Which foods would you class as unhealthy?

[Natalierose]

I provide my mindees with what I would class as healthy home cooked meals lots of veg and fruit but I'm interested to hear what foods you would/wouldn't serve

Im talking things like Jam, fish fingers, tinned soup

Interested to see what people regard as unhealthy!

Thanks x

[loocyloo]

:-) We have jam ... I make it and we usually have it on plain yogurt or in jam tarts.
Don't have fish fingers ... purely because I don't like them! Have goujons instead.
Don't have tinned soup as again I don't like it. I prefer to cook some veg and blitz to make my own. However I love packet chicken noodle soup as I've never been able to make it the same! Don't think I've ever given it to mindees.
Can't think of anything we don't have as I prefer to offer a balanced diet and I think by offering some unhealthy options it helps discussions and understanding plus no food becomes an issue. Thinking about it we only have chips once in a blue moon as I don't cook them at home! Usually its fish and chips for lunch on the beach!

[Natalierose]

Ooooohh fish and chips on the beach! Lovely!
I'm the same all sauces I make from scratch, lots of stews, pies, pastas and homemade soups.
I just wanted to see weather I was regarding some foods as unhealthy unnecessarily. If that makes sense? X

[samb]

I have a real mix here. I mostly cook from scratch but we do have things like jam, fish fingers and even packet mixes just not often. Same with snacks- I do fruit with a carb or cheese every snack time- that's 10 snacks a week and out of those usually about 8 are things like breadsticks/ rice cakes etc but 2 are something like biscuit/cake/flapjack etc. I think its all about balance.

[MessybutHappy]

I think that some of the new "packets" available are super healthy and so absolutely fine to use! I use things like pesto from a jar, certainly use shop bought jam, and have no problem with oven baked chips!

[Natalierose]

I think that some of the new "packets" available are super healthy and so absolutely fine to use! I use things like pesto from a jar, certainly use shop bought jam, and have no problem with oven baked chips!
When you say "packets" what do you mean?
I think I'm being OTT about it really I've only been minding 2 months and I've become a bit obsessed with "healthy eating"
So for instance if you were doing a curry would you buy a jar of sauce and add bits to it to spruce it up? X

[MessybutHappy]

Yup! I use tomato sauces for babies as the base for things, I buy & serve vacuum packed canneloni, I'm quite happy to use a jar of spag bol sauce if I'm in a rush. I draw the line at potato faces or whatever they are though! I do do a lot from scratch, but if I'm honest that's more down to cost savings than being "healthy and home cooked"!! After all, beans on toast is home cooked, but I didn't bake the bread! The clever machine or the nice folk at the supermarket did! I'm quite honest with parents too, but if they want organically sourced, slaved over food, don't pick me!

[kellib]

I give kids a wide range of foods here, some days we'll gave pasta in a tomato sauce with lots of veggies in, some days they make they own pizzas (well I buy the ready made bases!) so they come up with some weird and wonderful toppings, some days it's just good old sandwiches.

I do give them fish fingers occasionally and even give the potato waffles!! Always make sure to give them veggies with it though. And yes I have given them tinned soup, no one has came to any harm because of it!

Current favourites just now are baked potatoes with cheese or tuna, scrambled eggs & toast and they all eat wee willy winkie sausages like they've never been fed before, 2 seconds and they are gone!!

I'm not a chef and I don't claim to be so if parents want certain things I suggest they send them in theirselves :)

[jadavi]

What about spaghetti hoops?

They always strike me as unhealthy but mindees love them.

I prefer not to give fish fingers chicken nuggets oven chips but some children don't eat home prepared stuff or veg and are very limited . One child only had the above and pizza and that was it. Luckily he's at school now so I only give sandwiches for tea.

[munch149]

I will on occasions give fish fingers and things and will Definately use tinned soups and jam. But to be honest mindees here tend to prefer the things I home make. We stick to spag Bol (home made but have used jars in the past), cottage pie, fish pie, curry (never used a jar but have to be careful with the curry powder I use now as a child has a reaction to mustard), chilli, casseroles and stir frys (to be honest I normally use packet sauces for these) , turkey meatloaf (blw recipe) and my favourite chicken nugget substitute is chicken and apple balls (an Annabel Karnel recipe) It's all about balance. My daughter prefers these things anyway as do most of the mindees. One thing that is very rare tho is chips. Not against them just would rather do potatoes or rice.

[samb]

When I said packets I meant the packet mixes for sauces. Like you said I use them more as a base and add extra bits. I always do a slow cooked meal on a Monday cos of timings so I bung it all in with a packet mix and extra things and let it cook. The amount that a tot will have I really don't think its going to harm them.

