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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:
nailpolish · 22/03/2005 09:41

a mcds cheeseburger is healthier (less fat) than an m&s sandwhich

enid - WTF is wrong with squash? or diluted down apple juice? i think its a shame to give them only water

hulababy, you sound like me, i get lots of nice comments about my dd's, how bright their skin is, how shiny their hair is, how alert and full of fun they are. it makes me think im not doing too bad a job!

give dd1 a plate of sweets and a plate of broccoli and she would pick the brocolli, but if she picked the sweets once in a while i would not be disappointed in her or myself. i wouldnt break my heart over it

nailpolish · 22/03/2005 09:42

nice post flamesparrow

flamesparrow · 22/03/2005 09:43

a little longer than planned!!!

flea · 22/03/2005 09:44

I am sorry but why is it a shame to give only water? That is truly one of the weirdest things I have read on this whole debate and I give my kids Mc Ds, and sweets etc!

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 09:45

LOL flamesparrow; but some very valid and good points!

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 09:46

I undersatbd what fs means though flea - yes water is a great drink for ALL of us, but what's wrong with letting them have something with a bit more flavour too. Nothing wrong with a glass of tasty apple juice surely?

nailpolish · 22/03/2005 09:46

because fruit juice is so delicious and nutritious, and i dont think water is all that good for you unless it is bottled or you happen to have a spring source in your back garden

just my opinion

Marina · 22/03/2005 09:47

Spot on Pruni and Hula - and gggl!
Aim to feed them a healthy balanced diet almost all of the time, tell them WHY they can't eat in McDonalds all the time (children of five or so are quite capable of understanding about bad and good fat, fibre, protein and carbohydrate etc), and then chill and stop feeling quite so superior. If you live in a city your child is more likely to develop asthma from the pollution than furred arteries from the occasional trip to McDonalds.
And as for samosas from the deli counter they're full of CHEAP vegetable oil. A lot of processed Indian food for the UK supermarket sector is loaded with fat and salt.
Am sitting here enjoying the image of Tigermoth running amok in SE London after consuming an anti-freeze coloured Slush Puppie...

lailag · 22/03/2005 09:56

I thought it was good to drink juice with vit c with food/meat, as it stimulates iron absoprtion. Not that that is the reason I give them the juice...And dd and ds watch cbeebies not because I think it it educational but so that I have some time to spend on the computer.

This thread reminds me of my eldest niece (16 Y) who stayed with me for a while. She mentioned SHE was not allowed to watch TV till she was 4 y old. Never had any biscuits til she was 3y. Well, I told her how I remembered she (about 6 y), her 2 brothers (4 and 2 Y) were dumped in front of the TV with a big bowl of sweeties so that their parents could have a lay in.....

flamesparrow · 22/03/2005 09:58

LOL!!! Some honesty - that is another fine reason why DD watches cbeebies.

mummytosteven · 22/03/2005 10:01

if you are bringing up your kid as veggie, there are health advantages to orange juice, as it helps iron absorption.

WideWebWitch · 22/03/2005 10:02

I've been thinking about this and I couldn't care less what other people feed their children. Go to McDonalds five times a week for all I care. But I reserve the right to feed MY children what I consider to be healthy food. I don't feel superior because of it, I don't feel smug, I'm just doing the best I can, like everyone else. And yes, I have cooked from scratch even when working full time Hula. I don't think working full time outside the home = having to use processed food.

moondog · 22/03/2005 10:03

Well...my kids don't get nuggets,sweets,MacDonalds and so on ever,not because I think it will poison them instantly, but because I don't I don't consider it to be proper tasty food and as I'm in charge of the shopping, I don't buy it. Simple as that.

Have hidden/binned a lot of crap they've been given for Easter though. Don't want them eating it.

Nailpolish....calm down, calm down!!!!!

flamesparrow · 22/03/2005 10:06

Nooooooo!!! Don't bin easter crap - eat it!!!! B is getting the insides of the eggs she's been given, while mummy gets the rest

nailpolish · 22/03/2005 10:06

moondog, ok you dont buy it to have in the house (neither do i come to think of it, its just treats on day out once in a blue moon, as if anyone cares anyway) but would you prevent your children going to their wee pals parties in a mcd's or their house where you know the food is ready made sausages etc? (please say no)

and do you phone restaurants ahead to find out of they bake all the cakes fresh that day, where do they get their veg from etc etc etc (please say no)

im off now

Hulababy · 22/03/2005 10:10

www - I am not syaing that I use processed food all the time, just that yes, sometimes I just can't be bothered. And I do cheat - although it tends be be fishfingers rather than nuggets stuff. And I never buy that stuff they showed on JO. But this thread got me riled at times.

moondog · 22/03/2005 10:15

Fs, even I don't want to eat the Easter crap. Glass of good wine is more my style.
Shall i send 'em on to you?!

