Baby’s consume breast milk (or equivalent formula), and baby food that consists of mostly puréed fruits and vegetables.
Obviously, this is an ideal diet for a developing human child. The healthiest foods that are also the easiest to digest. Why then, as we get older, do we think it’s ok to go as far as we can to the other side of the edible food scale?
There is a point in development when a child can begin to eat more solid foods, rather than puréed, so our digestive systems definately get stronger and are able to handle more and more complex things. Civilized culture seems to be generally ignorant of what happens to food between the time we put it in our mouths, to the time it turns into poo. I think convenience has made us blind to that process.
At some point, children learn that there are kid versions of adult junk food that are made just for them. Of course, they don’t realize it’s junk food, or really they probably don’t even understand what ”junk food” even means. Yet somehow, a list of standard foods that were once considered an indulgence for adults, have been marketed and sold in relatively smaller portions to children. Parents buy into this.
What causes kids to go from eating healthier than anyone as a baby, to demanding fried foods as an adolescent?
I was out having dinner the other night, and there happened to be a few tables with kids in the restaurant. Being the astute observer of other people that I am, I noticed that all of the kids between the ages of about 4 and 12 were dining on chicken fingers, and fries.
A kids meal? Or bar food?
Mind you, this is at a semi nice Mexican restaurant. This is not Dairy Queen where the only things they have on their menu are burgers, onion rings, and chicken fingers. I understand that a lot of american kids would be opposed to eating an enchilada if they’re not used to it. But, the menu actually had some clear choices which were not “too Mexican” (i.e. a vegetable plate where you could choose 4 of any 12+ sides that aren’t deep fried or slathered in cheese). Things like corn, carrots, mashed potatoes, broccoli, beans, rice, zucchini. All good stuff.
This brings me to the Kids Menu at restaurants, and the fact that parents seem to have no problem letting their kids choose these items. Why does the kids menu at retaurants in the U.S. always consist of crappy foods? Let’s target a few big chain restaurants, like Chili’s (TexMex/American), TGI Friday’s (???), Applebees (American?), Olive Garden (Italian), and On The Border (Mexican).
Here’s what the most common items were when I looked up the kids menus at all of these restaurants:
- Chicken fingers
- Cheeseburger
- Corn Dog/Hot Dog
- Mac-N-Cheese
- Ribs basket
- Cheese Pizza
- Cheese Quesadilla
- Nachos
This looks like the menu at a food stand in a carnival. Just add on the funnel cake and cotton candy and you’re ready to puke on the tilt-a-whirl.
Now, I understand that going out to eat is a treat for a lot of kids. But for them, I think it’s more about the experience than the food that is exciting.
While leading by example and making smart choices for your children early on are both great things, I don’t think that the parents should necessarily always choose for their children. I believe kids need to learn to make decisions for themselves. But, the parents don’t have to let them choose from the kids menu.
Almost all restaurants let you choose “sides” if you don’t want to order an adult sized portion for your child. If the kids don’t know that there’s such a thing as a fatty, cheese-laden kids menu, then they won’t kick and scream for it until their parents give them what they want.
But doctor, I just don’t understand why my precious little baby is soooo fat.
Why yes, I do feed him a steady diet of cheese, bacon, bread, Coke, ice cream, chicken fingers, Bagel-fuls, donuts, cereal, Tang (does that exist anymore?), lard, plutonium, crack, etc…
Why yes, me and the hubby eat the same foods.
Why yes, neither of us can see our toes when we look down.
Why yes, none of us can climb a flight of stairs without a sherpa guide and a tank of oxygen.
But doctor, I just don’t understand why my precious little baby is soooo fat.
thump, thump – “doctor’s head hitting the wall”
Preach on, Brother McBloggenstein
Why would parents want to go through the problems of making sure their kids eat healthy? It means countless tantrums and arguments because you aren’t giving your child the pizza or fries. It means putting up with statements like “I hate you mom.. all the other children get to eat McDonalds for lunch… why do I have to have mashed potatoes and broccoli?”
It also means putting up with children crying about not liking the veggies you put on the plate and countless hours of making your child sit at the table until they eat just one bite of the carrot.
It means turning down play dates with families whose eating habits you do not agree with.. because they might just show your child that fatty, cheese-laden kids menu do exist!!!
