I try not to get on my high horse when it comes to food and nutrition. We're certainly not perfect and it's exactly when you start preaching about this stuff that you get busted in the drive-thru.
I do have to rant for just a moment. I recently took my son to IHOP for breakfast. That's a big treat for him and he always gets the same thing, turkey sausage and home-made fries (he's five – that's his name for hash browns or home fries or whatever they're really called). This time, however, something made him actually look at the kids' menu.
In addition to the chocolate pancakes with whipped cream and the cinnamon rolls with frosting, IHOP now features a red, white & blue lemonade with… sprinkles. Because lemonade isn't enough of a treat. Do drinks for kids really need toppings now??
You can see the three-colored lemonade on the table in this (admittedly very cute) IHOP commercial.
We talk about this kind of thing quite a bit on Health Headlines: The Show. Yes, a good diet has room for everything, even complete junk once in a while. It's the steady stream of garbage that makes me worry. When did food become entertainment? This isn't about my little boy having diabetes – this stuff is bad for all of us.
I'm getting tired of being the bad guy and fighting this every single day. Have you given up? If not, how do you fight the good fight against junk food? I'd also love to know if you've seen a "bad food" that tops this one.
(By the way, I would like to tell you how many carbs are in the lemonade and the cinnamon rolls featured here, but IHOP doesn't list nutritional information of their menu items.)
Agree, agree, agree Stacey. Nope, we’re not perfect either. But it does seem like a battle. I like how you put it – “when did food become entertainment?” Indeed.
I do my best to encourage good food choices for my kids. I explain why it’s important for their health. I also reward them when they make good choices, particularly at a restaurant. They are not reprimanded if they make other choices, but we do make a point of celebrating the good ones. I also make sure we fit in the treats here and there too, in a balanced fashion.
And thank you Jamie Oliver for being a cool guy with a positive message delivered in a cool way. That was huge for all my kids.