Introduction to Issue #1

 

Should Parents Control Their Kids' Food Intake??

By Megan Clausen

If a toddler asks for ice cream for breakfast, what would you do? The two possible reactions would be to either accept or deny the request. This is simply an example, but the real question is, should parents be in control of their kids’ food intake?  The two sides of the argument are either answering that question with a yes or a no. Some parents agree with restricting their kid’s food choices, while other parents believe kids should maintain control other their food choices. For generations, parents have remained in control of what their kids eat. Now, the accessibility of fast food and highly processed snacks has increased immensely. According to the CDC, “Approximately 1 in 5 U.S. children and adolescents have obesity” (Childhood Obesity Facts). This statement shows that child obesity is on the rise. Obesity comes with a ton of health troubles on its own. This is a concern for some parents, as they worry their kids will either overeat calories or won’t get all the proper nutrients they need from processed foods. These concerned parents believe that controlling and monitoring children’s meals will keep their health on track. On the other hand, some parents believe that giving children the freedom to choose the aspects of their mealtimes will create a positive relationship with food.  Children also have their own opinions on the topic. Children want to eat the foods that they crave and may not understand the complexity of macronutrients and micronutrients. It sure would be great if we only ate what we craved, but adults have more appreciation for fueling our bodies properly. When deciding whether parents should control their child’s food choices, it’s important to consider if the kids are consistent at choosing healthy, nutritious foods. Should kids be in control of their nutrition, or should their parents be? We will be exploring these two opposing perspectives as we dive deeper. 

Perspective #1

Children are less experienced and less knowledgeable than adults. This is why the job of a parent isn’t only to keep the child alive, but to direct them on how to thrive. That isn’t only in terms of bedtime and safety hazards, food also plays an important role in the health of children and adults alike. In the article “Healthy Food for Kids”, Segal and Robinson explain the benefits of keeping your child on track with their nutrition. In terms of nutrition, kids don’t have the best judgment on what would benefit their bodies. They crave things that taste good, including sugary processed foods. Segal and Robinson emphasize that it is important to guide kids into eating healthier food choices. They have many tips on how to do so. When it comes to food, adults know that nutrient-dense food is much better for our children’s health as compared to processed foods that have been stripped of all their essential vitamins.

The tips that Segal and Robinson include in their article to help kids eat better are “skipping the fries, ordering the kid’s meals with substitutions, and opting for chicken and vegetables in a sit-down restaurant, rather than a big plate of macaroni and cheese” (Segal and Robinson). Their article is a guide on how to get your kids to eat healthy food instead of junk food. According to Segal and Robinson, “The first step is to limit access to unhealthy sweets and salty snacks” (Segal and Robinson). We all know that children require the proper nutrition for their growth and development. Segal and Robinson dive deeper into that thought: “Added sugar just means empty calories that can contribute to hyperactivity, mood disorders, and increase the risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even suicidal behaviors in teenagers.” For this reason, they suggest reducing food choices that contain added sugars and instead offering whole foods.

Another struggle for parents is getting a picky eater to reach their nutrition goals. To fix this, Segal and Robinson recommend that parents widen their child’s acceptance of food by offering many different foods. Part of the problem with children’s choice of food is that a lot of kids don’t readily accept new foods. To curb this, it is recommended not to give up on those foods that have been rejected. Keep offering the new foods many times. There are many suggestions on how to change your child’s diet from an unhealthy one to a healthy one. Maintaining some control over your child’s diet has benefits that have been made clear, whether the child agrees with it or not. 

Perspective #2

On the other hand, other parents believe that being too controlling of children’s diets can cause harm. How could getting your kid to eat healthy possibly hurt them? According to Laurie Bell, being too overbearing about the quality of food a child eats could cause emotional trauma. Even though we would rather have our kids eat their vegetables as compared to pizza, it isn’t helpful if we are degrading certain foods. Eating disorders, such as anorexia, come from a tendency to severely restrict food. Bell suggests that restricting a child’s diet may lead to this disorder.