There is almost no way to protect a child from knowing these food exist in the first place. There are only so many years you can fool a child to believe that “unhealthy” food does not exist. Advertisers market to children… and unless you shop at whole foods or some other organic store… you cannot escape Frosted Flakes, chicken fingers, and pizza.
So there are countless battles that parents must be willing to fight in order to provide their children with healthy meals. It just seems so much easier to just give in and let the children have whatever the heck they want… as long as mom and dad can have just one minute of peace and quiet!!!
“Why yes, none of us can climb a flight of stairs without a sherpa guide and a tank of oxygen.”
That was awesome, DR.
Lucy, good points.
I believe the reasons people have kids are so extremely selfish, usually. I find myself often wanting to have a child for the sole reason of proving that I can be a better parent than most.
That is such a stupid reason. Aspiring parents don’t consider whether they are willing to provide the tough love that is required before they start popping out kids. They don’t ask themselves the tough questions that will determine whether they will be the effective parents that a new life deserves.
Instead, they spend their time choosing outfits for their future doll.
Lucy,
Please tell me that you’re kidding.
Please
Parents afraid of parenting their children is the reason why their kids are developing type 2 diabetes.
Parents not wanting to set an good example for their children is why upwards of 20% of the U.S. population is pre-diabetic
Seriously, that comment was a joke
Sarcasm, right?
You can’t be serious.
Can you?
DR,
Yes, I was being sarcastic.
I agree with you that bad parenting is partly (possibly even largely) to blame for childhood obesity. Parents are often unable or unwilling to enforce limits and boundaries for their children because they are too tired and exhausted to fight yet another battle and put up with yet another tantrum. Trust me, I’m horrified when I see parents filling up their 2-3 year olds sippy cup with SODA!!! What are they thinking???
Bloggy,
“Aspiring parents don’t consider whether they are willing to provide the tough love that is required before they start popping out kids.”… Unfortunately many aspiring parents do not even plan on the kids they are popping out… and those that do are not aware of how to parent a child in the first place.
**WARNING, terrible metaphor is about to be thrown at you**
I have always found it a bit strange that you need to pass a test to get your lisence… but you do not need ANYTHING to parent a child. I’m sure some people would be horrified by this idea… but would it be so bad for hospitals/governments to require parents to take some classes on child development and/or parenting? But then again… maybe that invades peoples privacy and their right to raise their child how they want to.
Thoughts?
I am totally down for requiring classes for parents-to-be.
As i’ve said before, we’re all members of a society. I think future parents should have to prove that they will be able to raise a competant, contributing member of that society.
I would have no problem taking that test/class if it meant everyone else had to do it as well.
I had great parents (obviously didn’t stop me from making poor choices later in life, university meal plans did not work out for me).
I had great parents because they did the necessary work in a nice way. My mum was in international relations, this was one of her favourite stories:
After a conference a bunch of the delegates were standing around chatting about family, life back home etc… etc.. the topic of kids came up and a bunch of delegates from the States, and some other western countries were bonding over how hard it was to get their kids to try new foods, especially vegetables. They were all trading tips and horror stories when the Chinese delegate interrupted saying “I never heard that kids didn’t like vegetables”?
Simply put while I knew that junk food existed we rarely had it, my parents so obviously thought it was disgusting and even a child can tell (when properly reinforced) that food tastes better than processed crap. As I watch my friends with kids now I can tell which parents like eating junk, and which ones enjoy eating healthy by which kids are bugging for juice & apple slices and which ones will throw down for fries & pop.
[...] Those terrible food choices for kids sound a lot like what I talked about in my post: Baby Food to Chicken Fingers: A Disconnect. The center’s director comments on how these choices continually being offered to kids sets [...]
Don’t even get me started! It’s unbelievable that so many parents can justify or be totally oblivious to the consequences of their actions. WHO buys the food? WHO turns a blind eye? WHO is the adult? WHO stands back and watches while little Timmy becomes a beached whale?
[...] Most adults like these foods, but kids L-O-V-E this stuff. I touched on the food choices kids make (or their parents choose for them) on my post Baby Food to Chicken Fingers: A Disconnect. [...]
