In another thread I noticed some people debating about the foods that they feed their children. It made me think about what I ate growing up (my mother was constantly on a diet) and the choices my parents made.
So my question is this, do you feed your children what you eat, or do you allow them to eat other things? Are they allowed treats and if so how frequently?
My daughter has eaten 99% organic and natural foods since she could chew. I made this decision because she has always been off the charts for weight and height.. and honestly, if she is 'meant' to be 'bigger', then I want her to be bigger and healthy, not bigger on McNuggets, kwim? Part of this is selfish, because I would feel absolutely terrible if she was 'bigger' because I made unhealthy choices for her. But mostly, I want her to be healthy and I want her to know that no matter what size you are meant to be genetically, it's important to fuel your body with healthy foods and get exercise each day. I could care less about the number on the scale (which is 35 lbs and 38 inches at 2.5, for reference), I just want it to be based on whole foods, and not crap. If she is eating healthy and getting out to play and move around, then I could care less what size she wears or what the scale says, unless there was an underlying medical issue. I like that she has very healthy habits and prefers fresh fruit, cheese, and yogurt over anything else. She still eats 'normal kid food' like cookies, yogurt, crackers, waffles, etc... but it's the organic/healthy variety. It's really not any more expensive (maybe 15% more then if I bought 'mainstream', most of that because of produce).. so I really don't 'buy it' when people say they can't 'afford healthy food'. For example, she eats PB & J just like a normal child, but it's whole grain bread, natural organic PB and organic strawberry spread. Her sandwich doesn't look any different than any other child's. She eats a natural variety of something similar to Spaghetti-o's sometimes, and it looks exactly the same. There is an organic/healthy alternative to pretty much EVERYTHING and if you look, they usually cost the same. The healthy variety of cookies/crackers don't cost any more than Oreo's and Ritz. She drinks soy milk (lactose intolerant) and water, nothing else. She has had a random juice box and lemonade here and there at special functions, but it's definitely a very rare treat and not an everyday thing. I know that she won't always not know what a McNugget or Happy Meal is, but I hope that by then she has a good foundation for wanting and choosing healthy foods. Everything in moderation. She has had 'regular' sweets at parties and special outings, but I don't keep them in the house and she doesn't ask for them... she has absolutely no idea that her food is any different than anyone else's, and I like it that way. I offer her what we eat for dinner, but she usually doesn't want it (because she is 3 and likes to be in control), but she always gets a healthy substitute. If we must be out all day, I just pack a lot of healthy snacks.. it's really not that hard. I just don't agree with kids living off of hot dogs/pizza pockets/pop tarts/kool aid/soda/potato chips/nuggets/ice cream, and if parents say that their child 'won't eat anything else' or 'won't eat healthy', then I'm sorry.. but it's their fault for introducing those items to them at an age where their opinions are forming. I just don't buy it, and I think it's a cop out. If my daughter asks for something that I don't think is healthy (like candy at the checkout, for example), I just tell her it's yucky and she agrees. Well, it is! It's full of preservatives, artificial flavors and sweeteners, etc. Not that I don't enjoy my treats, but I am an adult and can choose to make good decisions or not, and she can't - so she needs someone who is responsible to make good decisions for her, and for her health. I don't feed her 'diet food' (like rice crackers and what not), and I don't count her calories. I just teach her what is healthy, and what isn't.. and what is okay to have often, and what isn't... and give her access to healthy snacks and unlimited water.. and don't keep anything completely off limits, just within reason and not every day, and I honestly think that doing it any other way is poor parenting. I am sure that some may disagree with me, but I think that if you take an honest look at what your children eat and why.. you will realize that someone gave them those foods in the beginning, or someone chose to not teach them about healthy vs. unhealthy foods that need to be eaten in moderation.
Anyway, sorry.. that's my rant!
Last edited by MAMA2CHUNKEYMONKEY; 06-19-2007 at 12:18 AM.
I'm way too young have children, and I definitely don't, but I just wanted to say that I love MAMA's approach. I hope when I have kids I will be able to do the same thing! Good work!
This is an excellent question! DH and I view things such as chips and cookies as "special occassion" treats, not foods we have around for regular snacks. We try to always have a variety of yogurts, cheese (in moderation!) and fruit available for snacks.
