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If children were better educated we would not have this problem.
Correction:
If parents were better educated we would not have this problem.
If families were better informed we would have LESS of this problem, but it would still exist. There is a disconnect being knowing and trying to do right, and actually being 100% successful at eating well. Also, I agree with the previous posts - the lifestyle we lead in America in terms of our schedules and processed foods make it incredibly easy to make terrible choices for our families nutrition. We need better fallback foods than ramen noodles and mac-n-cheese when we're busy, hungry, and low on cash & time.
Of course parents should be responsible for their children's health and weight. And maybe your son won't eat broccoli, but there are other veggies out there. If he is a carb addict, then keep the unhealthy carbs out of the house. How many of these overweight kids are only eating fruits, veggies, whole wheat carbs, low fat dairy and no junk food?
We all have tvs, and I taught my daughter at a very young age what advertising was about, and now she laughs and rolls her eyes when she sees a Mcdonalds or Oreos commercial, because she can see through it and the message. Again, parents act like they are defensiveless. If you teach your kids the difference between healthy food and junk and truth and advertising then they will be healthier and more conscious consumers.
Again, stop blaming it on tv, advertisers, commercials. This is your job to teach your children better. My child is not brainwashed and has never asked me to go to Mcdonalds. She eats only whole wheat pasta, bread, and grains.
If children were better educated we would not have this problem.
Correction:
If parents were better educated we would not have this problem.
Yes, its very easy to be judgemental because of personal success. Every child is different, every situation. There are many educated parents out there with this problem at different levels. I am in the health field so I am quite educated about proper nutrition, and if it was just a piece of broccoli I was having problems with, then of course, it wouldn't be a problem. There are no bad carbs in our house, and we do have healthy food and snacks. Unfortunately, because we cannot monitor our children every minute of the day, they do find the unhealthy stuff and endulge. Good for you that you have had success with the food issues, but please don't insult the parents that are really doing their best.
Yes and once again the advertising techniques do work. Companies would not spend millions of dollars consulting with psychologists and marketing experts if their campaigns didn't work. The people who run these corporations are not stupid. And keep in mind they are modeling the ads after the very successful tobacco campaigns of yesteryear. That, in combination with a minimal amount of education re: proper food choices, the fact that healthier food is more expensive and less accessible to everyone and the decline in food standards, creates an overall problem.
BTW tip for those who use whole wheat pasta; I actually use Brown Rice pasta. The pasta is made completely from Brown Rice and actually tastes more like the white pasta. If you are trying to change your family over to a more whole grain option, chances are they won't even notice the change. A friend of mine did that with her very resistant family and they didn't have a clue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeannie216
Yes, its very easy to be judgemental because of personal success. Every child is different, every situation. There are many educated parents out there with this problem at different levels. I am in the health field so I am quite educated about proper nutrition, and if it was just a piece of broccoli I was having problems with, then of course, it wouldn't be a problem. There are no bad carbs in our house, and we do have healthy food and snacks. Unfortunately, because we cannot monitor our children every minute of the day, they do find the unhealthy stuff and endulge. Good for you that you have had success with the food issues, but please don't insult the parents that are really doing their best.
As a parent of 2 kids, I try hard to make sure they are eating as healthy as possible. I also have a child who will eat pasta until the cows come home, but it's a struggle to get her to eat meat. It can be very upsetting, as Jeannie216 says. You feel like the ogre.
Your kid absolutely doesn't require meat in her diet. Humans are omnivores, they can survive and thrive quite well on a vegetarian diet.
BTW tip for those who use whole wheat pasta; I actually use Brown Rice pasta. The pasta is made completely from Brown Rice and actually tastes more like the white pasta. If you are trying to change your family over to a more whole grain option, chances are they won't even notice the change. A friend of mine did that with her very resistant family and they didn't have a clue.
Thank you for that tip. My son eats the whole wheat pasta but does complain so that may just do the trick.
Yes the concern should be more with ensuring they ingest enough vegetables/fiber. Also legumes/beans are an excellent source of protein/fiber. And instead of white or whole wheat pasta try brown rice pasta. It is entirely made of brown rice & tastes virtually identical to white pasta; your child probably won't notice the difference. However that is still a grain so your primary concern should still be beans/legumes & vegetables.
You know, people generally have enough sources of protein in their diet and they don't realize it I think. I have friends who constantly feed their family red meat in the form of grilled hamburgers (from chopped meat) steak etc. They just don't believe that red meat is bad for them; in fact they are under the impression it is healthy, even the ground beef!
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoaminRed
Your kid absolutely doesn't require meat in her diet. Humans are omnivores, they can survive and thrive quite well on a vegetarian diet.
