Talking about junk

[momplus6]

I look at labels all the time as I have to avoid gluten and lactose. So I was reading the Old Dutch chip labels do you know the have lots of Vitamen C(like 50-60%)per 50g serving, also they have, iron 5-8%, vitamen E was 25%. I just found it really interesting considering most crackers are actually worse for you yet they are not in the junk food category. Lots of the crackers also had more sodium, then the original chips, about the same amount of fat and calories.

Edited to add that I realize that this still doesn't make chips healthy but considering how many people act like crackers are such a healthy choice.

[playfelt]

I totally get what you are saying. Yes it has been many years that I have been doing daycare (25) and my own 4 kids range in age from 28 down. And in that time I have seen what I call food bandwagons come and go and those of us that just continued on in our usual way turned out to be doing it right. There was a time when jam was considered evil because of the sugar - but then scientists discovered the pectin in it was good for you. Same thing for serving jello as a dessert - then the geletin had protein etc. There are foods that are high in sugar or fat or both but the nutrients are good as you read on the package. Before foods are simply banned by one group of nutritionists there will be others saying something different. Junk is what you make it. If you are having a serving of chips then recognize that you have had your fat servings for the day and eat some fat free whatever for supper. Again all about common sense and moderation. Children are pickier than we would like and have taste buds that react differently than an adults. It sometimes becomes a pick your battles carefully when feeding. If for example the children find the whole wheat bread too heavy and want the white bread then what you have to weigh is use the whole wheat and they eat half a sandwich so ok less carbs but it also means less protein that was in the sandwich compared to two slices of white bread but all the protein from a full egg salad sandwich. Would love to see some people find other examples of foods considered by some as no nos that turn out to have a healthy purpose or the other way around like granola bars. Also not all foods are created equal. Muffins get a bad rap when you buy the giant cake like ones from the store but what about homemade with wheat germ and oat bran, and fruit in them where I have controlled the fat and sugar. I make my cookies that way too - oatmeal with wheat bran, wheat germ etc.