Isn’t it funny how the “junk food” we ate as kids (and sometimes still crave as adults) we would never bring into our own homes let alone allow our kids to eat? My mom cooked and made plenty of healthy things (I remember brown rice being a staple along with fresh orange juice every night at dinner) but she still made Hamburger Helper once a week (which I loved — sodium content be damned). We also had Twinkies in the house along with Doritos, Little Debbie Swiss Rolls and Chips Ahoy cookies. I still remember eating Captain Crunch cereal, Fruit Loops and Fruity Pebbles.
Truthfully, in my home, I do permit a little bit of this kind of nostalgic junk in. I let my kids eat Captain Crunch, I still occasionally buy Chips Ahoy (which my husband usually devours) and I made Hamburger Helper once — just to see if it still tasted as good as I remembered (it didn’t). I draw the line at Twinkies and Little Debbies, although when I see them I do feel a slight pang of longing.
My basic view is everything in moderation. If I force my kids to eat tofu and nothing even remotely sweet, aren’t they going to crave it later on when they can make their own choices? At the end of day, let’s be honest, Oreos taste good. They may have no redeeming nutritional value, but sometimes eating an Oreo with a glass of milk can wash away all of the day’s angst, even for us big kids.