Don't tell him either just cook it up! The color is the same as the white pasta too so he really shouldn't detect it. The brand is Tinkyada and is available even in some supermarkets. And people on gluten free diets can also eat it too I believe.
I also used to eat whole wheat pasta, but I only liked it mixed with oil/vegetables but hated it with tomato sauce so the brown rice pasta was the perfect substitute.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeannie216
Thank you for that tip. My son eats the whole wheat pasta but does complain so that may just do the trick.
Of course parents should be responsible for their children's health and weight. And maybe your son won't eat broccoli, but there are other veggies out there. If he is a carb addict, then keep the unhealthy carbs out of the house. How many of these overweight kids are only eating fruits, veggies, whole wheat carbs, low fat dairy and no junk food?
We all have tvs, and I taught my daughter at a very young age what advertising was about, and now she laughs and rolls her eyes when she sees a Mcdonalds or Oreos commercial, because she can see through it and the message. Again, parents act like they are defensiveless. If you teach your kids the difference between healthy food and junk and truth and advertising then they will be healthier and more conscious consumers.
Again, stop blaming it on tv, advertisers, commercials. This is your job to teach your children better. My child is not brainwashed and has never asked me to go to Mcdonalds. She eats only whole wheat pasta, bread, and grains.
If children were better educated we would not have this problem.
Correction:
If parents were better educated we would not have this problem.
Thank you!!! I was thinking pretty much this same thing.
.... and if parents are complaining about the school lunches, here's a tip - pack your own! That way you control the content, you know what your child is eating, and it's a very inexpensive option.
My children DO watch TV in moderation, and they see the commercials, and they ask for it... and guess what, I tell them NO. I explain why. I talk to them. I give them recognition for good choices they make. We are active and eat healthy, and they model the behavior.
I do allow treats, because I think any extreme is unhealthy - but treats only come on occasion, and after other healthy choices have been made that day.
Well the thing is it depends how you define treats, you know? My friend's daughter thinks an apple is the yummiest treat in the world. She doesn't care about candy etc. Sure someday she will probably try it, especially when she is school age, but why develop her palate from toddlerhood for things like snickers & french fries (for example)? Children, if given half a chance, will enjoy a lot more varied food then people give them credit for. My friend's toddler scarfs down whole grain pasta with pesto sauce like it is going out of style - it is the cutest thing! However, most of my friend's children seem to subsist on a diet of mac/cheese, hot dogs & chicken nuggets ("they won't eat anything else" is the common refrain). One was complaining about their daughter's constipation issues & based upon the symptoms I indicated the child probably needed more water & roughage (green leafy vegetables) in their diet; to which I was told "Kids don't eat like that/drink water." I don't see how that is possible, especially if that type of diet is all that they know!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jenbar
Thank you!!! I was thinking pretty much this same thing.
.... and if parents are complaining about the school lunches, here's a tip - pack your own! That way you control the content, you know what your child is eating, and it's a very inexpensive option.
My children DO watch TV in moderation, and they see the commercials, and they ask for it... and guess what, I tell them NO. I explain why. I talk to them. I give them recognition for good choices they make. We are active and eat healthy, and they model the behavior.
I do allow treats, because I think any extreme is unhealthy - but treats only come on occasion, and after other healthy choices have been made that day.
A treat is defined as whatever is right for your family.
We do have ice cream, on occasion, for dessert. I allow a piece of candy from time to time. They DO NOT have free reign on these items, and they also aren't constantly in the house. I buy them on a whim, not because we ran out of it. We also DO have McDonalds in a very very rare while... I don't make them eat tofu and broccoli at every meal - but all of my kids (ages almost 8, 6 and 4) grew up as vegetarian/vegan till age 2 and were brought up to try different things. They actually DO like tofu and broccoli.
Fruits and veggies are just common place in my home, so no an apple wouldn't be a treat. It's a standard. When they ask for a snack, we talk about what they have eaten today and what a good choice would be. I usually make the choice theirs by saying, "Well we have cheese sticks, applies, yogurt, raisins, carrots and dip..." my almost 4 year old just asked me for a snack of "purple grapes" while I was typing this...
I have two who will eat, or at least try, almost anything. I have one that prefers meat, cheese and chips... and even though I could easily default to, "well, that's all he will eat" - *I* am the parent, and while it's still up to me... NO that is not all he will eat. He's the one that just requested the grapes.
I don't make it an outright battle - but he has been brought up to know you have to at least try, before you say you don't like something.
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There are no bad carbs in our house, and we do have healthy food and snacks. Unfortunately, because we cannot monitor our children every minute of the day, they do find the unhealthy stuff and endulge. Good for you that you have had success with the food issues, but please don't insult the parents that are really doing their best.
My son eats the whole wheat pasta but does complain so that may just do the trick. 
