Giving babies junk food

[~clover~]

I agree with the shopping trolley thing. I'll never judge anyone feeding a baby macca's, coz I've done it. Not often, but I have.
My kids love macca's, its cheap & thats what I do with DS once a week & for a special treat for the girls. DD1 has a wrap, DS & DD2 have nuggets & chips.
I might not have given them more than a nugget or 2 before they were 1, but I cook nuggets at home all the time too. They are usually the kids Saturday lunch.

I've seen shopping trolleys loaded to the brim with coco pops, nuggets, pies, pizza, soft drinks, bikkies, chips etc etc. Thats what those families are eating EVERY DAY!

I hardly take the kids to a friends house, because their DD eats chocolate, lollies & crap like that all day. Then only drinks flavoured milk, soft drinks & juice or cordial.
We got there at 10am yesterday. She handed DS a lollipop. Then they gave him some coco pops (he'd only just woken up & not had breaky yet). Then chocolate milk. Then she went to hand him something else, a chocolate I think, I said no. Told her to go eat it in her room, or outside away from him, coz he'd had enough crap.
This child is 7 & has had teeth pulled out & too many trips to the dentist to count. And they wonder why???

[~clover~]

Heck I'll put my hand up and say that I'm judging! That is disgraceful, and the parents are being abusive in my book. They are babies FFS! If they were older and it's a treat then sure but a baby my mind boggles how anyone can think that it's ok to be feeding babies junk food.

Wow, really? Come live in my house for a week... If you think thats abusive, you really have no idea...

[Mad Scientist]

I agree that feeding BABIES junk food ALL THE TIME is irresponsible and abusive ie failure to provide for a child adequately. I don't think anyone who has replied to this thread would be in that category so there is no need to get defensive. I watched a show about obese children one night and ALL the parents were either too lazy to feed their children good food or were genuinely uneducated on how to feed their children properly. What is needed is proper education on how to eat healthily. For the lazy parents, they need help with their parenting approach. It is so sad to see children eating crap non stop but occasionally isn't too bad. Not ideal but we all know that and that's why we're getting defensive people are entitled to disagree with what you do and it's not like the OP had a hissy fit and told the women they were wrong.
What I don't agree with is the whole "you don't have kids, you don't understand". I think that's cruel and uncalled for.

[Roryrory]

Cherished I think I know where you are coming from. You feel that there is plenty of time for babies to eat rubbish food once they grow up so why start so young. To an extent I agree with you - I remember my SIL giving my nephew milo at age 2 or so and thinking it was a bit young. I think where some of the objection is coming from is that the older your child is (and equally the number of children you have) the less you tend to sweat the small stuff. I know you don't think junk food is small stuff - perhaps you never will - but many off us start out with ideas and ideals that over time we let slide or totally discard. Before I had kids I would never use the electronic babysitter that is television. And what do you think my four-year-old is obsessed with right now? The very same four-year old who is also incredibly bright and active and reads books like others play with nintendos? He is obsessed with "The Ocotonauts". So TV is suddenly a big part of his, and hence his brother's, and his 5 month old sister's(!) day. For now. Because he will change. So maybe, just maybe, those mothers are eating maccas now because their kid is going thru an "I eat nothing else" phase. Maybe they have older kids with them and the baby may as well join in. Maybe, as others have said, they were strict with their older kids and realised that getting hung up on one thing or the other made no difference in the long run.
Yes, maybe they are setting their kids up for obesity because maccas is a regular thing, but equally maybe its not.
Did any of the mothers you see have older kids

[beansbeans!]

In regards to the trolley judgements.. More than likely if you see us shopping you would be shocked. We dont buy a lot of junk, including drink, but we do not buy any healthy things from the supermarket normally. I go to the supermarket for our milk, cold meat, cupboard stuff, and all the other dry goods.
I shop primarily at the fruit and veg shop, thats where most of my money goes. We eat so healthy at home its silly! We go through so much fruit and veg its not funny, and because of that I can't afford to buy it from the supermarkets, also they have better range and quality too!

As parents we do the best we can. we raise our children with what knowledge we have, and some parents have more knowledge than others. We also have different expectations of ourselves and what we want our children to live and be. far out there are things that I never knew until finding BB. Before having DD1 I had this amazing picture of what our life would be like. We would make everything from scratch, our DD would not know what processed was, and therefore would not be a fussy eater. Boy was I wrong!
I think that before you judge someone you need the whole story, and as pointed out in many posts in this thread, no one knows the circumstances that brought these families to have breakfast at maccas. Also I am curious do you know for sure that the 6month old was actually 6 months old?

