Parents let their kids eat trash?

This exact subject makes me so damn irritated! I swear people think that it is child abuse if you feed your kids healthy food! And you know what?!? I hate even calling it healthy food! IT'S FOOD!! REAL DAMN FOOD!! The garbage that most people feed their kids is disgusting!! I have people judge me all the time because my kids eat what I eat...vegetables, proteins, low sugar. They think that I am being unfair to my kids and that I'm not feeding them real food. I love how people think that hot dogs, cookies, candy, pizza, etc is a great diet for kids. To me, FEEDING YOUR KIDS THAT CRAP IS ABUSE!! Sorry! Had to rant..I was having this exact discussion with someone today because they said they couldn't diet because they couldn't feed their kids diet food!!! What exactly is diet food?? Are you talking vegetables, fiber, good oils/fats, lean meats? Because that is real food!! GRRRR

Please be a troll please be a troll please be a troll

This exact subject makes me so damn irritated! I swear people think that it is child abuse if you feed your kids healthy food! And you know what?!? I hate even calling it healthy food! IT'S FOOD!! REAL DAMN FOOD!! The garbage that most people feed their kids is disgusting!! I have people judge me all the time because my kids eat what I eat...vegetables, proteins, low sugar. They think that I am being unfair to my kids and that I'm not feeding them real food. I love how people think that hot dogs, cookies, candy, pizza, etc is a great diet for kids. To me, FEEDING YOUR KIDS THAT CRAP IS ABUSE!! Sorry! Had to rant..I was having this exact discussion with someone today because they said they couldn't diet because they couldn't feed their kids diet food!!! What exactly is diet food?? Are you talking vegetables, fiber, good oils/fats, lean meats? Because that is real food!! GRRRR

Please be a troll please be a troll please be a troll

Lol!

When we go out to dinner it's a treat for the kids because we do not do it often. They will get the nuggets and fries and basically scream in praise because they are getting a break from their quinoa, friut/veggie healthy eating lives. I even make my own breading for chicken nuggets at home that contains veggies (from the sneaky chef cook book) so they are allowed to indulge when we go out. My kids do make healthy choices on a regular basis and and probably some of the only kids who actually EAT their veggies at school lunches.

Oh, and sometimes parents just want a QUIET meal with NO complaining!!

Honestly, I'm seeing a ton of judgy mcjudgersons around here... My DD eats better than I do the majority of the time... 2 chicken nuggets, 10 fries and 10 apple slices aren't going to make a huge difference in her nutritional make up... this girl eats fruits and veggies like they are going out of style... but how would you know that unless you were a creeper watching me feed my child every meal.

Seriously, MYOB. I don't need you telling me how to feed my child... whether it's breastfeeding in public or give her the occasional happy meal.

^^^^ this

just because someone sees kids eating fast food on one occasion, it doesn't mean they eat like that for every meal. Nothing wrong with fast food in moderation if the rest of the diet is nutritionally balanced.

I teach my kids what nutrients their bodies need and what foods contain them. I'm teaching them why too much too often of some foods is bad for them, but that eating those foods in sensible quantities once in a while won't do them any harm. I want them to have a healthy relationship with food - that doesn't just mean avoiding systematic overeating, it also means avoiding undereating, dangerously restrictive diets and irrational fears of specific foods or food groups.

First let me say I'm a mother of 4 and step mother to 3. The excuses to feed kids garbage on here are just amazing...picky eaters, that's all they have on the kids menu. Blah, blah blah... Hey guess what, you don't HAVE to order from the kids menu, you can *gasp* order them something a bit more healthy from the adult menu and split it between you and them, since we all know the portion sizes at restaurants are way too big. So why is it all the picky children only live in the US or the overindulged European nations? How is it a Asian child can eat vegetables, lean meats and rice, but an american child has a special tongue that can't handle it? I lived in the Phillippines when I was 8-12 years old and the things my young tongue ate would just blow your mind. Squid, fish head soup, stir fry, etc and I liked it. I was taught you eat what is given to you or don't eat at all, which my kids are taught now too. My 3 year old and 5 year old love baked fish, beans, quinoa, asparagus, greek yogurt, etc...all the things I eat. Making excuses is just lazy parenting if you ask me. It's an epidemic of lazy, spoiled over indulged people turning their children into the same thing.

This answer makes good sense to me; that it's a cultural thing.

I don't see many other people who grew up with health-nut parents here, but mine were. They'd USUALLY let me get whatever I wanted, although if it was chicken fingers like three outings in a row, they'd draw the line. While eating, they'd spend a lot of time explaining why they choose not to eat whatever I'm eating. I was a kid, it didn't ruin my life or make me super health conscious or anything. I didn't give a ****. I was probably just thinking about Pokemon most of the time.