 Binge eating disorder is another issue that Belle brings up. Binge eating disorder can arise after someone has a short window of access to a certain food. Binge eating can cause overconsumption of food and an obsession with certain foods (Bell). Eating disorders like this can make children insecure and distract them from other enjoyments in life. According to Bell, being very overbearing with a child’s diet also takes away their sense of independence. Another drawback of choosing your children’s food according to Bell is creating food aversions. When you force a child to eat a certain food, it may create a major dislike of that food due to the bad experience (Bell). She stresses the importance of positivity during mealtimes to prevent traumatizing kids. 

Similarities

Even though these two sides are very different and opposing, there are some similarities between them. Both sides care for the children’s well-being. Everybody wants what is best for the child, to make sure they grow up happy and healthy. They also both agree that being a healthy role model can help children learn how to be responsible with their health. Bell considers the way parents do this. According to Bell, “When they lead by example, their children may naturally adopt their healthy habits and behaviors in the long run” (Bell). Connecting the other side of the argument, Segal and Robinson stated that “Eating together lets your kids see you eating healthy food while keeping your portions in check and limiting junk food” (Segal and Robinson).

 Both Bell, Segal and Robinson agree that having a family mealtime around the table can benefit the children. Bell recommends making dinnertime an event that the kids can look forward to by engaging with them and staying upbeat. Similarly, Segal and Robinson state that “The simple act of talking to a parent over the dinner table about how they feel can play a big role in relieving stress and boosting your child’s mood and self-esteem” (Segal and Robinson). This is a great idea and can easily become a family tradition. Family dinner ae a good time to connect, unwind, and enjoy a homecooked meal. It also teaches children what they should do with their kids when they are older. Good dinner time habits can be passed down generations.

Differences

It’s true that both sides of the argument are concerned for the well-being of the children. Perspective number one is concerned with the physical well-being of the child, while perspective number two is concerned with the mental well-being of the child. According to Segal and Robinson, “Switching to a healthy diet can have a profound effect on your child’s health, helping them to maintain a healthy weight, stabilize their moods, sharpen their minds, and avoid a variety of health problems” (Segal and Robinson). This is the focus of perspective one. The only goal is to get the kids to eat a nutritious diet. The way they suggest doing this is by limiting the children’s access to unhealthy foods, therefore not giving them a choice. 

On the other hand, the focus of perspective number two is protecting the emotional well-being of the child at all costs. Even though we know some foods are nutrient-dense and others aren’t, Bell argues that “If we teach our kids that food is good, bad, clean or toxic, then kids may attempt to determine their self-worth based on what they eat, which is not a constructive message to convey to them” (Bell). This is completely opposite from perspective one, which argues that we should teach our kids how to eat healthy. While neither mental health nor physical health is more important than the other, this is the dividing factor. Perspective one gives tips on restricting food, while perspective two gives tips on giving children freedom to choose. 

Strengths and Weaknesses

Some strengths of perspective number one are credibility. There is no doubt that healthy, whole foods are best for the growth and development of a child. It would be great if our children chose to eat healthy food on their own. Most times, that isn’t the case. The strength I see with this side is that it’s backed by science. It’s proven that children prefer sweet over non-sweet. According to Segal and Robinson, “Whether they’re toddlers or in their teens, children develop a natural preference for the foods they enjoy the most” (Segal and Robinson). This makes it difficult to get kids to eat certain foods that benefit their bodies. The weakness I see with this side is that it takes away the child’s independence. This makes children upset when they are told they can’t have certain foods. 

A strength I see with perspective number two is that it is very mindful of the child’s feelings. It speaks about peace and not fighting with your child at the dinner table. This peace benefits not only the child, but also the parents. Letting the child choose their food gives the child independence. The kids will gain a sense of food security and worry less about what their next meal will be. According to Bell, this sense of food security will help prevent insecurities. 

