We don’t give Amy sugary or junk food. When we did pre-conception care, I followed healthy eating and didn’t have alcohol, caffine etc. I had a fantastic pg and Amy is a healthy baby who rarely gets sick. We decided to continue with this and gave her only organic food for the first 9 or so months she was on solids (from 6 months). We try not to give her processed food or any junk so she has wholegrain/wholemeal bread, mainly water with the occasional apple juice, no cakes, lollies, chips etc. The main reason is to try to reduce the sugar and chemicals in her diet to give her a good start in life.
At playgroup the kids have had two recent parties and the table was full of sugary foods and there was no healthy options for the kids to eat. The kids go feral after eating this stuff. The mums are generally okay with it and accept that Amy is happy to eat her banana, sultanas and cheese but there were some comments made. She did sneak a cheezel yesterday but after sucking on it for a while she put it down and went back to her fruit.
I know when she goes to parties a little later on she will eat this food but as long as we can control what she eats, we want her to eat healthy. We will be fine with her eating party food and don’t want to restrict her or separate her from her friends.
So my point is, what is wrong with us wanting Amy to eat well? I know I probably sound paranoid and weird but why are we the minority? Does anyone else feel this way?
Absolutley nothing wrong with what you're doing! My SIL was the same.. and even now her kids opt for a piece of fruit over junk food. I want Tallon to be the same. A friend of mine gave him some crumbs of mudcake the other night.. and I wasn't impressed
However.. I'm not as diligent as you with organic stuff. Tallon has had the occassional plain biscuit, and processed babyfood. But on the whole, I'm trying to keep him to 'healthy' alternatives. And want to encourage this while he's little, so hopefully when he's older and is allowed to eat some party food, that he won't gorge himself on it.. and would rather go to the fridge and eat a cucumber! (yes my nephew does this LOL)
You are not unusual, and I'm really surprised there was party food at a playgroup session. I thought they were usually restricted to healthy snacks??
I'd love to do the whole organic thing, but we eat soooo much fruit and vege, I think I'd go bust if we bought all organic. Jenna loves her fruit too, and yes sometimes we let her have junk food, but I can't be a food nazi. Like last night we went to her grandfathers house, and there is always a plastic bag on the fridge with a treat in it. Sometimesits cheese and bikkies, but usually its choccy. It drives me mental, so I just try and make sure she has eaten dinner before we go over there.
Jenna also has a nose rash thing at the moment, and I'm wondering if its food allergies, the Dr seems to think its just a kid thing, but if I wantedto eliminate all the crap from her diet, it would take us soooooo long,and it would be such a battle!
Generally I think most parents try to do healthy food, and limit the amount of preservatives/additives etc in the diet.
I think you have to do what feels right for you, and as long as the occasional bit of treat food sneaks in, Amy should grow up knowing that not all junk food is bad, and everything in moderation.
The worst jenna has on a regular basis is her milk arrowroot "dip-dipped" in mums tea every morning. I dont know how we are going to break her of this one! Mind you, after this today she had a banana, milk, and some frozen peas, so its not like she's unhealthy
Stick to your guns. Its noone else that will deal with you child if she's feral or if she gets allergies. Its your right to control what she eats.
Alexzander is pretty good in that he will choose fruit over pretty well anything else. He has the occasional chocolate or lolly (well really once a week I'd say) and he has sips of my "fizzy" every now and then (but never coke). He has never eaten processed baby food, but has eaten things like tinned fruit & baked beans etc. At our Christmas party for Mum's Group the other day he had a sip of cordial, but went back to his water for the rest of the day. The other kids who didn't have it semi-regularly (or those that had it every day) just kept going back for more. I think there needs to be a balance, not every day, but not never if that makes sense.
For us though we have an issue... I thought we were doing the right thing, keeping him eating 95% healthy foods, when we went out for dinner I would order his dinner with veges rather than chips & that sort of thing. We've recently found out that Alexzander has Toddler's Diarrhoea, so we *have* to give him more fatty foods. It really is a tough balancing act to try & keep him eating healthy foods, but also to try and counteract the condition.
I just realised what "processed babyfood" sounds like - I actually mean the pureed fruit & veg in a jar! LOL. Not those horrible processed "meals" in a can. BLERK. I tasted these at my babyshower and I will NEVER EVER let Tallon eat those.