Don't be judgmental, kids are weird and parenting is hard. Not to mention- a lot of kids menus have generally crappy options and kids rarely seem to clean their plates.

That's why there's so much obesity. You learn the bad habits young that carry on into adulthood.

I know parents who do not feed their kids sugar or processed foods at all and the kids are not deprived and they love the food they eat because it's all they know. They don't have ADHD, are healthy and love, love, love fruit as a dessert and eat veggies like candy and nuts and avocado and coconut oil for fat. It's the way it should be in a healthy world.

First let me say I'm a mother of 4 and step mother to 3. The excuses to feed kids garbage on here are just amazing...picky eaters, that's all they have on the kids menu. Blah, blah blah... Hey guess what, you don't HAVE to order from the kids menu, you can *gasp* order them something a bit more healthy from the adult menu and split it between you and them, since we all know the portion sizes at restaurants are way too big. So why is it all the picky children only live in the US or the overindulged European nations? How is it a Asian child can eat vegetables, lean meats and rice, but an american child has a special tongue that can't handle it? I lived in the Phillippines when I was 8-12 years old and the things my young tongue ate would just blow your mind. Squid, fish head soup, stir fry, etc and I liked it. I was taught you eat what is given to you or don't eat at all, which my kids are taught now too. My 3 year old and 5 year old love baked fish, beans, quinoa, asparagus, greek yogurt, etc...all the things I eat. Making excuses is just lazy parenting if you ask me. It's an epidemic of lazy, spoiled over indulged people turning their children into the same thing.

Where is that high horse gif?

Was thinking the same thing. At home it's a eat what we made for dinner or you don't eat at all mentality. The few times we to a restaurant, all bets are off....that's why we're going to a restaurant.

As a treat we're taking the kids to Minnesota Vikings training camp on Saturday and stopping at Buffalo Wild Wings on the way home because....wait for it....it's a treat and that's what my 4 year old likes, so if you want to report me to child protective services, I'll be at the BWW in North Mankato on Saturday. I'll have the healthy, athletic 4yr old eating fries.

First let me say I'm a mother of 4 and step mother to 3. The excuses to feed kids garbage on here are just amazing...picky eaters, that's all they have on the kids menu. Blah, blah blah... Hey guess what, you don't HAVE to order from the kids menu, you can *gasp* order them something a bit more healthy from the adult menu and split it between you and them, since we all know the portion sizes at restaurants are way too big. So why is it all the picky children only live in the US or the overindulged European nations? How is it a Asian child can eat vegetables, lean meats and rice, but an american child has a special tongue that can't handle it? I lived in the Phillippines when I was 8-12 years old and the things my young tongue ate would just blow your mind. Squid, fish head soup, stir fry, etc and I liked it. I was taught you eat what is given to you or don't eat at all, which my kids are taught now too. My 3 year old and 5 year old love baked fish, beans, quinoa, asparagus, greek yogurt, etc...all the things I eat. Making excuses is just lazy parenting if you ask me. It's an epidemic of lazy, spoiled over indulged people turning their children into the same thing.

Where is that high horse gif?
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I don't think that high horse remark was called for. The quoted post makes a great deal of sense, that it's cultural and has to do with what the parents eat. I thought that was the best response on this thread. Some of the responses bother me, i.e., making McDirty foods ,fried food, nuggets, etc., into "rewards" or "treats" to be indulged in when the family goes out.

Let me first say that I am a mother of 4 children. I have taught all 4 of them to eat healthy but I have also taught them that a little bit of indulgence is good for your body too. For the most part we eat healthy meals at home full of fruits and veggies which my children do not complain about because they know that what I serve for dinner is what you are getting, period. We go out to eat maybe once every 2-3 months. The few times we do go out, my children do not chose fast food places such as McDonalds or Burger King because they just don't like the food there. If they want a burger, they want a real one cooked on the grill at home, usually made out of turkey meat rather than the standard hamburg and that is what they prefer. When we do go out to eat, I let them chose whatever they want off of the menu because I know that even if it is a poor choice fat and calorie wise, it is ok because for the most part they make good choices. You know what, they usually chose a salad or something healthy like that anyway.

Even though I have taught all 4 of my children the same about what they should eat and what they shouldn't eat, each one will make their own choices. Certain ones will chose hot air popped popcorn with nothing on it (not the microwave crap), fresh veggies, fresh fruit or yogurt for their snack every time and some of my other children will ask for ice cream and cookies every snack time. So by saying that the only reason why a child chooses junk food is because a parent only feeds them junk food is crazy. That is like saying that a child will spend their life in and out of jail because their parents did so. No matter how educated someone is, whether they are an adult or a child, they are going to make their own decisions in life and who are you to judge them especially if this is the only time you have ever seen them.

Our child's nutrition is more important than hours. And it is kind of disturbing to see that "kid's menu" in our society is always the unhealthiest things that the restaurant will offer.

