What do you consider "junk" ??? (food)

[mlc1982]

I know our goal as day home providers is to serve healthy, wholesome meals to these kids. But, does anybody ever serve any 'junk' and what exactly do you consider 'junk?'

[horsegirl]

My thoughts on "junk' or high sugar or fat food, is that everybody eats these as treats but I like to see the children in my daycare eat the healthy food first. The tuna, egg, peanut butter sandwich, the pasta, the left over stew, etc and the fruit, vegetables and yogurt are allowed before any treats. The young overweight girl I looked after years ago came with jam sandwiches, marshmallows, chocolate cookies, chocolate milk, cakes, and candies for lunch I am not too concerned with eating junk food if there isn't an imbalance leaning towards the goodies or treats.
My own boys have grown up with occassional treats and now that they are teen agers they prefer wholesome food to fat or sugary food. I can only hope that they carry on with these eating habits as they grow older.

[Play and Learn]

Agree totally with horsegirl. Pretty much anything that is canned is junk. Anything in those middle isles in the grocery store is junk. I try sooooo hard not to go in those middle isles, but it's just so tempting!

[mom-in-alberta]

I definitely think (and I tell parents this) that I fall into the "middle" between all whole-food/organic/raw from-scratch and everything-from-a-can-or-frozen-box. We eat a lot of fresh fruit, frozen or fresh veggies and I don't often serve white bread but opt for whole wheat/grain. Each meal has a protein, a veg/fruit and a carb of some sort. Snacks include 2 food groups minimum. We limit deep fried foods, I do most things in the oven.
That said, we do have treats sometimes. I know that a granola bar or Nutri-Grain bar is not necessarily "health" food. But we do eat them sometimes. And we have been known to have cupcakes for birthdays, or cookies once in a while for afternoon snack. Maybe once a week or two we have something for lunch like alphabet noodles from a can or hot dogs with boxed mac'n'cheese. I don't give a lot of juice, maybe once a day if that. I do milk at meals and snacks and water in between.
I think we could do better, but I also know that we could be doing worse.

[sunnydays]

The treats that I serve are homemade, so homemade cookies, cupcakes for birthdays, homemade pudding etc. I do this type of treat maybe about once a week and the rest of the time I limit packaged foods to things like whoel grain crackers or cereals. Other than that it is homemade meals and fruits and veggies. I avoid canned foods mostly, although I do use canned salmon sometimes and canned chick peas etc. I avoid the packaged snack foods as I don't think they are healthy and they tend to add up at the cash register as well. If I want to serve granola bars, I make them myself. They are healthier and cheaper. Kids love fruit...it is the perfect snack item. I don't consider myself fanatical, but I just don't see the need to give kids junk so early in life and get them hooked on it so young. None of my kids seem to mind as they eat well :)

[mlc1982]

I definitely think (and I tell parents this) that I fall into the "middle" between all whole-food/organic/raw from-scratch and everything-from-a-can-or-frozen-box. We eat a lot of fresh fruit, frozen or fresh veggies and I don't often serve white bread but opt for whole wheat/grain. Each meal has a protein, a veg/fruit and a carb of some sort. Snacks include 2 food groups minimum. We limit deep fried foods, I do most things in the oven.
That said, we do have treats sometimes. I know that a granola bar or Nutri-Grain bar is not necessarily "health" food. But we do eat them sometimes. And we have been known to have cupcakes for birthdays, or cookies once in a while for afternoon snack. Maybe once a week or two we have something for lunch like alphabet noodles from a can or hot dogs with boxed mac'n'cheese. I don't give a lot of juice, maybe once a day if that. I do milk at meals and snacks and water in between.
I think we could do better, but I also know that we could be doing worse.

This is pretty much exactly how I run things around here. I just don't get why some people are so against pre-packaged foods. Everything in moderation, right?!

On another note, while some people are so against it, it's funny how some people are so NOT against it! I had a dck who got treated with a chocolate bar every time she was picked up. Or another one tells me about all the happy meal toys she has. I often wonder why I put so much pressure on myself to serve healthy, wholesome meals when clearly parents don't do the same for their kids when they are at home.

