Pouches of food for your 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds, are the newest craze in “baby” food. Funny, I thought it was called baby food because it was meant for babies. But some food manufacturers think that kids shouldn't actually have to actually chew their fruits and veggies anymore, but rather should just sit back and suck veggie or fruit mush out of a pouch. They attribute the popularity of "food pouches" to free-range parenting.
Psst ... free-range parenting isn't about throwing pouches of astronaut food at kids so they can suck at will.
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If anything, free-range parenting is old school parenting, the way our parents parented us. They put food on the table and if we ate it we weren't hungry, if we didn't we were free to eat the remainder of it at the next meal. It was anti-helicopter parenting. It was turning us loose to make choices that had consequences. It taught us independence not that the world would bend at our will. These pouches are not teaching independence, it’s teaching kids that the world revolves around them.
Do these people think 4-year-olds can’t chew these days? Are we trying to brain wash all the kids into thinking they are astronauts? Or perhaps we are afraid they will chip a tooth or put some wear and tear on those teeth? What’s next, putting kids in bubbles so that they don’t risk scrapes and bruises? I don’t know about you but my daughter could chew up a steak and bite through her sibling at the age of four.
I think the ideal of food in a pouch is ridiculous. Have we become so lazy that we no longer have time to parent our children or even spend the time supervising them when they eat so that they don’t choke? Take a minute and teach them how to chew up their food and swallow. Have we decided to pass on lazy as an ethic and entitlement as a virtue by giving our kids food that will not require any chewing on their behalf? Or are we simply trying to convey the message that we don’t think our children are capable of doing the most menial of tasks? Can’t we all just spend a little more time with our children and sit still for a moment while they chew their fruit with their actual teeth?
I promise, your child’s teeth will not break on impact from the apple against their teeth.
What do you think of giving your six-year-old pouches of mashed food on the go? Would you give it to your child?
Image via nutrilover/Flickr
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Comments 96
Seriously? No one is telling you to feed only with pouches. They are an occasional snack and a good idea.
I have never seen these things - are they in the baby food aisle? Today I saw pull-ups for a child up to 65 pounds - pointed them out to my sister and said anyone who is 65 pounds doesn't need to be shitting their pants.
Eh, I agree with the author. But if I can point out - she did say 4,5,6... year olds, not 18 months-3. The reason I agree with her is because I have a 2.5 year old who eats real food. It has never been an option to her to be picky. I never buy junk food for my house. She snacks on tomatoes with hummus or peanut butter and an apple. That's not to say she doesn't get treats. BUT I don't really considered processed (it was pureed & put into a pouch to sit on a shelf - it's processed) fruit/vegetable pouches a serving a fruits & vegetables. It's wonderful that we live in a country where we are free to be picky about food and having a million plus choices, but when it comes down to it you are supposed to put food in your body for your body to use as healthy fuel. I hate spinach. But I juice it with various other vegetables and a serving of fruit every day, because it keeps me healthy. I'm not a huge fan of carrots either, but I consume 2/day. I think it's important to teach your children that a) they need to treat their bodies kindly and 2) you can't always do things the way you want to..sometimes, like when you eat vegetables you don't like, you just have to do it. Picky children=lazy parents..and yes, I know i'm being judgemental.