I bought some of the 100-calorie packs, and while they're okay, I'm not really a snacker, so I'm letting the kids finish them off. The rule with them is that they get one "junky" snack a day, but that's it. I relearned the lesson that I do better when we have whole foods rather than prepackaged stuff around!
I'm trying to be more attuned to my kids perceptions of foods than perhaps my mom was when I was young. We talk alot about what food does for the body, and why some food choices are better than others. I'm attempting to avoid labeling foods "good" or "bad", but I do want them to be aware of how junk foods affect the body.
I feed my daughter foods that build a healthy strong and well body and mind.
This translates into a way of eating very similar to mine but with more starches, more good fats and more liberal amounts of naturally sweetened foods, as needed to fuel a growing child.
We also eat organic and natural foods.
Like MAMA2CHUNKYMONKEY, I don't allow non-food, commercial, artificially sweetened and colored items into my home, or give them to my child.
I make sure she has plenty of options and understands the importance of nutrition. She knows that just because a person looks "thin" does not necessarily mean they are or will be healthy in the future.
Does this mean she doesn't have the occasional soda while at a friend's house? No! She is a teenager and likes to try new things *and* rebel against her family on occasion That being said, she chooses the healthiest option from what is available (in this case, "clear" sodas, no caffeine, artificial sweeteners or colors) because she cares about herself and her body.
She will make her own decisions as she grows. I feel good knowing I have provided a solid framework within which she can make the best choices possible and that I have not provided her with easy access to non-nutritive and unhealthy food options. I know it is paying off now and will pay off in the future.
I very rarely bought junk food into the house when my children were growing up (they are 22 and 23 now) but honestly, it didn't seem to make a difference once they were old enough to make their own food choices. I packed healthy lunches for them; they threw them out and begged lunch off their friends. Once they were earning money, they bought pizza and Macdonalds etc whenever they could. I cooked a healthy dinner every night; they would eat it with me and then head out for a junk food night with their friends. Now, one is a lean athlete; one struggles with his weight and hates exercise. I have no idea what the lesson from all this is, except maybe do your best as a parent and accept that your kids will go their own ways regardless. <sign me...hard lessons learned>
I have an 18 month old and I try to take a laid back approach to food for her. She gets what we eat, with perhaps a little extra cheese or something (since she loves cheese and toddlers can use the extra fat). She gets snacks in moderation - 1-2 small pieces of chocolate, one scoop of reduced calorie ice cream, one cookie. We make sure to always serve her at least one fruit or vegetable at each meal. She doesn't always eat them, but she is getting used to the idea that a healthy meal includes vegetables and fruits.
My children grew up on junk food. I was a junk food addict until about 2 years ago, so we all ate it. My children are now 21, 18, and 16. They have all been on the lower end as far as weight goes. My oldest son is 6' and 145, my middle son is 6'2" and 160 and my daughter is 5'4" and 108. My children have always had trouble gaining weight. My daughter has always been under weight until last year when she started eating healthier. She has now gained weight and has started getting a few curves. So my opinion is junk food does not always make your children obese. Sometimes it has the opposite effect on them. I do worry about them as adults though, because of the bad habits they grew up with.
Another thing to add is, my children have always been very active.
Terrie
I don't have kids but growing up we ate healthy...but a lot! I grew up on a farm and we were totally a "meat and potatoes" family. We ate a lot of what we grew, plus our own meat. Meals consisted of pork, chicken or beef, some type of potato and a veggies at each dinner. My mom would not buy chips or cookies or ice cream or soda, however she did indulge some of our young wishes like mac and cheese and hotdogs. McDonald's or chinese food was a treat and we only got it once a month or so. We had healthy lunches (sandwiches, fruits, yogurt, etc.) up until I got into high school then we got an allowance to eat at the cafeteria. I sometimes chose well (salad bar) and sometimes not (pizza or a chicken patty sandwich with fries). When I got old enough to drive (and got a job) I bought more junk food for snacks, ate at fast food restaurants more often, etc. It really took off when I got to college, I ate nothing but junk!! I don't know how I turned out that way when I ate healthy early on. My mom always stressed fueling your body with healthy food, not eating low calorie to stay thin or anything like that. Now that I'm 27 I'm finally getting her approach and now I'm not eating to lose weight, I'm eating to be healthy, which inevitably makes my weight go down just because it was so high to begin with! I don't know if I will ever have kids but if I do end up with them I'd like to give them the same types of foods as I had growing up - lots of whole foods, very little processed stuff, etc.
