I think most parents know that some of the things we buy are actually pretty unhealthy foods for kids. I don’t think we should beat ourselves up about it. But, I do think it’s helpful to understand a little more about those foods so we can make smart decisions.
When I read that the USDA Economic Research Service reports that kids under 12 consume about 49 pounds of sugar a year, I couldn’t believe it. All that sugar means they are more at risk for diabetes later on in their lives, along with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Kids should be eating no more than 25 grams of sugar. I think the confusing part about that number, for me anyway, is trying to picture what 25 grams of sugar would look like.
So I checked. Turns out 4 grams of sugar equals about 1 teaspoon. When I imagine putting 6 teaspoons of sugar in a child’s mouth, I’m like HOLY COW.
Take a look at some of the foods that we all could probably do a better job of regulating for our kids.
10 Unhealthy Foods for Kids
1. Fruit Snacks
You won’t be surprised to hear that most fruit snacks are actually candy hiding behind the word fruit. There isn’t a lot going on there in terms of fruit at all. It would be more honest to call them gummies.
Maybe instead you could try these Fox Fruit Snacks you can make at home. They’re fun and healthy.
2. Sports Drinks
Be careful of the kinds of sports drinks you let your child drink, and how often they drink them. Stay away from anything with the word “energy” on the label. Kids don’t need those stimulants.
So far as the electrolytes in sports drinks, if your child is eating right, they don’t need them in a drink.
If your kiddo plays hard in sports or if a doctor says to give them Gatorade after a bout of vomiting, that’s okay. Otherwise, opt for water when you can.
Remember, one bottle of Gatorade has 36 grams of sugar.
3. Apple Juice
You’ve probably heard by now that apple juice has traces of arsenic in it. The ongoing argument is whether it has enough to harm your kids. Arsenic causes cancer, but I’ll let you take a look at what the FDA says (click here) and decide for yourself where you land on that.
However, the sugar content is ridiculous. In one popular brand, there are 28 grams of sugar in one serving, which we know is more than a child should have in one day. The other brands I looked at are pretty much the same.
4. Soda
Every mom knows soda is bad for kids. It’s bad for their teeth and can contribute to health problems later in life. There are 64 grams of sugar in one root beer, for example. Nothing good can come from kids drinking soda, so I would definitely recommend ditching or limiting the soda intake.
5. Granola Bars
The problem with granola bars is that the word granola tricks us into thinking we’re giving our kids something healthy. Don’t get me wrong. Some granola bars are a good choice for a kid’s snack. Read the ingredients to choose the right ones.
But some, I’m sorry to say, don’t have anything healthy in them that’s enough to warrant even pretending they’re healthy. Today’s Parent has a great post that’ll help you make the right decision when choosing shopping for granola bars your kids will love.
6. Cereal
No surprise here. We all know what we’re doing when we give our kids brightly colored cereal.
Take a look at Cocoa Puffs, for example. For 3/4 cup, not counting the milk, there are 23 carbs and 10 grams of sugar. Fruit Loops have 26 carbs and 12 grams of sugar per 1 cup. To find the nutrition information about all cereals, visit Nutrition Resource.
7. Hot Dogs
For children under 3, hot dogs are the top cause of choking. Johns Hopkins Children’s pediatrician Nisha Kapadia, M.D said, “…the hot dog has just the right size and consistency to perfectly block the airway, it’s the perfect plug that doesn’t allow any air to get through.”
Additionally, hot dogs have nitrates and nitrates can damage cells and turn into molecules that cause cancer. Nitrates are in lots of processed meats.
8. Packaged Pre-Prepared Lunches
The CDC says 9 out of 10 kids are eating more sodium every day than they should. They should have 1200 mg or less a day. One Lunchable with turkey and cheese has 1100 mg.
Take a look at this ridiculously long ingredient list for the turkey and cheddar Lunchable.
Ingredients: ROAST WHITE TURKEY – CURED, SMOKE FLAVOR ADDED: WHITE TURKEY, WATER, POTASSIUM LACTATE, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, DEXTROSE, CARRAGEENAN, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, SODIUM DIACETATE, SODIUM ASCORBATE, SMOKE FLAVOR, SODIUM NITRITE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR. PASTEURIZED PREPARED CHEDDAR CHEESE PRODUCE: MILK, WHEY, MILK PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MILKFAT, SODIUM CITRATE, SALT, LACTIC ACID, SORBIC ACID AS A PRESERVATIVE, OLEORESIN PAPRIKA (COLOR), ANNATTO (COLOR), CHEESE CULTURE, ENZYMES, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, WITH STARCH ADDED FOR SLICE SEPARATION. CONTAINS: MILK, WHEAT CRACKERS: ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2],FOLIC ACID), SOYBEAN OIL, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, SUGAR, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, SALT, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), WHEY (FROM MILK), SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER). CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK, SOY.
What the HECK are all those things, anyway? And the cheese? It’s not actually cheese. It’s only part cheese.