I tried a variety of foods before the age of 10, broccoli included! I have to give kudos to Jo-To, a popular restaurant joint in Tampa, for placing teppan-yaki on the kids and Epcot, which is my fav Disney park as far as variety of cuisine goes, for placing at least something besides the usual fare! Oh and have you heard of a boy from Britain who eats nothing but jam sandwiches and is still healthy? That post reminds me of that story.
I personally don’t think that kids’ menus are as bad as a lot of people think, simply because eating out is usually a treat, and the kid should be able to order what he/she would like. There’s nothing wrong with a very occasional basket of chicken fingers. It’s the parents’ responsibility to make sure their kids eat healthy at home, so restaurants are not to blame for kids getting obese. Besides, many restaurants are now offering healthier options on their kids’ menus, such as grilled chicken, and they are also offering other healthier side items besides just french fries. I think that perhaps they should include other foods besides just the standard “kid favorites” like chicken fingers, hot dogs, etc. because not all kids are the same, and one kid may not like the same foods as another. Just because an item is generally liked by most kids doesn’t mean all kids will like it, or that it’s ALL kids will eat. It would be a good idea for them to offer half portions of stuff off the regular menu for kids. But really, eating chicken fingers very occasionally won’t kill a kid. As a child, I ate a variety of foods at home, and my parents made sure I ate healthy. We rarely went out to eat, but when we did I usually did order something like chicken fingers because it was a treat (and yes, it was the food, not just the experience) and I never had that stuff at home. And it didn’t make me obese or cause me to get diabetes!
Well, restaurants aren’t supposed to be substituted for everyday dining. i work at TGI Friday’s and will admit that its hard to eat healthy there, but with a little savvy and diet smarts, its possible. if you want your child to eat healthy at Friday’s, go ahead and make sure they get the side of carrots or a side salad with lowfat dressing, and order them a burger without the bun, or order them grilled chicken strips instead of fried, get them a fruit cup instead of ice cream for dessert… okay now parents, how did it go? oh, your child didn’t eat it? big shocker. the truth of the matter is that children want tasty foods because they’re picky enough as it is. the tv is constantly throwing mc donalds and burger king and tv dinners in there faces. the problem is deep rooted in society, and before you yank the plate of chicken nuggets and fries out from under your childs nose, you better be ready to dimantle the ticking timebomb of the ever-exploding ever-expanding american waistline, and you better take a good look in the mirror and make sure that what your eating is healthy as well. practice what you preach or the kids will never stick with it. by the way, TGI’s pecan crusted chicken salad has over 1000 calories in it. dont be fooled by things that “look healthy.” always be sure.
So Candi,you are saying parents are powerless to control what their kids eat,and should just give in to avoid the battle?
If we went out when I was small,my parents paid for the meal,not me.I ate what was ordered for me.If I did not agree with that choice,not only did I not eat,I got my butt handed to me when I got home for misbehaving in public.Parents SHOULD be in control of what their kids eat the majority of the time.I agree completely with you that they need to set an example themselves by making healthy choices, and this does not happen(example being the obese two year old I saw running around with a bottle full of Pepsi at work the other day.I almost threw up.)But we also need to work on making healthy choices more readily avalible to all socio-economic groups,and having healthy eating/proper exercise habits pushed as strenuosly as math or science in schools.
So Rebekah, what I’m saying is, if you were a good parent you wouldn’t rely on a restaurant to feed your child more than 2-3 times a month, in such moderation chicken fingers wont kill you. re-fucking-lax is actually what I’m saying here Rebekah.
2-3 times a month?That’s hardly moderation,dear.Your average young child only needs about 1600 calories a day,maybe 2000 if they are very active.A chicken finger meal packs in about 600-800 calories.Add on a soda and a dessert,and you talking upwards of 1,000 calories just for dinner.Doing that three times a month would pack almost a pound on them,even if they didn’t eat anything else bad(unlikely) and were active kids(also increasingly unlikely).Do that for 5 years, and you end up with a child 60 pounds overweight.These meals are not something ANYONE needs to consume that often,let alone a growing youngster.It’s not a joke anymore when 12 year old kids are developing diabetic conditons normally found in people 50 years older than them,or are having multiple cavities in their teeth by the age of 7.The time to relax is past.It’s time to get scared for our future.