[playfelt]

I have always been middle of the road too because the effort/cost to do more than the parents do just isn't there. I also think starting young to teach the children moderation goes a lot further than denial. If you eat your wholesome lunch than a homemade oatmeal cookie isn't going to make you a fat slob. People tend to forget that and go straight to denial. Now eating 6 cookies well.... Sometimes we have left over chicken from supper and sometimes we have prepackaged chicken nuggets. But with both meals we have noodles, vegetables (I used frozen packages) and some kind of fruit - yes sometimes it is fruit cocktail packed in juice from a can and sometimes it is a sliced apple - again all in moderation.

Age makes a difference too. Using a can of fruit packed in juice is easier for the very young to eat since the fruit has been cooked and softened than eating the whole fruit. Applesauce in a jar is fast and a consistent texture for infants.

[Judy Trickett]

Junk : anything canned, processed to crap, has added preservatives, fillers, or "fake" foods (think cheese slices or CheeseWhiz)

I don't serve ANY junk here. The junkiest thing we eat are pretzels when we have a party for something. Once in a very GREAT while (like, twice a year) I will take them to Tim Horton's.

I really believe that nutrition is paramount to growth and development as well as behaviour. Besides, I wouldn't want to eat most of those so-called "kid-friendly" foods so I am not gonna offload that crap onto children.

[Spixie33]

I ate a lot of junk when I was pregnant. Who had time to cook? I would make Hamburger helper, chicken nuggets from a box, pasta from a package where you just add butter and milk. I didn't care what the package really said.
My son ended up with a soy allergy from the time he was 14 months old.
So I had to go back and read all the boxes and packages and see what was safe for him to eat. It made me re-evaluate everything and realize how much food is fake or not real. Like Chicken Noodle soup from a can has SOY in the chicken instead of real chicken but who would think it? It looks like chicken noodle soup.
Now I read packages and if it is something I don't recognize or sounds like it is full or corn syrup solids or fillers of Yellow #14 then it is not going in the grocery cart.
I cook most stuff from scratch. Usually I cook the night before and then serve it the next day to the dck. So Lasagna is not from a package - i make it, stews, goulash, spaghetti and even mac and cheese. I make grilled cheese using real bricks of cheese and whole wheat bread -never cheese slices. I won't even serve pudding because the ingredients sound sketchy.
Every 3-4 weeks I end up needing a shortcut day for whatever reason like if I didn't get home until late the night before or whatever and then I will open a can of soup or a box of KD with a vegetable on the side and parents know that it could happen once in a blue moon but it is certainly not a regular thing.
I know i have kids where they eat KD several times a week and the parents tell me that but I still try to feed the dck what I feed my own kids. The rule is - if I wouldn't want my kids to eat it then I won't serve it to someone else

[horsegirl]

Seems like everyone is on the same page. I have a problem with the parents that give "treats" when they pick up their child from daycare. Is it not a treat to see Mom or Dad? Is it not a treat that they had a wonderful fun filled day at the daycare and now they are going to their much loved home?? The treats are not fruit, vegetables, pretzels or anything healthy, but candy!! I often think that parents assume that their child is not happy here and this is the bribe for coming. (Even though many cry when they have to go home and leave me and their other friends.)
Or do parents feel guilty for having to send their little ones to daycare?
This has confused me for 15 years.:huh:

[playfelt]

I think it is just a bad habit parents got into when the kids were little they can't/won't break now. Almost all of my kids are picked up and the first thing they ask for is juice and mom says yes your juice is in the car. The kid has had a full snack less than an hour before and will be having supper within the hour after pickup so there is no reason for needing another one but it has always been that they get a drink of juice and a container of dry cereal or granola bar or those fruit bites when they are in their car seat to keep them quiet. Like the kid can't sit quietly for the three block ride home. I can see treats on an 8 hour drive somewhere but we are talking minutes.

