What not to feed your children this holiday season

FAMILY holiday parties can be a feast of unhealthy meals and snacks, and while many parents are strict on their children throughout the year, they often give them a pass for the Christmas holidays. But nutritionist and dietician Jenelle Solomon has identified certain foods that you shouldn’t allow your children to stuff themselves with during this holiday season.

“Eating in moderation is just fine, but we know that moderation does not really exist at Christmas time; as such you have to pay closer attention to what your children are eating, especially since they will be around family and friends who may feel the need to spoil them,” Solomon advised.

Below, she shares some foods that you should insist that your children have in moderation. They include:

Cakes and other pastries

No doubt it’s the time of year when we bake the most cakes, cookies, pies and all the other goodies that encourage weight gain. Since we may be invited to several family dinners, we often allow the kids to have their cookies and other pastries with the children of family and friends who are in their age group. This is where overindulgence comes in. “You have to be mindful that there is a lot of refined sugar which is converted to fat when taken in excess. There is also the issue of childhood obesity, and the possibility of continuous sugar cravings following,” Solomon cautioned.

Fried or other greasy foods

When eating fatty, fried or greasy foods, you have to deal with the possibility of a build-up of bad cholesterol in the blood as well as weight gain. Foods such as fried chicken, fries and other fried snacks, burgers and pizzas are no-nos. There is the possibility of indigestion which can cause much discomfort in the stomach, and the high calories from these foods can be difficult to burn.

Sodas or sweet bottled drinks

Christmas parties and even personal family dinners often forego natural juices for sodas and other sweet bottled drinks, but you should let your children avoid these. Encourage them to drink water instead, even if there are bottled juices in abundance.

Empty calorie foods

“The last thing you need this holiday and in general is eating foods that are only making you fat and giving you absolutely zero nutrients. So avoid snacks which provide just calories from fat and sugars. Once again, I encourage parents to read food labels before you purchase,” Solomon said.

Alcohol-laced foods

It’s Christmas, so the “spirits” will certainly not be missing from the celebrations. And while we like to put alcoholic beverages in our favourite foods and drinks, as long as children are going to be eating and drinking whatever you have prepared, it is suggested that you prepare separate portions for them.