I have 4 kids and they eat what I eat..well I serve it and thye choose to eat or not. I have 3 that do not like salad that much and 1 that loves it. We do eat out once in a while at mcdonald's (cause it has a palyground) and they do get treats at least once a week. I make cakes for all ocasions but with healthier ingredients like Whole wheat flour. I see nothing wrong with having "treats" at times as long as they do not become the main food source. As for the comment that organic is the smae price as regular no it isn't always and that 15% more adds up to alot when you are feeding 6 on a small budjet. I get a lot of veggies and fruit but on somethings I have to compromise.If I can make it to walmart I can get natural Peanut butter (club size) for the same price as regular buit if I have to go to the grocerie store they only have small jars and I would have to buy a jar a week wich would add up to 12$ compared to 6 for the club size regular. Anyways what I am trying to say is I don't believe you have to be to strict all the time.
We compromise also. I stick with organic for fruits with skin that you eat (like apples, grapes, and lettuces)... but I usually buy conventional bananas, potatoes, and garlic. I also splurge on organic chicken breasts, but I can do so because I make priorities... my main concerns are organic chicken, milk, and fruits/vegetables with thin/eatable skin. I shop half at Whole Foods (oh how I'd love to shop completely there! But we'd be poor!) and half at Super Target. I take the time to collect coupons and even buy them off of eBay and sometimes E-mail companies and request coupons (and I almost always get them!). I watch for sales (which WF's DOES have, they just aren't advertised), and stock up then. I make a two week menu and shop accordingly. It's just really important to me to read the labels of foods before I give them to my child, and if 'better' cost more because it's not overly processed, then that's worth it to me if it's something she will eat often. In the Summer, I take advantage of the farmer's markets. I have left with 6 bags full of produce before for less than $15! Before we switched to organic/natural, we spent about $300 a month on groceries, and now we spend about $400, but that was also when we had a child (and this includes all paper goods, toiletries, pull up's, etc. as well).
When I was younger and healthier, I said my children would only eat fruits and veggies, but when they began school, peer pressure began. They wanted potato chips, cookies ect, so I gave in, thus my kids are overweight. Since I began loosing weight, I don't stock junk food in the house, except for a weekly junk food treat, now there is fruit and veggies, I don't bake cakes anymore, and it has helped my daughter slim down some. My kids have complained a little but they don't have the final word I do.
cheryl
My DH and I believe that eating dinner as a family is important. We sit down and have a nice meal that I prepare each night. I never fix anything different for the kids (except on rare occasions where DH and I want fish--the kids get chicken as they dislike fish). I try to make each meal healthy and balanced. The kids have their likes and dislikes but they know they can't just look at a food and decide to like it or not without tasting it first. They love that I cook healthy meals. But being a typical busy family, there are times when I cannot cook and we order pizza or go out for dinner. I know my DD (16) likes the pizza part, but couldn't care less about going out to eat--she doesn't see it as anything special (once she gets to the point of having to cook daily, I think she'll understand how it is a treat for me!!). DS comments on how much he likes the vegetables that I fix (and he doesn't have to dress his broccoli and cauliflower in ranch dressing like DD and DH).
He eats what regular people eat. He's really finicky (always has been- he has a big gag reflex) so I pretty much am happy THAT he eats, lol esp meat as he has only just started to like it.
His main foods are:
apples
pudding
yogurt
Scubas (we go through a box of these every day and a half!!)
cheese
crackers
some sandwich meat like ham and turkey (the quality ones, not the ones full of toenails)
sandwiches
and surprisingly, he loves "salad" ..(lettuce and dressing)
He does like junk too but since I started eating better I bring it in maybe once or twice a week, one serving, and that's it. He likes chocolate, pringles, and McD's. He really loves crispy mini's so I provide them as well.
What do you feed your children?
That being said, she chooses the healthiest option from what is available (in this case, "clear" sodas, no caffeine, artificial sweeteners or colors) because she cares about herself and her body.
