I’m a pediatric nutritionist – junk foods I feed my kids and foods to avoid

This week the government announced plans to crack down on TV junk food adverts aimed at children.

From October 1, 2025, products such as soft drinks, savory snacks, cakes, puddings, pizzas, ready and prepared meals must pass a nutritional test before being allowed to advertise before 9pm.

As well as introducing a TV ban, Labor plans to toughen laws against fast food outlets opening near schools.

The new measures are another facet of the ongoing battle against childhood obesity, which puts pressure on the NHS and can increase the likelihood of serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes, liver conditions and early heart disease.

However, not all junk food is created equal, according to pediatric nutritionist Emma Shafcart. she said i: “Not only because of my job, but because of parenting my eight-year-old Olivia, I strongly believe in balance when it comes to food choices.

“While banning TV ads is a step in the right direction, restricting certain foods can lead to an unhealthy relationship with the product or even cravings and cravings. This is why I let my daughter eat junk food, but in moderation.

“I usually follow the 80/20 rule: 80 percent Olivia eats a balanced, nutritious diet, and the other 20 percent allows for less nutritious foods. This will help her develop a positive, lifelong relationship with all types of food, allowing her to make positive and educated choices on her own. That said, there is one ‘food’ item that I do not allow Olivia to consume.

Here are six junk foods Shafqat allows her daughter to eat — and the ones she avoids.

Chocolate

Chocolate is part of Olivia’s diet. Despite being a dieter, I struggle to live without chocolate. I often pair a few pieces with fruit as an after-meal pudding for Olivia.

Remember that chocolate – especially dark chocolate – is rich in magnesium, zinc and iron.

Delicious drinks and sweets

As with every meal, flavored drinks and sweets have a place in every meal. Kids love them, and let’s be honest, they taste good. However, I limit my daughter’s intake of sugary drinks and sweets very occasionally, for example once every few weeks, primarily due to concerns about tooth decay.

Children aged 7-10 should have no more than 24 grams of free sugar per day (about 6 sugar cubes), and children aged 4-6 should have no more than 19 grams (5 sugar cubes) per day. Considering that a can of Coke has 39 grams of sugar, that’s almost twice the amount a 4-6-year-old should consume in one can.

ready meals

When it comes to ready meals, I tend to cook at home but I realize they can be convenient. If ready meals are on the menu, it’s about being smart with your choices. Some ready-to-eat meals, such as Pots for Tots or Little Dish, are approved by a nutritionist or dietitian, and cook meals are also a great option.

Processed meat

Moderation is definitely key when it comes to bacon and ham, as they are very high in salt. I let Olivia have a burger and chips, but with burgers, always try to pick one with the best beef, because some have surprisingly little.

As a family we love sausages on the barbecue, but I try to choose ones that don’t have extra ingredients like added sulfites or super saturated fats.

Pizza

A homemade pizza with your own dough and toppings will be better than a takeaway pizza that is very high in calories, sugar and salt. However, if we’re having frozen pizza for dinner, I try to make it nutritionally better by adding extra veggies like sweet corn or peppers. This way we can still enjoy the foods we like and be a little healthier.

Swamp

I like to let Olivia enjoy everything she likes in moderation, however, I won’t let her drink raw drinks that contain the food additive glycerol (E422).

Excessive consumption of these additives can cause side effects such as headache, nausea, and in rare cases more severe symptoms such as shock and hypoglycemia. In fact, the Food Standards Agency recently stated that it does not recommend slushies for any child under the age of four.