I don't think there is anything wrong with junk food occasionaly. At least once a week the kids have fish fingers and chips for dinner (we buy Crumbed Whiting instead of FF) and once a month they get Maccas as a treat.
I beleive that as long as you have everything in moderation then it's fine. As long as the kids eat all their veggies with their dinner I don't mind if they have a few biscuits/chips for morning tea.
I had the same issues when Matilda was younger... and honestly since she's turned 2 I've become more relaxed. BUT before 2 I saw no reason to give processed sugar products into her diet. I found nothing to indicate that it was something of use for her & her system. I found that when I went somewhere with sugary foods I did have to get Matilda away from them as she was inclined to eat the entire bowl of lollies without supervision. I always bring healthy alternatives to parties, even birthday parties. I have been to some birthday parties where they say there won't be all sugar but the alternatives are chips and cheerios and those sorts. So I always bring fruit and snacks with us and try to fill her up on them beforehand and in the early stages of the party. If Matilda is less full, she won't go the lollies bit time.
Gemma, I have been exactly the same with Jack, although I found it hard to keep all his food organic, so after a while it became only some of his food was organic. But he still only drinks water and milk and excpet for rare excpetions only eats healthy food. I'm lucky that he has no interest in sugary or other party foods. At his day care Xmas party there was heaps of party food and the only thing he'd eat was a cheese sandwich! I know it won't stay that way, and now that he's nearly 2 I am ok if he wants some party food on special occassions, but I'm glad he doesn't want to yet!
I'm also in two minds about what food to serve at his 2nd birthday party. I will definitely do healthy food for the most part (I'll have to for Jack to want it anyway), I'm wondering if I should do some chips or something as well for the other kids.
Gemma well done,Madison never had chocolate or lollies until her first birthday when my mum brought her a fredo frog, Before that i was not going to give into her, she only had what i made for her but on the odd occasion she had one of those gel's in the jars.
But these days it is hard as most of my friends will give there younger children chocolate and lollies.
It definately does get more difficult over time. I had a neighbour give Matilda some ice cream when she was 6 months old & was horrified when I asked her not to give anymore (she had a lick off her cone) as Matilda wasn't even on solids properly yet. She said I was depriving my child & I said yeah of obesity....
gosh -there's plenty of time for them to enjoy cakes and icecream! I usually make a point of saying "not yet" when people want him to have cake or something. Couple more years and his tummy will be ready, is what I usually say. hehe. Then they know I won't completely deprive the poor child LOL.
Dp and i have always given our boys healthy food, they do get treats every now and then, but i make sure that 99% of their diet is healthy food.
Nick goes ferral with too many additives etc so he has to have wholegrain bread and keeping his sugar intake right down, I have a friend who adds sugar and vanilla essence to all of her sons cereals just to get him to eat them :eek:
My kids much prefer a healthy homecooked meal over anything else, even maccas (it usually gets thrown on the floor on the occasions that i have got it for them)
I think it's the least we can do as parents to give our kids the best start we can so that they grow up knowing that they can eat whatever they want in moderation
It's no secret I work for Cadbury's... Here's what i have seen with my kids compared to my sisters...
We often get gifts from work & I either give it to family etc or throw it up the back of the cupboard, I also get stuff cheap from our onsite shop!
It has ALWAYS been around & Maddy knows after school she can basically help herself to a snack, she usually goes for a yoghurt or passionfruit/apple/banana etc (cost me a fortune in passionfruits!)
Unless she brings a friend or 2 home & they see Choc & their eyes light up, so she will then have choc with them & I say 1 is enough, as the other kids will gorge themselves & many times I have heard them say... Maddy ask your Mum for more!
Maddy smply isnt interested as it's there if she really wanted it, on the other hand my sister never buys snack foods as such, if you pop in there's never a bickie, or anything to have with a cupps, unless she's planning on having someone over for lunch or whatever!!!
When her kids come over theyt have literally spent the day scoffing into choc & sneaking it etc & then spending the night vomiting!!! I think this is because they have totally not been allowed to have any?
Indah has had choc frog & will crawl to anyone eating a pkt chips as these are her favourites... But if you sit her down with a bowl of fruit & yoghurt etc she will eat that before anything else, Maddy prefewrs vegioes (Brussel Sprouts are her all time fave) & Indah likes corn, pumpkin & sweet potato...
I think if they are totally not allowed to try it, they will wnat it even more...
But whilst you can still limit what she tries & eats, then go for it, it's your child to raise how you see fit...