[Junelouise]

It is hard to feed kids today as they are picky eaters. I tried to feed the kids honeydew melon the other day and they said they did not like it even though they had never eaten it before. I make them take a bite, then tell me what they think. Anything new, and they balk! Yes, it is cookies and milk after school for my daycare kids. I used to bake homemade cookies and cakes, but don't have time anymore as I am running kids back and forth to school 4 times a day! One 7 year old will not eat any fruit at all. I did manage to get him to eat Golden Delicious apples, but that only lasted a few times. I use whole wheat bread all the time now. Yogurt every lunch, but yes we eat hot dogs and fries and Kraft Dinner once a week, sandwiches, pizza, balogna sandwiches, lots of strawberries and green grapes. Homemade? I tried lasagna, chili, spaghetti, they do not like the tomato sauce..even have a hard time if the pizza has too much tomato sauce on it...go figure!
I draw the line at candy..it rots their teeth, and parents bring it in and say to share with everyone..guess what...it usually ends up in the garbage! I tell the parents not to bring it..but they do anyways. Alpha-Getti or any of those canned noodles...one little guy actually gagged and threw up...so forget that!

[playfelt]

We are up against what parents feed their kids at home as that becomes what they expect at daycare. If I was cooking for a large daycare centre then who cares who ate the lasagna and who didn't. BUT I have to throw out all the food I paid for and cooked, deal with kids who don't want to nap because they are still hungry and we all just end up feeling defeated. I see nothing wrong with striking a balance and sneaking in more of what I want as I am able. As with everything we deal with as caregivers we need to pick our battles. Unfortunately even beyond normal child pickiness we are dealing with parent feeding issues too. We do the best we can with what we are given to work with.

[Rhonda]

Hum not sure where I fit in :) I like to think of my style as just making 'healthier food choices'.

I am not organic, but I feed the children what I consider plain foods and simple foods :) A sample meal would be cream of mushroom pork chops with scallopped potatoes, peas (yes from a can because I don't like the frozen), and plums. I don't cook with a lot of spices or salt, but I do use canned food ie cream of mushroom soup and the peas. I do use boxed food because I will not make my own noodles or cereal. I go as far as making my own chicken strips and chicken parmesean though. I try and read labels and choose foods that have less sodium and choose a happy medium between foods with high fibre, omega's, and whole wheat.

Ok, so what would I consider junk food ... store bought cookies, most juices (but I do serve my kiddies V8 juice every now and again ~ the kind that has both fruit and veggie in it but I don't consider that junk food), pizza that is store bought, etc.

I have no problems with my families bringing junk food in to share with the kids. It isn't that they are feeling guilty or anything like that. My families know that the children eat well here and the only time they are really going to get junk food is if the parents bring it in, so at least once a year my daycare families will bring in a treat. I have 1 dad though that brings me in a Timmy's chocolate and timbit for the kids about every other month, bribery works for me ;) Last week I had a mom bring in double chocolate oatmeal muffins last week, another mom who brought in zuchinni bread with chocolate chips ... yummy!

I guess for me it is about creating a happy or the best balance of foods I can. My menu is not perfect, I can't afford all organic, and I don't have time to make everything from scratch, and you know I am female, adding chocolate chips to the zuchinni bread just makes it taste better :)

[Sandbox Sally]

I personally consider most things from a can or a package to be junk food. These foods are full of artificial flavours and preservatives, and anything that is was once a natural food has been either dehydrated or bastardized in some way in order for it not to spoil. These types of foods are also unnecessarily high in sodium - generally more than a whole day's recommendation in one serving! I also feel that anything fried is unhealthy.

I try to feed the kids foods that I feed my own family. I know that these prepackaged foods are usually ready-made and much less time consuming to prepare, but if you prepare the lunch from what you served your own family the night before, it's all ready to go!

Having said that, I do believe that everything is fine in moderation. I don't serve ready-made foods or processed meats for lunches, but I do let the dck's indulge in a sugary treat (homemade cookie or cupcake) once every week or two.

[momplus6]

I serve the kids I watch junk but I'm okay with that. I believe everything in moderation. We go to Mcdonalds sometimes usually never in the summer and proabably at least twice a month in the winter sometimes more sometimes less. My kids and the ones I watch will also eat a bowl of salad and then ask for more. I can get them to eat pretty well I don't have any that won't eat fruit or vegetables so on a whole we eat good enough for me and the parents. I don't seem to have picky eaters though. We rarely eat prepackaged stuff as we eat gluten free/ lactose free.

