Yes otherwise you'll create more "craving for forbidden foods" problems

My dietician says the same thing

That's good.

Not a problem in Switzerland

I don't think people are disputing that -what I said is that these ingredients are cheap and, in processed food, are added at the expense of more nutritious ingredients.

Which, for babies and toddlers (the subject of this thread), are all pretty irrelevant (apart from social status).

I think people are talking about heavily processed foods - which don't really taste like real food anyway.

Are you suggesting that if my wife and I do not bring our children up eating lots of processed food, they are going to get hang-ups about food?

The people I know with hang-ups about food and are unhealthy because of it, seem to rely almost solely on processed and junk food.

Something seems to have gone seriously wrong with food in the western world with over-consumption and unhealthy eating.

My parents generation didn't suffer from it.
Nor did their parents and their parents in turn - none of whom needed the help of a nutritionalist.
To them it was all common sense and knowledge, handed down.

Some of us are carrying this on. What is so wrong with that?

Well I think Carlos was trying to express his expert opinion but the way he tried to carry it across was not very nice. I do understand him though...

But again, he said he has a msc in nutrition, does he work in nutrition? I can say it too. And my opinion still very different from his.

The problem is many people will take the extreme in a situation / discution.... Nobody went in extreme direction on this thread but few put extreme words and opinion on other people's opinion.

Again, a 1-2-3 years old shouldn't eat junk food. They are too young for that. It is no rush to make them discover this kind of food knowing it doesn't bring any good in their development. Once in a while is no big deal but if you can avoid it, it's still better.

You can make them taste sweet by doing your own cakes with fresh and healthy ingredient. You don't have to turn granola for that, you don't have to go nuts or extremist.

I am pretty confident with my knowledge on food. I know enough about it to support and defend my opinion on the subject. I don't need to insult either...

I completely agree with the notion that wee kids should be given crap food. The reason is, in my experience, they have a special food character. Even if you give it once every while and reason and explain that it is soooo veeeewyyy speeecial, they tune you out and gobble it down, craving more, not understanding why you are depriving them the lovely tasting heaven. They RESET their taste buds. Every single time they get it they it shifts into more "everyday food" category.

The thing, though, also, is not to generalize with all kids. And I would not go into completelly banning stuff, or not in an absolute way. Some kids really are weird with food, have different issues and needs. I was so set on having a strict healthy food policy, when it hit me that I have a little person who actually does not care if she eats or not. She was always into her mami-milk and maybe ocassionally into something else. But sitting down gets boring after 5mins and eating is for those who have nothing better to do, haha. I wish I could condition my child with "If you will not eat this you won't have anything else" since she would not care if she had anything the entire day.

She is also into strongly tasting food, hates anything blend, way from the start. I though I wrecked her when I met another mom with the same issues over her girl being so happy with curry, super garlicy hummus, faul smelling cheese, kiwis, you name it. Very strange palate for a toddler. Not particularly salty or sweet, just intense. Which is not particularly healthy, either (spices, etc..hard on liver).

I am not into sweetening or making things too salty. I also realize there is a slippery slope to forbidden fruit, when in reality, toddler's cravings are as fickle as anything else, they just fade in a week or two..So I have her have some stuff everynow and then, so the phase passes quicker.

We try to be moderate. I am thrilled more over the idea than our miniscule portion eating child actually likes to try new foods quite easily, broadens her palate for new things, despite her issues with ovepowering sensory perception (food and textures stimulates her gagging reflex way more than normally, which takes a lot more effort to actually make her excited about eating anything). So, vegetables, yoghurts, weird fish, etc are welcome without much fight.

I know if I was really hardcore with her diet, she would know. And more you try something, more they refuse. It's that age. So it is nice to have her help me cook instead of me doing all the health food campaign and nazi food watch only, it helps her being interested. More than if I just plainly refuse some variety of foods.

Here is a scenario: We sometimes offer candy, but she does not want it, nor lollypops, nothing. Not even a kinder egg choc. We let her taste it eversince a year ago or so, never made a big fuss. It was actually our ped who gave her her 1st chocolate after a jab, weird. If I made a big deal out of the negative health impact she would so want it. She only went through a little chocolate binge phase for a few weeks, and she never asked for it again. How many moms did I hear today in Migros and Denner saying "No, it's so bad for you" and the kids just drooled.

I just bought a lovely book yesterday called Toddler Meals, oooh, so tasty and healthy. What also saved my butt was this finger foods recipe site, that I printed out and bound for my kitchen, it works well for tots as well.

The last thing, and sorry this is so long, back home there is a big campaign against fried and baked carbs in high temps causing cancer, so fries etc. are really consider evil (especially for small kids). This is not only within a medical community but also general public. So it is not only about oil but also about way the themp works with carbs.

I have a friend who does not bring her toddler to kids' parties so the cravings would not be there. She also banned her husband eating stuff in front of the toddler so the toddler wouldn't want it. Which I find extreme. But. To each their own. We never know why people allow or ban things, really..

http://www.wholesometoddlerfood.com/

This nice website is for toddlers.

This is great!
Same folks who make the wholesomebabyfood.

I am so getting hungry for some toddler spinach nuggets

I gota say, that despite the availability of some not so healthy options, our kid's most favorite snack would be cut up fresh fruit, a mozarella stick (the Migros one) or a bits of ham.

I found great sausage and hotdogs, with low salt and no MSGs in Manor (has an edelweis print over it). I do not think smoked meat is very good for a tot, but if I am in a time crunch, this would be my "fast-food" pick.

OK I think some of us are missing the point here. Are McDonalds fries going to give a toddler the nutrition they need to grow into healthy strong individuals? Absolutely not.