I'd say my niece has a weight issue due to gorging herself whenever she can...
At my sisters 30th b'day (4 yrs ago) we were all a tad tipsy & she had asked me to grab some stuff from work to put in bowls etc, plus they had BBQ, salads & fruit salads etc...
Maddy had a sausage in bread & salad & then fruit salad... My sisters kids had taken a whole bowl of jelly lollies inside & in the morning my sister slightly hungover woke tyo both of them in beds filled with vomited up lollies & lot's of bright colours!!!
I think a little junk food is okay but then i have a fussy eater that won't eat viggies. Not long ago Kimberley started to eat carrot but only because she wacthed wallace and gromit on dvd and that is what the rabbit was doing. I've tried all kinds of ways to get veggies in to my two and it's now only just starting to work a little.
I've now cut out cordial in their diets and i think that has helped. Sometimes i can't even get Kimberley to eat a evening meal or if she does she just picks at it. So to me knowing she will eat Maccas once in a while means she is eating and she will eat the lot.
I think we all do what is best for our kids and a little of something bad is ok.
Kimberley had her kindy party last week and all the other kids put lots of food on their plates and Kimberley took 1 cupcake and just eat the topping.
I want to try and bring our child up as healthy as possible. Alan and I have decided from day dot on solids they are not allowed to eat junk food unless they can afford to buy it (hence they should be around 15 hehe if my plan works).
I am going to try and cook a lot of the food for my future children and make sure they eat as healty as possible.
But I am also going to give the occasional treat. Because as Tracey said, I don't really want my kids running to their granparents scoffing junk because they have never had it.. if that makes sense.
But Gemma, you are doing a wonderful job raising Amy and don't worry about what other woman are saying about it. In the long run Amy will always have that healthy option to go back to and she will end up being a very bright and smart girl. From the two times I have met you she is bright eyes and gorgeous.. keep doing a wonderful job.
Gemma, I've always planned to do the same thing with Cooper! So no, you're not weird.
I don't want him to touch a single lolly etc … not sure on when I'll let him. I was thinking 2 years. I figure they don't need to know about sugary foods below this age.
I'm not sure what I think about the whole idea that if you don't let your child have it, they are more likely to rebel and want it. I wouldn't think this would happen under the age of 2 anyway?!
Obviously I'm not sure how I'll go. Cooper is only 5 months at the moment! But that's my plan anyway - no sugary foods. Only natural dairy, fruit, vegies and meat etc.
Tilly did not have a single bit of junk or anything bad until she was 2 and a half, and that was when she started kindy and I couldn't keep her away from the parties. I was happy with that anyway.
WIth coco I will definitely not be giving her junk before at least two. This is just because she doesnt' need it. She won't know what it is! I think it's perfectly sensible to give them healthy food while you can! Saying that, i only give tilly healthy foods, but she is old enough to get her own junk!! (friends at school swap things etc).
Also talking of healthy fats (avocado for example) I give coco flaxseed oil in her milk. I started that as Im a huge fan of Flaxseed oil, and the formula she was on (goats milk) was lacking essential fatty acids. She can't taste it adn it's great for her. I also give her probiotics in her milk. I also took alot of essential oils when pregnant as it is meant to help brain development.
Each to their own though, and I won't be AS strict with junk food as I was with tilly, as Im sure she has a sweet tooth now because of restricting her. We also only ever drink water in our house, no juice or cordials (maybe once a year for a treat). Two reasons, 1 I never liked water and want my kids to love it 2, SO much cheaper!! xoxo
i used to give my kids chips and chocolate as a treat and occasionally do now. I would allow them to have Macca's every couple of weeks, but they have always loved their fruit and veg. Since Layla was diagnosed with Autism, we have really become much more vigilant in an effort to cure her. She has come so far since we have modified her diet. In our research we found that some of the stuff she was eating was extremely bad for her (and us). As an example (I have posted this before) Aldi Scotch finger biscuits and MANY other foods that we were consuming contain additive 320. This is the warning for this additive
Serious concerns about carcinogenic and estrogenic effects, asthmatics and aspirin sensitive people should avoid, causes metabolic changes and accumulates in body fat. Banned in Japan in 1958 -Not permitted in foods for infants and young children.
We were absolutely horrified. I now carry a card with prohibited additives, etc that I carry in my bag and I check EVERYTHING!
The Odd One Out – No Junk Food
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