[toomanyshoes]

In regards to the trolley judgements.. More than likely if you see us shopping you would be shocked. We dont buy a lot of junk, including drink, but we do not buy any healthy things from the supermarket normally. I go to the supermarket for our milk, cold meat, cupboard stuff, and all the other dry goods.
I shop primarily at the fruit and veg shop, thats where most of my money goes. We eat so healthy at home its silly! We go through so much fruit and veg its not funny, and because of that I can't afford to buy it from the supermarkets, also they have better range and quality too!

As parents we do the best we can. we raise our children with what knowledge we have, and some parents have more knowledge than others. We also have different expectations of ourselves and what we want our children to live and be. far out there are things that I never knew until finding BB. Before having DD1 I had this amazing picture of what our life would be like. We would make everything from scratch, our DD would not know what processed was, and therefore would not be a fussy eater. Boy was I wrong!
I think that before you judge someone you need the whole story, and as pointed out in many posts in this thread, no one knows the circumstances that brought these families to have breakfast at maccas. Also I am curious do you know for sure that the 6month old was actually 6 months old?

I agree that the trolley assumptions are unfair and just as bad as assuming if you see someone buying take away they must be doing it all the time.

I only really buy milk and pantry items from the supermarket, the rest from the fruit n veg shop and butcher. I also hoping to change that to the local farmers market once I get a chance to suss it out.

Also who's to say their trolley isn't full of stuff for a part or something and is a one off?

[loulabelle]

You should have seen our trolley the other week. We were having a party and was full of party pies, sausage rolls, chips, soft drink. I actually did get some funny looks. Enough for me to slip that we were having a party to the check out chick.

[Miss.September]

You should have seen our trolley the other week. We were having a party and was full of party pies, sausage rolls, chips, soft drink. I actually did get some funny looks. Enough for me to slip that we were having a party to the check out chick.

LOL! I know!!!!! If I have to make a cake or cupcakes, I often go to the supermarket specifically for those ingredients - one cake I made took four blocks of chocolate! Didn't look good, I'm sure!

[Jaycee]

Cherished I think I know where you are coming from. You feel that there is plenty of time for babies to eat rubbish food once they grow up so why start so young. To an extent I agree with you - I remember my SIL giving my nephew milo at age 2 or so and thinking it was a bit young. I think where some of the objection is coming from is that the older your child is (and equally the number of children you have) the less you tend to sweat the small stuff. I know you don't think junk food is small stuff - perhaps you never will - but many off us start out with ideas and ideals that over time we let slide or totally discard. Before I had kids I would never use the electronic babysitter that is television. And what do you think my four-year-old is obsessed with right now? The very same four-year old who is also incredibly bright and active and reads books like others play with nintendos? He is obsessed with "The Ocotonauts". So TV is suddenly a big part of his, and hence his brother's, and his 5 month old sister's(!) day. For now. Because he will change. So maybe, just maybe, those mothers are eating maccas now because their kid is going thru an "I eat nothing else" phase. Maybe they have older kids with them and the baby may as well join in. Maybe, as others have said, they were strict with their older kids and realised that getting hung up on one thing or the other made no difference in the long run.
Yes, maybe they are setting their kids up for obesity because maccas is a regular thing, but equally maybe its not.
Did any of the mothers you see have older kids

Yeah that!! Said better than I ever could!!

[Cherished]

Amber-Jay I forgot to welcome you to BellyBelly, I hope you stick around after starting such a debate stirring thread! Not all of BB is like this ...... I promise

roryrory, I didn't see anyone out, I didn't start this thread, only commented on it

BLS has been mentioned a few times and I'm wondering how that can be seen as a reason to give junk food? Just because a parent is doing BLS does that mean that if the baby picks up a block of chocolate you let them eat it How about a packet of twisties or a Big Mac? seriously? They are babies and are exploring, the parent who has knowledge of what is healthy and what is no still gets to decided what the babies eats. Fussy eaters, sure I haven't got a fussy child but even a child who wants nothing but potato can have it mashed or even home made oven baked chips or roast potato would be better choices that maccas fries Even if it's a cost issue, potatoes don't cost that much do they?

[Asparagus and Lemons]

..MAYBE.. the 6month old has a macca's addiction and will turn into a werewolf if the cravings are not met? It could be that..

[*Belle*]

You should have seen our trolley the other week. We were having a party and was full of party pies, sausage rolls, chips, soft drink. I actually did get some funny looks. Enough for me to slip that we were having a party to the check out chick.

See if I glanced at your trolley walking buy I would be assuming you would be having a party! I think people are so judgemental these days assuming things.

[loulabelle]

..MAYBE.. the 6month old has a macca's addiction and will turn into a werewolf if the cravings are not met? It could be that..