I always make cheese sauce or tomato based sauces from scratch - its my personal preference. I'd use a jar for curry but but I'm talking maybe 5 times a year! As long as over a week they have had a balance then its fine. So I try and make sure I do pasta, rice or potatoes spread out, chicken, pork, beef, tuna,salmon, sausages etc and never more than 2 days in a row with any type of food.

[Dragonfly]

i don't believe in unhealthy food, it's everything in moderation.

[bunyip]

No such thing as unhealthy foods - only unhealthy diets. :thumbsup:

I had a good conversation with an NHS nutritionist at my local children's centre recently. She's thoroughly P'ed off with the way she is now expected to teach nutrition in oversimplified terms of 'good' and 'bad' or 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' foods, to the point where she is looking for another job. She was sick of having to give out scientifically wrong advice: eg. home-cooked food is always better than processed; sunflower spreads (which, oddly enough, are heavily processed) are always preferable to butter, and so on.

it's not helped by the contributions of self-publicist celebrity chefs with their over-inflated egos and ridiculous attention-grabbing campaigns. :mad:

[Mouse]

The only things I don't really ever give are sweets, chocolate or cake, unless it's birthday cake. I don't totally 'ban' anything though.

The children even have crisps here...shocking, I know! One packet shared between 3 or 4 of them, along with a tuna sandwich, cucumber, tomato, a yoghurt and fruit. I wouldn't hand them a whole packet to eat (although I know they do at home), but I really don't see any harm in them having a few with an otherwise healthy lunch.

I don't think it's so much about individual foods, but about how they fit into the child's overall diet. I prefer to look at the day or week as a whole, rather than expect every meal to be the ultimate in healthy eating. There's nothing wrong with serving fishfingers as long as it's not everyday and as long as they're balanced out with 'healthier' food.

[Natalierose]

Yup! I use tomato sauces for babies as the base for things, I buy & serve vacuum packed canneloni, I'm quite happy to use a jar of spag bol sauce if I'm in a rush. I draw the line at potato faces or whatever they are though! I do do a lot from scratch, but if I'm honest that's more down to cost savings than being "healthy and home cooked"!! After all, beans on toast is home cooked, but I didn't bake the bread! The clever machine or the nice folk at the supermarket did! I'm quite honest with parents too, but if they want organically sourced, slaved over food, don't pick me!
I like your thinking! X

[Natalierose]

No such thing as unhealthy foods - only unhealthy diets. :thumbsup: I had a good conversation with an NHS nutritionist at my local children's centre recently. She's thoroughly P'ed off with the way she is now expected to teach nutrition in oversimplified terms of 'good' and 'bad' or 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' foods, to the point where she is looking for another job. She was sick of having to give out scientifically wrong advice: eg. home-cooked food is always better than processed; sunflower spreads (which, oddly enough, are heavily processed) are always preferable to butter, and so on. it's not helped by the contributions of self-publicist celebrity chefs with their over-inflated egos and ridiculous attention-grabbing campaigns. :mad:
Exactly!! I think I'm overthinking it completely. Thank you x

[Natalierose]

Thank you all! I think I need relax a bit. Your responses have really opened my eyes x

[ziggy]

I dont wish to offend but this healthy eating thing really really annoys me. I'm sure this generation are going to grow up with all sorts of eating disorders as we have all become obsessed with 'heathly eating'.

In my opinion children should have a balanced diet but nothing should be classed as 'unhealthy' and i never ban any foods.

My only rule is that if they dont eat main meal/sandwich etc then nothing else is offered.

[Supernanny86]

I dont wish to offend but this healthy eating thing really really annoys me. I'm sure this generation are going to grow up with all sorts of eating disorders as we have all become obsessed with 'heathly eating'. In my opinion children should have a balanced diet but nothing should be classed as 'unhealthy' and i never ban any foods. My only rule is that if they dont eat main meal/sandwich etc then nothing else is offered.

I have to agree with you ziggy. Eating disorders are absolutely the worst thing! Everything in moderation. :)

[Winnie]

My list of unhealthy foods:


spaghetti hoops- don't know if they are but they look unhealthy ;)

sausages- I love sausages but would never feed them to mindees

pizza- full of fat especially with dashing's of mayo :p ....only time I feed pizza to mindees is if they are making them

bacon- devils food, but so so good, never given to mindees

pie- any sort, but I do love a good pie, never given to mindees

chocolate- a treat (I eat it every day ;) )

cheap packet ham- nasty stuff full of additives

I do not see anything wrong with the occasional fish finger, tin of soup, packet of crisps (but I prefer pom bears) or chips- so long as they are just given occasionally :)

[Natalierose]

I dont wish to offend but this healthy eating thing really really annoys me. I'm sure this generation are going to grow up with all sorts of eating disorders as we have all become obsessed with 'heathly eating'. In my opinion children should have a balanced diet but nothing should be classed as 'unhealthy' and i never ban any foods. My only rule is that if they dont eat main meal/sandwich etc then nothing else is offered.