But that isn't what's being discussed. The OP pulled her daughter away from a mother offering a few fries once. I believe that this causes more harm than good. Obesity is a psychological problem, almost all the people in McDonalds are thin. Obesity is caused by food obsession and that obsession comes from delineating different food types along "good" and "bad" and "reward" and "punishment" lines. A natural and casual approach to food, emphasising a variety of high-impact nurition foods (a small bowl of unsalted nuts, live yoghurt and dried fruits for example as a snack) is the healthiest option both physically and psychologically.

I didn't say I pulled her away, I said I stop the mother by telling her: No thanks, I don't want my daughter to eat that. I don't see how it can do more harm?

If obesity was a psychological problem, we will just send them to psychologists and will stop the growing amount of obese people in the population.

I find more fat people in McDo then you do.

I'm sorry, but you've already explained what you do and don't want your daughter to eat. You haven't explained why 3 fries are harmful.

If obesity was a psychological problem, we will just send them to psychologists and will stop the growing amount of obese people in the population.
Are you serious? You think the first cause of obesity is people eating too much of the wrong things? That's as maddeningly simplistic as saying the cause of gun deaths is too many people pulling triggers.

Obesity is a physical and psychological problem.

And for what it is worth, I'm not exactly thin and I haven't been in a McDonald's in years and years and years. I don't shovel myself full of chocolate and ice cream, either. And I'm a vegetarian, have been for more than a decade.

There's nothing wrong with you politely refusing another mother's offer of fries for your kid - she was trying to share with your kid and not make it feel excluded, this is a good thing. There's also nothing wrong with not wanting to feed your kid junk food (just don't make it the forbidden fruit, otherwise they'll run to that every time they want to be rebellious).

I will ask that there be respect from everyone - both sides of the discussion - on this issue.

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Poor little sods. Fancy having to live on carrot sticks, when they're really craving fat...

It's actually incredibly difficult to be thin and a vegetarian at the same time (not impossible of course, many manage it). Also, you can eat healthy fats and keep fit (keeping your organ/heart fat down) but have a thick dermal layer of fat. This isn't nearly as harmful.

'Cause they up the program. Introducing foods to a baby or a toddler is quite a sophisticated thing. If your kid, for example, is living on nicely blend and nutricious oatmeals with the exceptions of some fruits, veggies and protein mixed soups, the fries will put the tot on strike. For most kids I know. Even a few fries. You just don't end with 3, they go back for mo or put up a fight really wanting them.

I wouldn't be happy with a stranger offering junk to my child w/o asking either. Would you eat off somebody's plate just like this too???

Maybe this "program" should include stopping after 3 fries.

Um...If my friend offered me a fry would I take it? Yes.

Also, let's get something straight. Fries aren't junk. There aren't "nutritious" and "not nutritious" foods. 1 gram of fat isn't less valuable than 1 gram of protein. Eating fries isn't unhealthy. Eating too many is. This thread seems to be full of panicky mothers and conventional wisdom.

Panicky or not panicky, not exactly the point. It's cool sharing parenting tips, makes parenting easier in a foreign country. If you have a practical parenting tip to contribute, please, do..

If I had an impuls control of a toddler (and the obstinance), I am sure my friends would not offer me their food off their plate. Have you tried to reprogram a toddler, btw? Have them enticed and quit, repeat, repeat, repeat...Haha. Not my fav past time, especially if the energy could be invested in some more meaningful way. Prevention has been the key concept for some people. .

Just moving away from french fries but staying with the idea of people giving other peoples' kids food, it's a real risk these days with all these allergies kids seem to have.

I would be scared to death of giving food to a child I didn't know for fear they might collapse into some swollen, heaving, wheezing struggle against a gluten/sesame seed/lactose/peanut/exotic fruit allergy.

You keep putting words in my mouth I didn't say or transformed what I said in something else.

I don't have to explain why 3 fries are harmful. I just don't want MY 15 months old to eat it yet! Bottom line.

I don't say obesity is because of what people eats and just that. But you can't say it is all about psychological matter. They are both involve AND you also have hormonal issues. Every person is different, Some are genetically bigger, some eat too much, some eat proper food but don't exercise enough for what their body need...

Don't change what I say!

I find it funny to be groan for giving my opinion. I was not being rude or unpolite. I am not calling peoples name.

And those one who groan at me, you didn't come to explain you point of view! Alan_Zurich? Lynniec?

And Carlos R, you are new on this forum and already over using the groan button...

So guys, If you don't agree with my opinion, it is your right. But in that case, explain yourself properly without calling names.

Why should it be other way?

It's a shame you got groaned. I don't agree with you entirely, but don't think your p.o.v. is that bad, off the wall or judgemental.

Occasional junk food is fine. It isn't poison. It's convenient, hot, cheap and quick. And a Big Mac does have some nutritional value. Sure, you can make something that is healthier probably cheaper, but it takes time and planning.

We used to have MacDonalds or similar maybe once a week. By no means are my kids addicted now they're older. We seldom gave them sweets (candy), but never banned anything... except Sunny Delight.

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Down with racism. Long live miscegenation!

When it comes to food I feel lucky to have married an Italian and with it adopted the (Southern) Italian approach to food - that's it's a very important part of daily life, and that kids should eat simple home cooked food. Once you get into the routine it's pretty easy to accomodate even in today's super fast schedules and for me it's the only way you can stay in control of your kids diet.

That said, in my 4 years as parenthood (I know I've got lots more to learn) I have learnt to hold back from judging other parents in how they look after there kids.

My kids have had chips before now - at kids partys, at an airport in an emergency etc I would hate that someone looked at us and thought 'crap parents'....