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Let's junk that

Does your kid's snack box have only chips, biscuits and chocolates? Then it's time for a culinary makeover

Photo: Mohammed Yousuf

BE MODERATE Children love junk food, but an overdose of it can lead to health problems

It's snack time at a day care centre for tiny tots. After casting fond looks at the tuck box, it is finally time for them to dig in — a packet of fatty, sodium-rich cheese rings, a fizzy drink and maida biscuits.

They gleefully attack the goodies, revelling in the addictive taste, blissfully unaware of what these foods will do to their system in the long run.

Sadly for these kids, fresh fruits and sprouts are necessary evils that have to be eaten once in a while. The rest of the week is devoted to chocolates, chips, mixture, and what have you. All of which can be bought off the shelf and perfectly suit the busy lifestyles of working parents.

"Parents these days are plain lazy," says an indignant principal of a pre-school. "They simply don't take the effort to make the snacks they pack interesting for children. The kids' wish, usually junk food, prevails when it comes to the contents of the tiffin box."

No balance

As a result, children don't receive even half the nutrition they ought to be getting at their age. Ideally, pre-schoolers must be raised on a diet rich in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and fat.

"So go in for healthier versions of every child's favourite, potato. Also, make it a point to include rice and beetroot (carbohydrate); channa, lentils, soya, fish and whole egg (protein); and leafy vegetables, greens and carrots (vitamins)," suggests Ajeet Kumar Lal Mohan, the Director of a school for hotel management and catering. And, it is not difficult to send such foodstuff to school. "All it takes is a little planning and the willpower to ignore your child's crying," says Shivangi, who has persisted with sending her child fruits and freshly-squeezed juice to school. "We have worked out a system where chips and packed juices are fortnightly treats."

Anand Kumar, who runs a a preschool, says sometimes parents also end up sending too much food. "They send portions meant for adults. During a 20-minute break, children can comfortably eat only two biscuits or two slices of bread and a glass of juice." This is because of the popular misconception that the more the kids eat, the healthier they will get.

Principals of preschools say only some parents are willing to bring about a change in the contents of the snack box. "We normally tell them to send in some boiled vegetables and fruits for snacks. Even if children don't normally eat them, they do so in company," says Sathya, the principal of yet another preschool. "It will take some time to change their eating habits, but it can be done" she says. To ensure the kids eat a reasonably healthy meal, she checks their boxes for too many chips or biscuits.

Paediatricians say binging on sweets and fried snacks can lead to obesity among children and hurt their self-esteem. Also, dental cavities abound. Sathya says kids growing up on bread and biscuits suffer from constipation due to the lack of fibre in their diet.

Teachers and caregivers agree it is difficult to keep children away from temptations such as chocolates and biscuits. But feel an attempt must be made to give kids a little of everything. So, packed juices and chips are fine, but only in moderation.

Wholesome home cooked food is no longer fashionable. Says Ponni Muralidharan, a psychiatrist. "It is almost like people are trying to establish some kind of hierarchy by sending such packed snacks."

And kids being kids, prefer something neatly packaged and appetising to look at. "They are more interested in the paraphernalia (colourful boxes, bright bags and printed water bottles) than the actual content," she says.

So, out go traditional healthy snacks like idli. And children from different backgrounds, who want to desperately fit in into a fast-changing world, fall for whatever product has a catchy jingle or a more popular role model.

Uma, caregiver at a playschool, says children hate it when monotony creeps into snack time. "Then, they start looking into what the others bring."

But Ponni warns that too much of variety can take the thrill out of life. "We were all raised on a staple diet, and we are doing quite well for ourselves. By offering too much variety, we are confusing the children with a sensory overload."

SUBHA J. RAO

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