What do I consider junk pretty much anything that isn't required, chips, cookies(store bought or homemade).

[Emilys4Guppies]

My lunches are always from a day of batch cooking for my own family's dinners. They are wholesome stews/soups, spaghetti sauces, quiches, casseroles, ect.

Snacks are simple...cottage cheese, cubes of cheese, yogurt, fresh fruit, homemade wholegrain muffins/breads, fruit sauces, arrowroot/graham crackers and fresh veggies.

I don't serve cookies or cakes unless it's a special occasion. I don't ever serve juice. I don't serve food from a can unless it's tomatoes or beans (to put in chili, for example). We grow a large garden. We eat vegetarian at least one day a week. We drink low-fat milk at lunch and after nap, water all other times. I will buy organic if it's on sale but I can't afford to serve all organics.

My kids all range in age from 12mos to 3.5years. They all eat well now but didn't necessarily eat well when they started here.

[Judy Trickett]

I have to say that for the most part this thread has made me very happy.:D I am delighted to see so many providers taking the nutrition of these children in their care so seriously.

Let's face it....it would be a whole lot easier and cheaper to open up a can of ravioli or a box of KD but most of you are CHOOSING not to do that and put in the work and expense of serving real, honest to God food.

I am so glad to read this.

[CPST_Manda]

We buy organic most of the time, but depending on what's in season I will buy local for most of the summer. Ontario strawberries are always ripe and PINK on the inside. I can't stand spending 5.00 on organic strawberries that are white inside and have to be drizzled with agave to be eaten!!!

All of our meat is organic (well not certified, but abx and hormone free, grass fed beef etc.)

We AVOID the middle aisles, but I'm not TOTALLY against pre-packaged foods IN MODERATION. Things we buy in the 'bad' aisles are still not THAT bad IMO... canned corn or beans, condiments, baking supplies like flour, chocolate chips, sugar *gasp*, almond butter, jam etc.

Every 3-4 weeks I "freezer meal cook" and that's usually lasagna, chili, bolognese sauce, meat muffins, cookies, muffins IN BULK. I package them in meal size portions for my lunches that way I'm usually just making a side veggie etc. and the kids still get a wholesome. home made lunch. I do try and plan my dinner leftovers around lunches but when that doesn't happen, I bust out the freezer reserve :p

I also serve grilled cheese (with real cheddar slices, not plastic!) but instead of giving each child a grilled cheese I will fill their plates with veggies and fruits and a 1/3 of a grilled cheese sandwich. Not too many kids have "room" for veggies if they fill up on carbs - and even the best eaters will hit the grilled cheese before the veggies ;)

We LIMIT our gluten and dairy consumption so all our pastas are 4.99 because if I'm buying corn pasta, it is CERTAINLY going to be organic. Also I serve almond milk - which while processed is way better than dairy for my little guy's tummy.

I also give kids oreos from time to time... and my kids have eaten a happy meal or two. If they eat well 95% of the time (which they DO) I'm not going to sweat the small stuff.

[Skysue]

This is pretty much exactly how I run things around here. I just don't get why some people are so against pre-packaged foods. Everything in moderation, right?!

On another note, while some people are so against it, it's funny how some people are so NOT against it! I had a dck who got treated with a chocolate bar every time she was picked up. Or another one tells me about all the happy meal toys she has. I often wonder why I put so much pressure on myself to serve healthy, wholesome meals when clearly parents don't do the same for their kids when they are at home.

I agree but I would never serve hot dogs as the nitrates are terrible and extremely cancer causing. It's not to say my little one has never had one, but lets say she had 3 or 4 in her 3 1/2 years of existence. Also the sodium in canned food is terrible! We eat as healthy as possible but also kid friendly! We eat chocolate chip cookies on Fridays and occasionally will have popcorn or pretzels (low sodium). Maria cookies from Europe (no hydrogenated oils, very low in fat and additives) and graham crackers. The occasional Rice crispy square or granola bar! And that's it for junk. Any juice I serve is 1 part juice 4 parts water!

