‘Treats’ or ‘weekend food’

Parents often call sweets, chocolates, crisps, cakes and biscuits ‘treats’. Generally, children LOVE their ‘treats’ and will do almost anything to get them. While calling unhealthy junk foods ‘treats’ may seem harmless, but upon closer consideration it may actually be more

harmful than helpful. Instead of using the word treat, call junk food exactly it is, by its name or call it weekend food and explain that it is only weekend food rather than everyday food.  Talking about junk food - the sugary, fatty and processed foods as weekend food:

1. helps parents understand that how they name ‘unhealthy’ foods can affect how their children feel and behave in relation to those foods, and

2. explores helpful ways to label and educate children about sweets etc…