This lead me to wonder just what we label "candy" and what we do not label as candy. It's a very gray area between what some would say is a candy item, and what others would call a 'snack'. I agree kids probably don't need to be eating those gummy candies, but I also think that fruit snacks are just the same thing with a different name.
Let's think about it another way.. At Micky Dee's they have a Big Mac, which I'm sure is not the healthiest choice on the menu however it is one of the "meal" options (and my favorite choice!).. however they also have a Big Mac 'Snack' Wrap.. does that mean it's a healthy alternative to the Big Mac? Does getting rid of the bun and replacing it with a tortilla make it a 'snack' food?
This whole topic comes to mind because lately my children have been asking for 'snacks' and then when I give them some choices which I think are on the decent side (cheese stick, crackers with PB, banana, or crackers with cheese) they look at me and say, "Those arn't SNACKS!" to which I reply, "Yes-siree they sure are!" A snack in and of itself does not mean a small portion of dessert, it means; "snack [snæk]n
1. (Cookery) a light quick meal eaten between or in place of main meals." (thefreedictionary.com)
When did sugary items start being snacks and stop being dessert? I'm hating the consumerism that is making my children think they should eat a sugary 'snack' with every meal. Lets just call it candy and be done with it.
2 comments:
In my mind sugary foods are not snacks. In my house the kids can choose a "healthy snack", fruit, cheese stick, wheat crackers, etc. They would love fruit snacks but I don't think that qualifies as a healthy choice, I think it's more like candy. Children have too much access to candy these days. I'm amazed at what they get from school. The children are sometimes rewarded with candy in their classrooms. What are we teaching our children? Since they are getting candy from school we really have to limit what we give them at home. I don't understand why sugar has become an acceptable food choice. It should be dessert and eaten in moderation or we're setting up our children for failure as adults. I think I might have went off topic, oops. :)
I love a sugary snack myself sometimes, but I do think it's not the best option for kids as a in-between meal thing. They may hate us for it, but limiting the sugary choices is better. I do love that you called it perfectly regarding the swedish fish. They ARE fruit snacks. Probably have the exact same amount of sugar in them too, but labels and product names certainly dictate (and delude) us into thinking one thing is better than another. Candy is candy. Some dried fruits are just as bad as a chocolate bar, honestly! I guess we just have to be educated on what we're buying, and now you can tell Adrienne that fruit 'snacks' are not allowed at school too! Good luck getting them to eat healthier; it's a daily struggle.
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