I tend to agree with your way of thinking Linda. My daughter only lets my grandkids have natural stuff. There's no e-numbers allowed - well only rarely. They're 7 and 3 years old, and when I visit I take a bag of sweeties that last the two of them almost two months. I'm convinced my daughter eats more than the kids!
You stick to what you believe is best hon - and don't worry what others think

Thanks guys .

I don't mind her having the occasional sweet etc. when she's a bit older but I've tried so hard to keep everything as unprocessed as I can because she's so young. She genuinely seems to enjoy the stuff I cook for her and I never add sugar or salt, just stuff like herbs and garlic.

She's got a huge appetite mind .

Yet when we went to the History Museum I brought along a Hipp Organic baby jar for convenience. It had pasta, tomatoes and mozarella but she wouldn't eat it. Settled for a 'no salt added' rice cake and banana until we got home and I cooked her a veggie stir-fry .


Oh dear - I just re-read this and it sounds like the way I feed Loki, lol!

Linda, my eldest son is now 37, and when he was a baby in the early 70's I never gave him sweets and wouldn't let anyone else either. I was virtually in a state of war with my then mother in law over it as well, she insisted on giving him sweets to suck on and stuff, but I stuck it out and he still has good teeth, and doesn't like sweet things or anything like that. (unlike his Mum ) My youngest son is 29 this year, and was diagnosed diabetic at 17 months, I never gave him sweets either, and with him being diabetic it was out for good anyway, unless he was showing hypo symptons. He used to eat raw carrots, tomatoes, cheese, raw veg etc for a treat as they are what is known as 'free' i.e. they don't contain carbohydrate. He has good teeth as well, and he still doesn't like sweet things to this day. Both of them have always eaten everything I have eaten, green veg - all the things people say kids don't like - but they have had them since being tiny and to them that is normal.
I could never afford 'baby food' anyway and made it up as I went along really, and reading about what the 'e' numbers do and all the obesity in kids I am glad I did. Stick with it, you are doing the right thing.

Fascinating - thanks June. I'm quite partial to a carrot to gnaw on . I keep getting asked when I will allow sweets (she's only 10 months old for goodness sake) and being told I won't be able to stop it happening when she's older so I feel very reassured by this thread - thanks everyone.

Chances are you won't be able to stop it happening as external influences take hold..tea at friends houses, party bags etc...the thing is if you start her off on the right track she may not want them then. My son will only eat brown wholemeal bread....

i totally agree,shes your child,you decide whats best for her,i dont allow juice in my house they get fresh orange and fresh apple,the fruit bowl is always full they like apples a,banannas,pears,plums,salad and there greens,i would and have turned down juice for my children they dont have to watch them bieng sick,and bouncing off the wall for hours,with all the enumbers in them,

when parents say oh such and such wont sleep and do my head in,then you find out the closest they get to a apple is the painting they drew in nursery i go sorry love its your own fault.

Hi Linda,

Before we moved here to sunny spain i worked in a playgroup and also help run the local toddler group.. We always asked the parents to inform us of any diet prefrences that they had and would always respect those wishes.

If i were you next time i would either take along your own snack or just ask whoever is running the group that you would prefer it if carys only had water or milk im sure they will willing give you either it will be good for her to join in with the other children and snack time and promotes good socialising skills for her..

You are doing her a big favour not getting her used to squash which is so full of addatives and preservatives your dentist will thank you later..

Most pre-schools should offer a healthy option its part of the ofstead guidelines..

Sorry i seem to have gone on a bit...

That is exactly it. We only have our children on loan, to bring up the best way we can before we send them out into the big, bad world. So, as long as we are giving them the best information can give whilst we have parental control (or be bothered to give ) then you are being the best Mum you can be for them.

They can ask for no more.

Thank you .

I feel pretty much like that - I can't do much about her choices when she's older but I can try to give her a good start. Aw I know she will grow up a bit and eat choccie biscuits just like I did but I can do my best now ...

I might bring along a salt-free rice cake and some water but the person running this group is the nun and she's one scary lady . I like the group itself; it's really friendly

Hi LS

I'm 24, and I don't like sweets and never has! (You can ask Isochick!).
We were only allowed fizzy pop etc at parties/special occasions, and I didn't even try 'coke' till I was about 5 (and that was by accident cos I picked up the wrong cup!).

We only tended to have a choccy biscuit as a treat if we finished our tea, but we did drink squash with our meals.
We both have always eaten lots of fruit and veg though - and still do.

To this day I don't eat any sweets (well, apart from chocolate eclairs and worthers originals!), I occasionally have a mini roll, or a kit-kat after my food, and I only drink pop when we go out!

I think your doing it the right way, and I wouldn't worry what other people think!