You haven't offended ziggy. I was just wanting to get an understanding of what foods are thought of as acceptable to give to mindees and whether on occasion it is ok to open a tin of tomato soup rather than making from scratch every time. Just looking for opinions. X

[Tealady]

Spaghetti Hoops - Aren't they the same as baked beans but with pasta instead of a pulse! Some even have added omegas

Mind you I used to love them when I was small but think they are rank now. Just not the same.

[clareelizabeth1]

I home make everything but more to do with me not being able to eat certain things than what would be good to give mindies.

I cook all sauces from scratch occasionally use a powder packet sauce for a slow cooker meal but I then have to take pills to be able to eat it so don't do it often.

Have a bread maker so most day make my own bread.

We bread our own animal so all our meat is fresh and don't think I have ever had nor bought chicken nuggets as my mum wouldn't let me as a child although I bet they taste nice I might have to try.

Don't buy fish fingers but do buy battered fish and fish in bread crumbs which is same thing different shape.

Love making cakes with mindies and happy to give them a bit of choc. Don't think things like that matter if they are getting a balanced diet. Way to much emphasis is put on healthy eating and only eating things without fat, I love a bit of fat in food full fat milk, cream for sauces, butter for iceing , the only way I will eat potatoes is if they are cooked in goose fat. I do cook it all ways for mindies though.

I always think you have to teach children how to eat unhealthy food as if you don't that's when problems start.

[jadavi]

Haha I guess you meant healthy food in that last sentence?

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I don't give too many foods with sugar - jam is a no no here in sandwiches, we have choices of tuna, cheese, ham, chicken etc.. but they do have a small cake, crisps, rice crackers and all the raw veg each day

I have attached my meal plan too which rotates over 5 weeks... for ideas (the children chose most of these with "Wednesday Junk Day"..

[clareelizabeth1]

Haha I guess you meant healthy food in that last sentence?

No I meant things like cake and chocolate as I always think it's when they are totally banned from it that then secret stash of fatty foods occur and they start to crave it, and then binge eat it. But if you teach them how to eat unhealthy food ie you can have a slice of cake but not the whole cake your teaching them how to keep healthy when they start out in the world by themselfs

[jadavi]

Aha I see ... I wish I'd been taught that haha

[munch149]

Children need a certain amount of fat (more than adults) which is the reason for full fat milk. My bigger concern is salt content

Sausages l, bacon and pizza are totally fine here. The fat content in pizza is mostly cheese and would always give mindees cheese. Sausages and bacon I only see as unhealthy if fried and I have never fried sausage or bacon in my life

[clareelizabeth1]

Children need a certain amount of fat (more than adults) which is the reason for full fat milk. My bigger concern is salt content Sausages l, bacon and pizza are totally fine here. The fat content in pizza is mostly cheese and would always give mindees cheese. Sausages and bacon I only see as unhealthy if fried and I have never fried sausage or bacon in my life

Oh you really should with fried bread too. Not for mindies just for you

[scottishlass]

My mindees tend to come with lunch but have 2 wee ones for tea twice a week. For them I tend to make mince and tatties, stew, chicken (usually made with one of the shaker bags) potatoes and veg etc. if I give pasta I tend to use a jar unless its macaroni cheese then would make the sauce. I would have no qualms in giving them tinned soup or beans etc. xx

[hectors house]

My mindees have had "home made" lasagne today - I do claim it is home made but I didn't make the 2 bolognese sauces (garlic & tomato + tomato & chunky veg) but to that I added the beef mince, onions, peppers, tin of butter beans and choritzo and made the cheese sauce from scratch. I do tend to use ready made jars as bases but always add extra vegetables and often tin of butter beans, kidney beans, chickpeas or lentils.

I don't ever give sweet fillings in sandwiches but that is just because I prefer savoury fillings. I do occasionally give fish fingers with mashed potato and veg, I do tinned spaghetti or tinned beans for tea with grated cheese on top. I only occasionally do sugar free jelly or angel delight, mostly have tinned custard or tapioca or fromage frais with fruit.

Sometimes have cake or biscuits for tea if the children have been baking.

I wouldn't give beef burgers but only because I don't eat them, sometimes buy the swedish meatballs and serve them with pasta and sauce.