Np, I have cringed at various parties, but have let her dive in. Haven't hat to tackle the MacD party thing yet but tbh, I would probably refuse (without giving the mum a sanctimonious lecture.If she wants her kids to eat this stuff, it's not my business!)

I don't subscribe to the notion that crap food=big treat. I really really don't.

BTW, I'm not smug either!! I love lashings of wine, have the odd fag, don't do as many worthy activities with my kids as I should and so on, but none of my clan thinks that a hamburger or a packet of maltesers is such a great thing.

We have other vices!!

mears · 22/03/2005 10:16

velcrobott - I totally empathise with your sentiments about 'homecooked wholesome food'. I know the benefits of providing that level of nutrition and also the perceived problems of too much television.
However, I have made an informed choice (I use that phrase often in the breast/bottle debates), and choose to give my children a mixture of home cooked and convenience food. As babies and toddlers I did not allow sweets, foods with additives, too much TV, toy guns, chocolate etc.
As they got older, things changed as they want the same things their friends have. They get invited to parties at McDonalds and Kidzplay and Pizzahut.
I love a Burgerking and so do they as a family treat out. My eldest is 18yrs and my youngest is 11yrs. They are healthy and sociable and polite. I would never have allowed them to continue to play gameboys or playstations ignoring visitors.

Please don't be concerned that you seem to be in the minority - I am in the minority of mothers who exclusively breast fed till 6 months. Wish all mothers could do it but they can't for various reasons. Wish I could do what you do but have the cooking skills of a gnat I am afraid. I am happy to have convenience food when it suits. The TV can be an extremely informative and educational place, my kids watch it a lot.
Be prepared for your children to rebel in the coming years. The excellent appetites they have will disappear at one point believe me. It would be good to have this discussion again in 10 years time.

moondog · 22/03/2005 10:19

Oh yes, who can forget the 'Mears' son eats pot Noodles' newsflash!!! LOL!

iota · 22/03/2005 10:21

Re Salt levels in food - have to diasgree with Velcorbott's fgures - I took this from the FSA website

How can I tell if a food is high in salt?
It would be very difficult to calculate the exact amount of salt you eat in a day. And hardly anyone has the time to do this. But there is a quick way to tell if a food is high in salt by looking at the nutritional information.

This is A LOT of salt
1.25g salt or more per 100g

(0.5g sodium or more per 100g)

This is A LITTLE salt
0.25g salt or less per 100g
(0.1g sodium or less per 100g)

If a food contains between 0.25g and 1.25g salt (or between 0.1g and 0.5g sodium) per 100g, this is a moderate amount.

Try to avoid eating lots of foods that are high in salt (1.25g salt or more per 100g). If you eat lots of these foods, it can be very easy to have more than your daily limit (6g). This is why it's important to choose foods that are lower in salt, when you can.

link for more info here

BTW Birdseye 100% cod have 0.3 sodium per 100g - so that puts them in the moderate salt category.
info here

Marina · 22/03/2005 10:22

www - agree with you re working f/t outside the home and being able to manage cooking from scratch. It can be done, we do it most nights - hard work at times though isn't it...

flamesparrow · 22/03/2005 10:23

I have the easter crap with the glass of wine MD!!

I rarely eat chocolate, so when Easter comes I keep the teeny bit we get (I don't do Easter, so B doesn't get from us, she gets an Ostara outift, and I ask most of the family not to chocolate her too), and eat a little bit of an evening.

Crisps are my biggest downfall... why can't we have crisp holiday?? Oooh, or a pate and melba toast one?

moondog · 22/03/2005 10:26

I always cooked 'from scratch' even in the 3 years when I worked f/t and dh was away. It took me no longer than buying ready prepared. Just took some organisation and planning (by which I mean 20 mins sat with a piece of paper and a pencil once a week.) Mind you, I do like cooking (and of course not everybody does or finds it easy. Completely respect that.),and the thought of coming home to a lonely house and heating up something in a packet was too dispiriting for words.A plate of good pasta with some home made sauce and a glass of good wine lifted the spirits no end

Re salt..always understood that the more processed food you eat, the more you ingest.

moondog · 22/03/2005 10:28

Fs, chocolate and wine don't go!!!!
What's an 'ostara' outfit?

mears · 22/03/2005 10:29

My problem is I hate cooking and find it an absolute chore
That's why I breastfed so long - needed no preparation