Chocolate, cake, biscuits

[debecca]

I don't think it makes for a child who then wants eats crap a lot as they get older either. I've nannied for years and the children who ate sugary foods and crap were the ones who had been allowed to eat it since weaning. The ones who had it limited and only given in moderation as they got older were the ones with the better eating habits into their teen years and now beyond.

This isn't necessarily because they weren't given the sugary stuff though!

Surely in general children who are not given loads of crap as babies have more intelligent parents, and are therefore likely to be more intelligent themselves, and therefore make intelligent decisions about their diets?

 

[Kimbo]

Surely in general children who are not given loads of crap as babies have more intelligent parents,

i like you debecca but sorry i can't agree with you there

 

[debecca]

Surely in general children who are not given loads of crap as babies have more intelligent parents,

i like you debecca but sorry i can't agree with you there

That's why I said "in general" there are exceptions to every rule and you are the exception here!

 

[xrachx]

mmm..its a funny one this as it also can be perceived that kids who havent had sugary stuff growing up will also go crazy for the taste when they do have it and binge out on the stuff and either get really overweight or end up with an eating disorder of the most serious level of binge and purging, they say a dieting mum has an overwhelming effect on younger kids also having a distorted view on body image, i watched a programme on telly and there were kids as young as four wanting to go on a diet cos mummy did!

 

[daftscotslass]

I don't think it makes for a child who then wants eats crap a lot as they get older either. I've nannied for years and the children who ate sugary foods and crap were the ones who had been allowed to eat it since weaning. The ones who had it limited and only given in moderation as they got older were the ones with the better eating habits into their teen years and now beyond.

This isn't necessarily because they weren't given the sugary stuff though!

Definitely. We were discussing this in the staffroom the other day and one of my colleagues (mum of 5) who only ever fed her children wholesome, non-processed food made from fresh ingredients has ended up with all but one of them turning into finicky eaters as adults (they are now aged between 15 and 27). They were never allowed sweets, ready meals etc because they just couldn't afford them. So it's certainly not a given that the good eaters as children will turn into good eaters as adults.

Becky doesn't get sweets and the only non-homemade things she gets are Organix snacks. She does, however, have some home baked things I make. Pancakes are something we have quite regularly. She isn't overly fussed about them, anyway. Give her a blueberry or a clementine any day then she turns into something vaguely resembling a conveyer belt.

I only drink milk, fresh fruit juice and water in the house so it'll be the same for her though she has never had anything other than milk or water yet and won't until she's a bit older.

 

[beanie]

I was a child of the 80s and grew up on sweets and crisps. I have shocking eating habits as a result and binge on sweets when the girls have gone to bed. I really don't want them having the same thing so sweets, chocs are restricted. Seren is allowed the occasional chocolate during the week, she can have a biscuit every day but I prefer plain ones where possible, or organix ones. They do have raisens but these are also restricted to a treat. Seren thinks the organix cereal bars are "treats" as she calls them - I am that mean. She is not allowed fizzy pop, especially not coke. Cally won't have chocolate till she is about 2 as by that age she will go to parties etc that has it. In my limited experience (as I have only gone through this with Seren) it has worked, she will happily choose a piece of fruit over chocolate - her nanny gave her 50p to spend in the shop and she wanted to buy a banana lol. I am happy for her to have junk in moderation, OH takes her out for a happy meal occasionally but I want her to grow up thinking healthy food is the norm not something to work at like me. My bigbig thing though is not to give sweets/chocolate etc if they get hurt etc as comfort eating is my worst enemy.

Rach, not sure where the diet thing comes into it, no-one here has said they diet have they

 

[Charlie:-)]

I just think sugar is overused and not needed in the diet so much. But food manufactuers sneak it in as many things as they can Same with salt.

Completely agree Sherlock. I went to the supermarket last night on my own while Maia was in bed and it was great cause I actually had time to stand and read labels, havent done that for 8 months! Anyhow I was so shocked at the amount of salt in foods, never really paid much attention until now cause I don't normally buy processed food (except yoghurts but not sure if thats classed as processed) everything is made fresh by me, and i dont add salt or sugar. I was looking particularly at spaghetti. I looked at heinz small tins and supermarket own branded as well as those branded for children. The salt content varied from 0.8g to 1g per small tin 220g I couldnt believe it, even the kids character shaped spaghetti which made me think they would have had less salt and sugar in them. No way will Maia be having those, thats her salt allowance used up for the day, beans weren't much better either although I use reduced salt and sugar ones which are far better.

 

[xrachx]

her nanny gave her 50p to spend in the shop and she wanted to buy a banana lol.

Rach, not sure where the diet thing comes into it, no-one here has said they diet have they

my second son would go to the market on a saturday and buy half a cucumber with his money instead of a bag of sweets!
as for the diet thing....i was just using it as an example, flipping heck, i am always on a diet, i am surprised my 14 year old daughter hasnt picked up on anything there!

 

[poppy160]

Not alot really.

