How to keep children away from Junk Food? - A simple approach

Many of us face this problem at home to keep children away from Junk Foods. Listed below is a simple approach which could help you to keep them away from Junk Foods.

Try to make home made food as INTERESTING as possible. Try out some designs on the food, decorate it in any way u want. Try adding little amount of spices or Chat Masala wherever possible. Chips, pizzas, burgers & many other snacks can be prepared at home also[Many receipes are availabe on our Receipe Section]. If they will get tasty food at home, they will not go for the outside food.

When you make it urself for ur children - u will also take care about their health & prepare it accordingly which may be neglected by the cooks of restaurants.

You will also have to do something, so as to let children develop a gross aversion for junk foods. If you try to restrict them, you will be left without much success. Restricting them to eat some kind of food, will only attract them more to it. They might also think that you are a miser, that you dont allow them to spend money(atleast in India junk foods are costly).

In my childhood days, whenever we were out of home. There used to be lot of stalls and vendors selling cutlets, chips and potato products. I had infinite appetite for all such food stuffs. My mother used to anticipate my yearnings even before I asked for them. She used to make a remark without much passage of time. "My God! These food stuffs are so unhygenic. The last time I had those, I had vomits and stomach upsets for 3 days"(I hate vomits and stomach upsets, and more so if we are outside on a trip).

"These colas remind me of some article I read in newspaper some time ago. They use sewage water to manufacture these drinks". Since children aren't much into reading habit, they wont be able to challenge us. Even if they challenge you, mock at them. Say something like, "Let it be. There's no use educating fools. Fools remain fools all life long. And once they grow up they would themselves exercise caution.

Lie about junk foods in such a way that they would most certainly be led to believe that its true. If you have done a good job, observe their reaction. They would ask something like "mama, why do other people eat all those junk foods? Dont they fall sick?" You answer, "Sweetheart, who is going to tell them that? And even if you warn them, are they wise enough to obey you? Look at yourself! Would you obey me even if I warn you? You will most certainly eat all that junk food when I am not around, wouldn't you?"

Golden Rules of thumb :

• Whole family should decide not to eat junk food - NOT just the kids.
• Prepare tasty nutritive alternates that appeal to children.
• Explain the disadvantages of having junk food.

This should work - Let us know your opinion too.