain words, which probably says a lot about the type of mummy she has

I cook 80-90% of our meals from scratch, but that's because it's the most practical way for us(household of 8). Fortunately my kids like simple, traditional foods such as roast chicken (I'm sure there must be something bad about this but I don't care). I don't have many objections to supermarket-prepared food, but I'd have to double up the quantities, which makes for a very expensive meal.

I use McDonalds when it suits me, which is usually if I have been really busy and failed at my motherly duty to shop for food and prepare it into a nourishing meal in a timely manner. There really isn't anywhere else where I can feed my whole family for about £18. I'm not ashamed to admit that I find hamburgers, even McDonalds, to be quite tasty and satisfying.

I don't get the attitude that "our culture is so bad that we consider junk food a treat". What's wrong with things that aren't packed with nutrition being a treat? Sweets, cake, chocolate, booze...The key thing is that you don't the majority of your calories from these foods, or rely on them for your nutrition - but there's no harm in having them now and again. Moderation!

I think my kids eat better than I did as a child, so I feel that the situation is improving. But I don't feel the need to kill myself over the progress that is yet to be made.

suzywong · 22/03/2005 06:45

you know it is possible to combine the two, an not be holier than though or puritanical about either faction < she says having lunched en famille at Burger King but just waiting for a batch of cheese and pumpking scones to bake>

or have we gone past this competitive phase on this thread?

Swipe left for the next trending thread