Typical day, she will have either toast with thinly spread butter or porridge (that's if she's awake in time) Lunch will be a sandwich of some sort, or a crumpet with a Little stars yogurt. Dinner will be whatever we have..which is always healthy and made from scratch, then fruit, or maybe a baby biscuit for pudding. Rice cakes or fruit for a snack and always water to drink, because she prefers it to juice and it's cheaper

She has the odd sweet thing. I've given her proper biscuits in the past which she enjoys, and she has a pot of Hotel Chocolat tiddly buttons from her Christmas stocking but everytime we've given her one she's brought it back up again, so that suggests to me her belly isn't ready for it yet.

It's not because I'm a fussy parent - It's just not the stuff we live on. It's so much easier to give her stuff we have in the house already. We cook from scratch, and our dinners are always packed with vegetables and beans because I don't eat meat.

 

[rachie29]

Pretty much all Hollys food is homemade, she has had the odd jar of HIPP organic in an emergency though

She eats everything we eat, in fact I have yet to find anything she dislikes... we make a lot of healthy food in our house lots of greens, fruit, veg and fish - OH is quite particular like that. BUT we also have treats every now and again.... so I don't deprive Holly either. Her snacks are usually fruit or organic biscuits but she had cake on her birthday and a bit of chocolate at christmas. She also may get a piece of my chocolate if I am having some (which is rare these days as I have cut it out)

She loves any food but she has everything in moderation and I agree thats the key!

 

[LisaJ1986]

You see i'm a naughty mummy then, coz i'm easy with Angel.
She is a tall girl who is slim, and slightly under average in weight, yet she eats absolutely anything! And i make sure she tries loads of different foods!
All her meals are home cooked. She doesn't eat jarred food on the basis that it always makes her sick. We've tried 3 times and each has been very messy. Not worth it and far cheaper this way.
However, she will eat some of my chocolate, she has bits of my pasty from the bakers and she has bits of my pizza at tea time. I personally don't think i'm doing her any harm. She doesn't have much. I clean her teeth daily. Her breakfast cereal never has sugar added, and she loves her fruit and veg!

I was brought up with crisps on a daily basis, chocolate once or twice a week and desserts every mealtimes. I've not had a single filling, my teeth have always been perfect and my weight is about average.

Since living on my own i've changed all that. Crisps are treats, sweets are a monthly thing, chocolate a little more regular. My meals are pretty good, roasts fairly regular and i make myself eat veggies even though i don't like them. I am a very fussy eater and i'm just making sure Angel doesn't turn out the same as me!

I'd never purposely harm her in any way. She is a very bright and healthy little girl who is incredibly active. She is so happy and i love the fact she will not turn any food down.

So if that makes me a bad parent then so be it. My parenting skills are similar too my mum's and i think i have turned out well.

 

[EllieG]

Freya has chocolate / biscuits / cake, not all at once or in one day, but it isnt something I have banned from her diet. She does have the 'Organix' snacks, but I have to say despite their 'no junk promise', aren't many of their products manufactured to mimick 'junk' food? and just because they are sweetend with grape juice, it doesn't mean that they are not sweet, so isn't it giving children 'the taste' anyway? I buy the carrot cake bars, she has raisins, she loves nearly all fruit, but they all have sugars in them in one way or another. What will people replace the organix snacks with when their children are older?
My mum put me on my first diet when I was 8 years old, I wasn't fat by any means, but that started off my rubbish relationship with food. I desparately don't want that for my three so believe that teaching 'all things in moderation' is the way to go.

 

[kalia]

So if that makes me a bad parent then so be it.

I don't think anyone has said that if you choose to give your children chocolate, cakes and biscuits (choosing these three as they are the title of the thread) that you are a bad parent. We are giving our opinions why as parents we chose to or not to give these things to their children.

Maybe this was said tongue in cheek and I misunderstood as I think more than half the mummies have said they give some of these to their children

 

[LisaJ1986]

So if that makes me a bad parent then so be it.

I don't think anyone has said that if you choose to give your children chocolate, cakes and biscuits (choosing these three as they are the title of the thread) that you are a bad parent. We are giving our opinions why as parents we chose to or not to give these things to their children.

Maybe this was said tongue in cheek and I misunderstood as I think more than half the mummies have said they give some of these to their children

Sorry, bad wording. I just meant in general. I was in Asda today and Angel was kicking up so i gave her half a Creme Egg Twister! The guy in front looked like i was feeding her poison! As did the mother next to me and the old lady walking passed! It's not a regular thing, but these days in particular parenting skills are question too frequently!And i am made to feel bad for giving her some chocolate, or a cookie that aren't made for babies! She even has a cup of tea on a very rare occasion. It's unsweetened but i still do it.

 

[kalia]

but I have to say despite their 'no junk promise', aren't many of their products manufactured to mimick 'junk' food? and just because they are sweetend with grape juice, it doesn't mean that they are not sweet, so isn't it giving children 'the taste' anyway?