Fresh fruit is candy to me!

[Littledoodledaycare]

Junk would be anything that is processed, refined. Things that contain artificial colouring and sugar, food that contain transfats (these are really detrimental to our health, let alone children)
My name is Annamaria and I am a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, I'd be happy to help if anyone has any questions :)

[Littledoodledaycare]

Hey Manda, Id switch o brown rice pasta as oppose to corn as corn has no nutritional value, its difficult to digest and its considered a culprit in certain health issues. You can buy brown rice pasta almost anywhere. I have seen it at sobeys & fortinos as well as most health food stores. I shop at Natures Emporium in new market.
We buy organic most of the time, but depending on what's in season I will buy local for most of the summer. Ontario strawberries are always ripe and PINK on the inside. I can't stand spending 5.00 on organic strawberries that are white inside and have to be drizzled with agave to be eaten!!!

All of our meat is organic (well not certified, but abx and hormone free, grass fed beef etc.)

We AVOID the middle aisles, but I'm not TOTALLY against pre-packaged foods IN MODERATION. Things we buy in the 'bad' aisles are still not THAT bad IMO... canned corn or beans, condiments, baking supplies like flour, chocolate chips, sugar *gasp*, almond butter, jam etc.

Every 3-4 weeks I "freezer meal cook" and that's usually lasagna, chili, bolognese sauce, meat muffins, cookies, muffins IN BULK. I package them in meal size portions for my lunches that way I'm usually just making a side veggie etc. and the kids still get a wholesome. home made lunch. I do try and plan my dinner leftovers around lunches but when that doesn't happen, I bust out the freezer reserve :p

I also serve grilled cheese (with real cheddar slices, not plastic!) but instead of giving each child a grilled cheese I will fill their plates with veggies and fruits and a 1/3 of a grilled cheese sandwich. Not too many kids have "room" for veggies if they fill up on carbs - and even the best eaters will hit the grilled cheese before the veggies ;)

We LIMIT our gluten and dairy consumption so all our pastas are 4.99 because if I'm buying corn pasta, it is CERTAINLY going to be organic. Also I serve almond milk - which while processed is way better than dairy for my little guy's tummy.

I also give kids oreos from time to time... and my kids have eaten a happy meal or two. If they eat well 95% of the time (which they DO) I'm not going to sweat the small stuff.

[Littledoodledaycare]

oh by the way, i forgot to give you all my website, www.intherawliving.c a - i post interesting facts and recipes as well, check it out if you'd like. I am also on facebook. www.facebook.com/intherawliving

[jewel1122]

for the most part alot of our lunch time meals are left overs from the night befores supper rices or pasta dishs soups etc. snacks are usually crackers of some kind a veggie or apple slices milk with lunch and water the rest of the day sometimes juice with morning snack
I do have some picky eaters i have 2 that will not touch anything that is fruit or has pasta sauce and one that wont eat anything but potatos eggs peanut butter bread kd hotdog or fries she hasbeen like this since baby

[dodge__driver11]

I very rarely serve any boxed or proceesed food. I serve a lot of slow cooker made foods, homemade fries from the oven, things like this..The kids love it...the house favorite seems to be home made cheese fries with home made hamburgers.

[wolfpup]

I think I have a happy medium. I know how the parents feed their kids at home and I know they are eatting better at my house than at home so I dont feel bad. I have the parents provide the breakfast for their children... one brings cereal and soy milk because of a milk allergy and the other seems to come with a lot of junk... mini cinnamon buns, cinnabon bars, chocolate muffin, those fruit cups with the jelly sugar pudding stuff and sometimes simply a breadsticks and cheese and nutrigrain bar. The nutrigrain bar I get, the rest not so much! He always asks for what my kids have rather than his. A favorite snack in our house is fresh fruit and vanilla yogurt over top. I know that they eat healthy enough here as I know that probably 3 of the 5 days I have him, he has McDonalds, Pizza or some other fast food for dinner so... my homemade soup, macaronni with sliced tomatoe and cucumber on the side, or even ichiban noodles and a salad are better than what he would eat at home. The other kid is in school so mom packs his lunch. If we bake during the day then everyone gets a cookie or whatever after school, but there is also the choice of fresh fruit along with it.
A lot of parents figure that we will feed them properly through out the day so it is ok for them to do the fast food thing at night!!!
I use stickers and then a prize to reward good behavior. The mom of the youngest boy I had would bribe him with suckers, chocolate, etc... he was 3 and weighed more than my 6 year old son... not healthy!

