What do you do when kids crave for junk food

[Mountain9Mom]

Once a week to twice a week is fine with me.

[jack123]

Its good to see so many opinions, seems like Healthy eating is really important part of parenting. I kind of like the idea of making these stuff at home so their craving is fulfilled and it is healthy too.

[jollysmith123]

I think limiting the kids’ exposure to commercials and other marketing targeted at them may limit how often they crave for junk Food. We must limit the amount of food and beverage advertising shown on commercial television and other media, as this may lessen children’s nagging for unhealthy items.

[howto]

Originally Posted by jack123

Lot of kids these days crave for pizzas and burgers. What do you do then. Do you give it to them. All these things and colas and candys are very bad for kids health. We need to put them into a habit of eating fruits and freshly prepared healthy food. But how do you inculcate this in a child.

Have Junk Food Friday were you can eat pizzas and have sweets. If you children pester you warn them. If they pester you again say wait until Friday. If they pester you again say that they will have to wait until Friday and that if they ask again there will be consequences. If they ask you again find the nearest place to sit down drag them over with you, put them over your knee and strip them to their bare bottom, give them one harsh hard smack with your hand and then let go of them and continue on as if it didn't happen.

[TabascoNatalie]

Pizzas and burgers are NOT junk food. It is the production and quality of ingredients. Take a real italian pizza ant there is nothing unhealthy about it.

[LaraWard]

Try and give them sliced fruit if they are snacking, I think junk food is ok in moderation however. We usually have 'junk food' once a week.

[cybele]

Originally Posted by TabascoNatalie

Pizzas and burgers are NOT junk food. It is the production and quality of ingredients. Take a real italian pizza ant there is nothing unhealthy about it.

I'd like someone to try to pass off my home made pizzas done in our backyard woodfire oven as unhealthy. A typical one has more serves of veggies in it than most kids eat in an entire day.

Also, I make some killer kidney bean burgers.

[akmom]

If kids want pizza, let them make a pizza! I make a delicious honey-whole-wheat crust with basil pesto, topped with shredded mozzarella, olives, pineapples, mushrooms, bell peppers and sometimes onions. I put chicken and artichokes on some of the slices, per others' request, but I don't like it that much. When I don't have time to make crust, I use pitas and make individual mini-pizzas. Pizzas are fun for kids because you can set out the different toppings in little bowls and let them sprinkle it on themselves.

[cybele]

Love artichoke on pizza.

[PandoraSpocks]

Originally Posted by jack123

Lot of kids these days crave for pizzas and burgers. What do you do then. Do you give it to them. All these things and colas and candys are very bad for kids health. We need to put them into a habit of eating fruits and freshly prepared healthy food. But how do you inculcate this in a child.

How are pizza and hamburgers junk food? We make them here for dinner quite often. I'm usually a cook everything from scratch kinda gal, and I don't see a problem with either of those meals. Not one bit. While it may take a few hours to make a pizza because of letting the crust rise three times, it's pretty easy otherwise. Burgers are easier because you mix up the meat with what you put in it, make up the patties and let them sit in the fridge for a couple hours, but either way both are good, healthy choices for supper.

You are aware that pizza and hamburgers both are freshly prepared, in the home, many times, right? If you don't know how to do that at home, I'll be glad to tell you.

I make most of our junk food type snacks here too. One good one is either pita or tortilla chips. Simply cut the pita bread, or tortilla in quarters, fry it in a bit of olive oil QUICKLY (less than 10 seconds each side) and drain on paper towels.

The pizza we have, I make from scratch. Crust, sauce, mix pork and spices for sausage, etc. The burgers are made from hamburger meat, bbq sauce, spices, bread crumbs, etc. I usually even make our bread. One of my kids favorite snacks is bread with garlic spread. I make a loaf of bread every day, leave it sliced on the table and wrapped up, then I set two sticks of butter out, roast 4 heads of garlic and mix that with the softened butter. I leave that by the bread. They walk by, pick up a piece and spread it with the butter and walk off with it.

Is it healthy in terms of "from scratch and made at home"? Yes. Is it healthy in terms of "the American Heart Association"? No. But then you would probably be hard pressed to find anything that is healthy in terms of the latter that would appeal to kids.