In fact when you look the ingredients a lot of them are junk food! They say no junk to mean no chemicals and an alarming amount have salt in them. I'm particularly picky about salt because DD only got the all clear on Christmas Eve - before that she was still getting scans and things because her kidneys were enlarged, which we first found out at the 20 weeks scan. So I'm not risking going through any more kidney problems and as they are not supposed to have salt until 1 year I don't intend to be very flexible about this. Perhaps if we hadn't had all the stress, worry and concern I wouldn't mind as much. But I'm really pleased her kidneys are healthy and don't want that to change.

i don't know what refined sugar does to your bady. I don't know why it is considered bad. And I can't be bothered researching to find out why that is the opinion of health professionals so I am just going to believe them unless someone comes up with a convincing argument to the contrary. I am really happy to be able to give my baby sweet things because she loves them. Oranges, clementines, etc. So I wouldn't mind so much things that are sweetened with grape juice and not refined sugar. It's not that I don't want DD to have a range of tastes, I really do,


got to go = crying baby

 

[kalia]

So if that makes me a bad parent then so be it.

I don't think anyone has said that if you choose to give your children chocolate, cakes and biscuits (choosing these three as they are the title of the thread) that you are a bad parent. We are giving our opinions why as parents we chose to or not to give these things to their children.

Maybe this was said tongue in cheek and I misunderstood as I think more than half the mummies have said they give some of these to their children

Sorry, bad wording. I just meant in general. I was in Asda today and Angel was kicking up so i gave her half a Creme Egg Twister! The guy in front looked like i was feeding her poison! As did the mother next to me and the old lady walking passed! It's not a regular thing, but these days in particular parenting skills are question too frequently!And i am made to feel bad for giving her some chocolate, or a cookie that aren't made for babies! She even has a cup of tea on a very rare occasion. It's unsweetened but i still do it.

I'm glad it was just wording, I thought you had been upset by what had been said.
And as for the creme egg twister, I do think that is just wrong. Creme eggs are egg shaped, it's in the name and any other shape is a violation of tradition!

 

[LisaJ1986]

So if that makes me a bad parent then so be it.

I don't think anyone has said that if you choose to give your children chocolate, cakes and biscuits (choosing these three as they are the title of the thread) that you are a bad parent. We are giving our opinions why as parents we chose to or not to give these things to their children.

Maybe this was said tongue in cheek and I misunderstood as I think more than half the mummies have said they give some of these to their children

Sorry, bad wording. I just meant in general. I was in Asda today and Angel was kicking up so i gave her half a Creme Egg Twister! The guy in front looked like i was feeding her poison! As did the mother next to me and the old lady walking passed! It's not a regular thing, but these days in particular parenting skills are question too frequently!And i am made to feel bad for giving her some chocolate, or a cookie that aren't made for babies! She even has a cup of tea on a very rare occasion. It's unsweetened but i still do it.

I'm glad it was just wording, I thought you had been upset by what had been said.
And as for the creme egg twister, I do think that is just wrong. Creme eggs are egg shaped, it's in the name and any other shape is a violation of tradition!

They were reduced to 17pence! I had to!

Sorry, i am a bit tired so think i didn't proof read my post.

 

[charlie84]

I think treats in moderation is fine. As long as sugary/salty/crappy food isnt given all day every day i see no issue with it.
Calleigh has had a few chocolate buttons which she got given at christmas (still loads left but me and OH are seeing to that ) she eats generally what we eat so if we have a pizza she will have a little slice to munch on.
She enjoys her Rachels Organic Yogurts and the organix range of crisp snack which are usually given with a sandwich.
Oh and she enjoys the odd biscotti usually on a saturday with daddy

She only has water and breastmilk for drinks despite MIL repeatedly asking if she is on juice

I was brought up knowing that sweets and crisps were treats and if i remember correctly me and my siblings were allowed to choose on a friday a sweet/chocolate from the shops to have as our weekly treat

 

[EllieG]

i don't know what refined sugar does to your bady. I don't know why it is considered bad. And I can't be bothered researching to find out why that is the opinion of health professionals so I am just going to believe them unless someone comes up with a convincing argument to the contrary. I am really happy to be able to give my baby sweet things because she loves them. Oranges, clementines, etc. So I wouldn't mind so much things that are sweetened with grape juice and not refined sugar. It's not that I don't want DD to have a range of tastes, I really do,


got to go = crying baby[/quote]
I totally agree that refined sugars are worse, there is no disputing that. I suppose what I mean is if we are talking about 'giving the taste' and children growing up to prefer sweet things because of what they are fed as babies, then grape juice or sugar - it's all sweet, and my baby can't read to tell the difference. If they are to have sweet things, I agree naturally sweet things are much better (am going round in circles). However these baby snacks, also encourage snacking- another bad eating habit, and surely regardless of whether they are organix baby snax or milky buttons, it will encourage snacking later on in life
Just want to add again that I do give my baby snacks - just a thought, thats all!

 

[charlie84]

Just another thought going on from the encouraging snacking later on in life. I think this is not a bad thing as we seem to think that having three set meals a day is the way it should be but snacking on small healthy portions often throughout the day is much better in terms of supplying your body with the energy needed, blood sugar kept regular etc etc.