[sunnydays]

I actually had a parent tell me that she didn't feel bad about serving crap to her child because she eats so well at my house! It's no wonder that same child picks most things our of her meals and refuses to eat them.



I think I have a happy medium. I know how the parents feed their kids at home and I know they are eatting better at my house than at home so I dont feel bad. I have the parents provide the breakfast for their children... one brings cereal and soy milk because of a milk allergy and the other seems to come with a lot of junk... mini cinnamon buns, cinnabon bars, chocolate muffin, those fruit cups with the jelly sugar pudding stuff and sometimes simply a breadsticks and cheese and nutrigrain bar. The nutrigrain bar I get, the rest not so much! He always asks for what my kids have rather than his. A favorite snack in our house is fresh fruit and vanilla yogurt over top. I know that they eat healthy enough here as I know that probably 3 of the 5 days I have him, he has McDonalds, Pizza or some other fast food for dinner so... my homemade soup, macaronni with sliced tomatoe and cucumber on the side, or even ichiban noodles and a salad are better than what he would eat at home. The other kid is in school so mom packs his lunch. If we bake during the day then everyone gets a cookie or whatever after school, but there is also the choice of fresh fruit along with it.
A lot of parents figure that we will feed them properly through out the day so it is ok for them to do the fast food thing at night!!!
I use stickers and then a prize to reward good behavior. The mom of the youngest boy I had would bribe him with suckers, chocolate, etc... he was 3 and weighed more than my 6 year old son... not healthy!

[mom-in-alberta]

What a double standard, huh?
If all we fed them was hot dogs, McDonalds and canned ravioli, they would be up in arms. Once again, caregivers doing the parents jobs, while mom and dad get to be the good guy.
Has anyone else found that parents have an altered perception of how their child eats? Every parent I have dealt with has said their child is a "good eater" and will eat what's in front of them. Only 2 of them (both little guys) are actually like that!! I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out why a set of siblings that used to be in my care wouldn't eat much of what I made. One day, the store ran out of whole grain bread, and I had to buy (ick) white. They chowed down on the sandwiches that day. There was the answer. Sigh.
I am not sure if the parents are all fibbing, or just have a different reality, hahaha.

[playfelt]

The kids eat whatever mom puts in front of them but she either neglects to tell you or doesn't realize what we mean by the question that what she is putting in front of them is what she knows they will eat so the very limited repetoire of food choices translates into a "good" eater at home and a very "picky" eater at daycare because we serve all those other yukky foods like real meat and real vegetables.

[Momof4]

You ladies are awesome! I agree completely about serving home cooked meals, mostly organic foods and a minimum of pre-packaged foods - that's me too. My dc children know that Friday is treat day and the only day they will receive any treat unless there is a special holiday or birthday here. And the treats are small, as in a couple of gummy worms or a cookie or mini cupcake.

I know for a fact that unfortunately most of the children in my care are getting close to 100% of their nutrition here during the day and some of the Moms are serving them crap at home. I love my newest family because they are all natural and home made in their eating habits too.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I agree .... to me 'junk food' is food that is devoid of nutritional value and high in sodium or preservatives or unhealthy fats ... generally high in calories with little return on the investment!

That said ... I do serve mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, pizza, cookies, puddings, custards, ice-cream, birthday cupcakes and other 'childhood treats' .... however I cook them from scratch with a healthier gluten free flour option like coconut flour or chickpea flour, no or fruit based sweeteners such as applesauce or purred zuchinni/carrots and no preservatives, sodium or unhealthy fats ... so therefore they are no longer 'junk' food IMO but a healthy treat served in moderation with fresh fruits and veggies and unprocessed meat / protein options!