I'm convinced!

Eta - pacrak- a chocolate cake using 4 blocks, that sounds nauseatingly good!

[RockingBaker]

I used to have to buy food for my kids to eat while I did the food shopping. No joke it would be a kg of bananas and a choppa loaf from brumbys and Id bring their drink bottles. I had a woman stop me and tell me it was disgusting that I allowed my newborns to eat such junk (refering to the choppa loaf) and thats about when I stopped caring what people thought. For one, my daughters were 12 months (Bella and Ruby are tiny weighing little more than the average 6 month old) and when I dont bring food they spend the entire shopping trip trying to eat the groceries and trying to grab stuff off shelves/out of other trolleys/off other kids. DS will get fried rice or sushi or even maccas on the occasion we go out for the day and I dont mind. He is very skinny and very difficult to get to eat. Im lucky to get one meal a day into him. Its been like this for months.
I dont care if people judge me, I do what works for me.\\\\\\\

[Taurean]

Amber-JayBLS has been mentioned a few times and I'm wondering how that can be seen as a reason to give junk food? Just because a parent is doing BLS does that mean that if the baby picks up a block of chocolate you let them eat it How about a packet of twisties or a Big Mac? seriously? They are babies and are exploring, the parent who has knowledge of what is healthy and what is no still gets to decided what the babies eats. Fussy eaters, sure I haven't got a fussy child but even a child who wants nothing but potato can have it mashed or even home made oven baked chips or roast potato would be better choices that maccas fries Even if it's a cost issue, potatoes don't cost that much do they?

I guess often parents are out and about when junk food is given and it's not that simple to just whip up a few home made fries or nuggets! And I agree, home cooked 'junk' is somewhat healthier but it's not always an option when you're not home!

Following is a classic situation where mum's may have resorted to 'junk'. You're out shopping and all the 'good' food has been refused or thrown on the ground. You need to get some shopping done (you've been planning for it for two days!) but your child is cranky in the pram screaming blue murder because the 'healthy' food you've offered SUCKS but they want some food! The supermarket is at the other end of the mall, it's lunch time and everywhere is busy and you just want to calm (and feed) your child but continue to race around like a headless chook to get your shopping done before the parking runs out AND before nap time! That's when a bit of 'junk' can be a lifesaver. BUT, if you have been lucky enough to not experience a scenario like that with you're children then I guess you wouldn't understand.

I, like many other parents, believe once in a while is fine - everything in moderation, even from a young age. If you goggle what toddlers should be eating even the 'naughty' foods get a mention. They can be given but only one small serve once a day.

Moderation is the key. Offering junk when there is no other option or because as a mum you simply can't be arsed (preparing the food, the food refusal, the fight when they don't get what they want, etc!) really isn't a big deal. Judging without knowing the whole story is a big deal and so unfair.

Oh, and on a very random note, one of the little girls in our MGs had massive eating issues. She had to see both a dietician and speech pathologist. The dietician confirmed the issue and put her on a diet which included a few hot chips before lunch and dinner - every day. Well boy did she thrive and she only needed the 'chips' for a couple of months and is now a brilliant eater and very healthy. Strange hey.

[CinderToriella]

I never once said bls was about eating junkjunk

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[*Belle*]

I give my children yogurt while in the trolley shopping to keep them quiet or if they are hungry while shopping we buy them a cheese and bacon roll from bakers delight, so judge me if you want to judge but both my DH and I see these things as ok to give the kids while out for a short space of time. If we are going on a 3-4hr trip to the city we take all the kids food and drinks (eg, fruit, crackers, water, sandwiches etc. And yes sometimes when we are out because we didnt expect to be out that long, like last weekend the kids had maccas (3 nuggets apple bag and water)

[starangelk]

We went OS recently and arrived at midnight their time, woke up the next morning in our apartment with no food. Sent DH to get some bfast and he went to a fast food type place and used the credit card because we also hadn't exchanged much money at this point in time. We weren't particularly organised! I had some dry biscuits for DD but that's pretty much it as we had to give the rest over when we went through customs. He came home with a big breakfast style thing, a sausage and egg mcmuffin and a hash brown and I gave DD some of the egg from the muffin and part of the sausage. He also got a yoghurt from there that came with strawberry topping and muesli. I scraped off the strawberry topping and muesli and gave her some yoghurt too. Not ideal for an 8 month old but at the time, we didn't have a heap of options for a baby who had drunk her milk and was ready for food. We do BLS so we are very into giving her whatever we eat but on this particular occasion it did cross my mind that this wasn't the best meal for her. She was totally fine though and I think the food is okay in small amounts on a very rare occasion like that. I am cool that people will disagree with me, it's a judgment call.