HuffPo reports: “The “100 percent turkey” turns out to be something less than that, what with the added water, potassium lactate, modified corn starch, salt, dextrose, carrageenan, sodium phosphates, sodium diacetate, sodium ascorbate, sodium nitrite, natural and artificial flavor, and smoke flavor.”
9. Toaster Pastries
Pop-Tarts have 16 grams of sugar in each one. But who eats just one, right? Two Pop-Tarts have 32 grams of sugar.
The calories in a Pop-Tart are empty calories. If you want your child to eat fruit, this isn’t the way to do it because they only have 10% fruit and the rest is flavoring. This Penguin Bagel Breakfast is quick and easy and super cute.
10. Boxed Macaroni and Cheese
Mac n’ cheese is always a favorite and it’s so quick to make. However, boxed mac n’ cheese is full of sodium, GMOs, sodium, and artificial coloring. Making homemade mac n’ cheese is a much healthier option, especially if you throw in some veggies.
What foods do you keep away from your kids?
Are there things on this list you refuse to let your child eat? Do you allow them in moderation? If you have tricks and tips to get your child to eat things that are good for them in place of these, it would be great to hear what they are.
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8 comments on “10 Really Unhealthy Foods for Kids They All Love”
We do these in moderation or not at all…I’m allergic to artificial sweeteners & you’d be surprised how many things have them listed alongside sugar and HFCS!! So I read lables, choosing the best options I can. I choose juices with real fruit & veggies and low/no sugars, then dilute 50/50 with water…sometimes adding plain carbonated water for a “soda treat”!
Lunchables are a HARD NO! I make a DIY version in a reusable Bento Box using fresh fruit, raw veggies, cheese, wholegrain crackers and sliced real meat. My DD used to beg to have the store-bought kind her classmates ate, but I always said “No, I won’t feed you fake food”…she didn’t like that answer until she finally got one at a friend’s house. I got an earful from the disgruntled parents and she came home hungry and never asked for one again!
A great thing that helps me help the kids make good food choices is by making good food choices myself, having a small garden, taking them to Farmer’s Markes & involving them in food preparation. They learn by watching me, about where their food comes from and how to prepare it.
All things in moderation. Including all these foods and drinks.
This article has a hidden message; “BE AFRAID OF EVERYTHING!” Haven’t you hard of the word “moderation?” We as parents all know what the 4 food groups are for kids under 12: 1) Pizza; 2) chicken nuggets: 3) Mac ‘n’ cheese; 4) Hot Dogs; with apple juice to wash it down BUT do you think that we feed our kids this stuff all the time? Check out how much REAL food in school lunches is thrown away in favor of most of the things on your list. I’m all for good nutrition and have fed our kids really good food BUT- Kids know what they like and they get nutritious stuff at home and often packed in their lunchboxes, so let them be kids (and unafraid!) once in a while
Hi this food so far looks goodÂ
During the year, I have changed my granddaughter’s diet, leaving processed food. At 7 years old, she went from a size 10/12 to a size 8. We walk regularly, Monday through Friday. With the changes I have noticed her abilities in school, particularly her ability to sit still, focus and concentration has increased. I have started showing her how to cook as well as bake. For the month of September we baked different breads to encourage her to stop buying store bought products. We finally settled on a rustic parmesan garlic bread, which she loves. See the stay at home chef website. In response to the comments about who gives their kids these foods; people on limited income and working two jobs to get by are forced to buy this stuff. If you are coming home at 4:00 pm but out at 5:30 for second job, you are looking for something quick your kids can actually eat. Food supplies are too expensive to test your child’s appetite for something new, despite being healthy. Fortunately my granddaughter’s school has hosted healthy Tuesdays. The class cooks a healthy meal to test if the children like it as well as educate them on healthy choices and recipes. They then send home a copy of the recipe. If you want to address diabetes, weight gain and other health issues, we need lower the price of healthy organic alternatives.
I loved reading your post. Education and leading by example is so important in making changes. Thankfully, your granddaughter had your help and she you most likely saved her from many years of struggle with mental and physical health.
You also know that families, often single family households are at the mercy of very limited resources (education, time, money, partner to help) and when another person has never experienced the shortage, it’s easier to judge or critic.
I was a young single mother and my son had the WORST diet. I managed to graduate and became a registered nurse and had another child at almost 40. The difference between the two is polar opposite. I can’t turn back time but with education, financial security, less stress, and more time to plan meals, she has the advantage. I actually made all her baby food!! She takes daily vitamins and omega supplements. She loves almond milk and baby tomatoes are snacks. I won’t say she doesn’t get treats or McDonald’s here and there but it’s all about balance.
My 2 year old grandson eats all kinds of fruit, salads, turnip greens, spinach,  carrots, celery, venison, some chicken and some  pork chops. He drinks s lot of wster( his mother makes his juice (grape. Apple, pineapple juice.). He mostly drinks water. He does like sweet tea; but doesn’t get it too often. He likes honey on his oatmeal. He also lived pickles; pickled okra and olives. Watermelon is his favorite! Â
This list is disgusting I have never given any of my children these anyone who does on a regular basis should hang their heads in shame!Â