It takes constant conscious effort to instill healthy eating habits.

Breastmilk only for the fist 6 months. Than I started to introduce vegetables (steamed and blended freshly every meal). Those first vegetables, (brocolli, cauliflower, sweet potato, carrot...) he eats very well to this day. He likes broccoli. He asks for it.

First foods matter. Tastes are instilled very early in childhood.

Only after he was used to vegetables I introduced fruit and protein (fish and meats). He snacks on fruit all the time and really likes it.

He drinks milk, raw coconut water (mainly fresh out of the coconut for him), and water. He has no idea what soda is. Why on Earth would I give it to him? When he tried juice, he did not like it. His tastes are set already and he thinks it is too sweet.

But of couse, he is a child, he will have a piece of cake when we are out with people who are having cake. He will occasionally have an ice cream when out on a hot summer day. And when we are out in a restaurant/cafe he will eat what we eat, even if unhealthy. I don't want to be restrictive and for him to associate food with drama. If he is out and other kids are having crap, he is allowed to participate. At home, on a daily basis, food is healthy.

I think the most important factor is what the family eats. What is in the house. Kids will not eat healthy if parents don't. It just won't happen. Children want to eat what parents eat. And if they ate crap all their life and than a parent suddenly wants to change that and take away everything they know and like, of course it will be a battle. (I'm not saying it is not worth having, for the sake of child's future health, but it will be tough).

Just a very recent example. Our 2.5 year old likes spicy food. As in, more spicy than my mother can take. We did not make it for him because he is little. We separate his portion before adding serranos or sichuan peppercorn or other spices. But he likes to pick things of our plate and I don't know how, but he got used to it very fast. He asks for more. I did not intend for it to happen. I thought he would try it and not like it. But he just wants to keep trying whatever mommy and daddy are eating and his taste adjust.

2. Many places don't offer healthy options. You'd be surprised with the crap they offer for the kids' menu. I stopped going to places who really haven't gotten their kids menu together. Although, some chicken strips with a side of broccoli and mandarin oranges is hardly bad for once in a while. Add an iced tea (yes my kids are weird and prefer unsweetened iced tea to soda haha)....My children are very active.

Not to criticise peoples' choices or anything, but this is a massive problem. I bring it up because one thing I always notice about kids menus is that they are are beyond crap- so few options.

I was (and in fairness, still am) an incredibly fussy and faddy eater, and God knows if you had presented me as a child with a common pub kids menu (spaghetti, beefburger and chips, pepperoni pizza and ice cream for pudding) you wouldn't have got me to eat at all. Regardless of how healthy the options are, there are still usually only about three.

When I was about 6 and massively went off red meat, my mum used to let me pick an adult meal and share it with me. She'll still talk about the fifteen thousand tonnes of scampi & chips (until I went off all things potato) and all the curries we consumed together even now.

Enjoy your salad and dont worry about other people's kids. I have a son and he eats a variety of foods and gets a better macro divide than I ever could manage. He eats more fruits and veggies at home, more than I ever thought a 2 year old would eat. When we go out (we try not to eat out too much), if he wants to eat chicken fingers and fries than we let him. Just like anyone else, he likes treats every now and then. At home most of the chicken he gets is baked.

Now I am not saying we order him 3 large cokes and an icecream sundae too, but it's ok for a kid to have pizza every now and then.

Enjoy your salad and stop staring at other people's kids. I have a son and he eats a variety of foods and gets a better macro divide than I ever could manage. He eats more fruits and veggies at home then I ever thought a 2 year old would eat. When we go out (we try not to eat out too much), if he wants to eat chicken fingers and fries than we let him. Just like anyone else, he likes treats every now and then. At home most of the chicken he gets is baked.

Now I am not saying we order him 3 large cokes and an icecream sundae too, but it's ok for a kid to have pizza every now and then.

Yep, this is probably more the norm than exception.

To be honest, if we do eat out, my husband and I just tend to get extra plates and share our meals. If I take my kids to soft play the 3 of us share a jacket potato and tuna for lunch. My two don't eat all that much so I wouldn't buy a child's meal anyway as they wouldn't eat it all.

This is what I typically do too... just because I know most of the time she is just not going to eat it and she would rather eat what we are eating. But even when we do get fast food, I just share with her anyway, it's cheaper and less food for me (we both really don't eat that much)... I get her some milk and fruit (if we are not going back home right away) and she usually downs that first before attacking the fries... She has had a taste of soda all of two times, once was on "accident" (in qoutes because I can't believe DH didn't know that Cherry Limeades are typically made with Sprite around here) and the other was on purpose as a treat (it was an ice cream float as a part of the Fourth of July celebrations... I don't think she liked it much, which is honestly just fine with me.