Is this junk food?

PinkTissue

I had a real busy day today and did not have chance to have 'real food' for lunch today. By the time I remembered it was lunch time, it was already close to 3 pm.

As it was close to dinner time and not feeling really famished, I decided not to take an energy bar and had a cookie instead, to be precise, a Pepperidge Farm Oatmeal raisin cookie.

My boss, who knew I was on a diet told me that the cookie I had is junk food. And those handy energy bars I have (with at least 12g of protein per bar) is also junk food and I should throw them away. Instead, I should eat apples or 'real food'. It is kind of embarrassing for me as I had half a cookie stuck inside my mouth as my boss pronounced it as junk food.

I am confused. Are oatmeal cookies and energy bars junk food? I have them around in case of emergencies as meal substitutes - I don't particular like them as I prefer to get proper lunch outside but sometimes I have no choice if I gets too busy. I don't really like apples and since most of the time I eat outside, it is just not practical for me to keep apples which can rot easily.

melaniecheeks

Well I wouldn't call cookies and energy bars real food!

As you say, they're OK in a pinch, but I wouldn't be using them regularly.

There's no defintion of "junk" - but have a look at the nutritional breakdown of those items in your diary. Check out the sugar and fat content (and no, it's not going to be the good kind of fat....). Then compare that to an apple and a piece of cheese, and see which is nutritionally better for you.

Sapporo

I would call it junk because it is processed but still eat it, just not everyday.

beccarockslife

In my life they would be considered junk food. Massively processed food generally are for me.

I think views differ though and it doesn't mean I don't use them sometimes.

JoannaLouden

Your boss is a real jerk. The cookie would prob still be considered junk food, BUT oatmeal isn't bad and it is a better choice of a cookie than say a double chocolate chunk. You know? The protein bars....I bet a lot of nutritionists would agree with your boss that an apple or something fresh is the best choice...but again I look at practical life, your protein bar is a way better choice than grabbing some Taco Bell which is the alternative.

I think it about making the best choices in the moment....if you can choose grapes over chips, do it. If your only choices are a protein bar or a candy bar from the break room vending machine, go with the protein bar.

sarajo16

Those energy bars and cookies are full of sugar! I eat them but I would class them as junk.

Limajuliet

It depends how you classify 'junk' food and as such it is a matter of opinion. You can think of food just as calories, but there are other elements to consider as well. 100 calories from fruit is better for you than 100 calories from cookies, but 100 calories from cookies is better than 1000 calories from fruit on top of 3 meals a day.

You shouldn't need to justify yourself to anybody. My colleagues like to pass comment on what I'm having for lunch, because they know that I am 'dieting'. Some days, I'll have a muffin or some other 'junk' and there will usually be some sort of comment from an ignorant so and so, but I am always counting the 'junk' and it is usually part of a balanced diet. Everything in moderation is the key to healthy eating... this includes a moderate amount of 'junk' in MY opinion. I personally would go crazy eating clean 100% of the time

10KEyes

Are oatmeal cookies and energy bars junk food?

In my opinion, they are junk food. But that is just my opinion and evidently your boss' too. LOL That is kind of rude of him/her though. Not very classy.

prism6

your boss is being a fitness pusher. All our efforts are based on our life styles. If a raisin cookie is what you had for that day oh well. raisins are full of iron and protien,oatmeal is fiber. just log the calories and you are fine in my opinion. Protien bars,eh,I eat them after a gym workout. to me junk food is chips,fries,snacky things,pizza....even though some things may still contain 'good' stuff, so I guess it is ones own percieved junk food opinion. try to keep an apple at your desk..or better yet tell your boss you would be happy to eat 'healthy' food and to please leave it on the second shelf of the breakroom fridg.marked with your name......ah,maybe not

JayByrd107

It's junk.

The halo of having protein in the energy bar and oats in the cookie don't outweigh the large amounts of sugar in both items and the hydrogenated oils and whatever else in the cookie.

That said, I won't say that there is no place for those things as part of an otherwise healthy diet. Hit your macros and stay under on your calories and those things are just fine.

zoeluiisa

It depends. If I made an oatmeal cookie in my own kitchen from oats, brown sugar, raisins etc I wouldn't class it as junk. Not as good for you as an apple, sure, but still made from wholesome natural ingredients.

If I bought a pack of cookies from the supermarket with a long list of crap ingredients, I would class it as junk.

JayByrd107

raisins are full of iron and protien,

Not true. The only thing that raisins contain in significant amounts are sugar and potassium.

sarajo16

I now track sugar in my diary, just changed my settings and it was a real eye opener. Once you stay within that level set then I'd eat it and enjoy it

PinkTissue

Thank you! Now I know that oatmeal cookie and protein bars are no-no unless it is dire emergencies. Next time I have to miss my lunch, I am going to ask my boss to 'donate' an apple for me :-)

secretlobster

Yup, so are most protein bars. Does that mean you should never eat it? Of course not. But nutritionally it's not doing you any huge favors. I eat protein bars once in a while if I need protein and calories and I don't have anything else available.

Balice57

First of all, why do people think it is okay to comment on what other people are eating? And it's hard when you're at work and haven't eaten on a regular basis to make good decisions about what to eat, especially if you are stuck at your desk. I struggle with this as I am not much of a planner, bringing the right foods with me when I am out. Definitely read the labels on the protein and other "health" bars to see what is in them. My pet peeve is buying a bar that purports to be healthy and then not being able to recognize anything in them. This is why I like Kind bars - you can see that they are nuts and fruit. The Kind Nut Delight bars have been great to get me through those times when I am hungry but don't want to sabotage my day's calorie goal. They have some sugars (I need to investigate this further), but lots of good nuts and low sodium. I prefer to be able to see exactly what is in what I am eating.

katysmelly

I had a real busy day today and did not have chance to have 'real food' for lunch today. By the time I remembered it was lunch time, it was already close to 3 pm.

As it was close to dinner time and not feeling really famished, I decided not to take an energy bar and had a cookie instead, to be precise, a Pepperidge Farm Oatmeal raisin cookie.

My boss, who knew I was on a diet told me that the cookie I had is junk food. And those handy energy bars I have (with at least 12g of protein per bar) is also junk food and I should throw them away. Instead, I should eat apples or 'real food'. It is kind of embarrassing for me as I had half a cookie stuck inside my mouth as my boss pronounced it as junk food.

I am confused. Are oatmeal cookies and energy bars junk food? I have them around in case of emergencies as meal substitutes - I don't particular like them as I prefer to get proper lunch outside but sometimes I have no choice if I gets too busy. I don't really like apples and since most of the time I eat outside, it is just not practical for me to keep apples which can rot easily.

I don't know if they are, or not. But, I know they're none of your boss's business!

grinch031

Yes its junk food. I consider junk food to be food that contains ingredients/nutrients that you seldom see packaged together in naturally occurring whole foods. Most processed foods would fit this criteria because they are engineered to last longer, taste better, and in some cases like protein bars have specific macro-nutrient amounts. But not all junk food is created equal. I eat junk food, but try to eat as little of it as I can tolerate, but I will always recommend people who struggle with health and/or weight to eat more whole foods.

BrianSharpe

Nice boss, a really busy day where you're tied to your desk and rather than offering to have something brought in for you he criticizes your choices.......