A drawback of perspective number two, though, is worrying that the child might not meet their nutritional needs if they choose their meals. This is risky because children don’t typically choose the most nutritious food. You would have to trust that your child can make smart food choices on their own. If they don’t make smart choices on their own, and there isn’t any parental intervention, the children’s health could be at risk. 

My Perspective

As a mom myself, I understand the struggle of getting my children to eat foods that are healthier. They love fruit but hate vegetables. They love fried food but hate protein sources. My toddler asks for chocolate for breakfast. While I allow my children to have chocolate, I know that it won’t meet their nutritional needs. I use tactics to persuade my children to eat what their bodies need. Typically, I can get my 10-year-old daughter to eat healthier simply by telling her that I’m healthy because of my food choices. She looks up to me, so she sometimes follows in my lead. With my toddler, I must take a bite of the food and tell her how good it is before she is willing to give it a try. Otherwise, if she is asking for a food that I don’t agree with, I will try offering her another food. This is true when she asks for milk for the 4th time, and she’s already exceeded the pediatrician’s recommendations for how many ounces of milk she should have per day. I have no other choice but to offer her another option.  If I gave my children total control over their diets, they would eat heavily processed snacks, 10 cups of milk per day, and nothing else. This doesn’t support healthy growth. I would rather tell my child no or swap out certain foods rather than risk hurting my child’s physical health. 

Children don’t have a lot of self-control when it comes to sugar. I remember when I was a child, eating so much candy one day that I threw up. I was naive to the negative effects of sugar. This is why I still believe in monitoring a child’s nutrition. This is very similar to the view of perspective number one. I limit my children’s sugar intake and push them to choose foods that support healthy growth. 

I also agree with both perspectives when it comes to leading by example. My children like a lot of the foods that I like. When they see me eat a Greek yogurt, they both want a Greek yogurt. They don’t see me eating fast food, so they also never ask for fast food. I believe nutrition is key for living a long, healthy life. I agree with perspective number two that children should have freedom, but I believe in limited freedom. I also believe that too much freedom can lead to negative health outcomes. I want what is best for my children, and I think that both perspectives agree with this as well. I happen to think that remaining in control is the best for my children. 

Compromise 

 Even though these two arguments are opposite, I believe there is a way to find a middle ground. Instead of giving total freedom to the child, a parent could give the child a few options to choose from. Parents could find a few meals that fit the child’s nutritional needs and let the child decide which one of those choices they would like to eat. Food monitoring can still come in play, but along with giving the child some flexibility. A good example of this could be offering the child strawberries, watermelon, or a banana. All three of these fruits are healthy and offer plenty of micronutrients and fiber. This gives the child flexibility and the option to choose for themselves. If they want something sweeter, you could offer to drizzle honey on the fruit. This will make it seem more like a treat but keeping the ingredients more natural. This is a great sweet treat instead of cake that offers no nutritional value. I believe in the 80/20 rule. This rule indicates that 80% of the child’s food will be nutrient-dense, while 20% of their food will be whatever they crave. This brings balance. So, if they ate nutrient-dense food all day, then allow them the cookie they asked for. This will give the child a sense of control while still providing them with a good source of nutrition. 

Works Cited

“Childhood Obesity Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood-obesity-facts/childhood-obesity-facts.html. Accessed 12 July 2025. 

Laurie Bell. “Should Parents Create Food Rules for Their Children to Encourage Healthy Eating Habits?” Children’s Hospital New Orleans, 7 July 2023, www.manningchildrens.org/news-blog/2023/july/should-parents-create-food-rules-for-their-child/. 

Segal, Jeanne, and Lawrence Robinson. “Healthy Food For Kids.” HelpGuide.Org, 30 Sept. 2024, www.helpguide.org/wellness/nutrition/healthy-food-for-kids.