10 foods that are worst for kids

All parents worry about the safety and good health of their children. Read on to know, which foods are really bad for the little ones and should be completely banned for them to eat.

Many commercially available food products that are made for children are actually not suited for their nutritional needs as they lack in vital nutrients and are loaded with sugars. Here is a list of 10 of these foods that should be avoided by children on a regular basis.

Breakfast cereal. The commercially available breakfast cereals are nutritional equivalent to desserts. So, it is imperative that you read the food labels thoroughly for the presence of sugars and sugar equivalent, corn syrup.

Hot dog. Hot dogs may contain nitrites, which are associated with an increased risk of cancer. This food based on red meat, high levels of sodium, and saturated fats are mostly served with white buns, all of which negatively impacts the health of children.

Chicken fingers/ nuggets. You can prepare the healthier version by cooking chicken strips at home instead of feeding the little ones fat laden chicken nuggets.

Fruit snacks. You may pick these up as a healthy food option but in reality these are loaded with sugars, preservatives, artificial colors, and not the real fruit juice. They may also stick on the teeth of your little ones and badly impact their physical and dental health.

Sugary beverages. All aerated beverages, including fruit juices and sports drink, contain unhealthy levels of sugar. Apart from that, most of the commercially available juices are made from fruit concentrate and not the real fruit juice, and non-fruit beverages contain caffeine, neither of which is considered healthy for the young individuals.

Packed lunch. These may contain deli meat, cracker, cheese, and unhealthy drinks that may nourish your little ones with nothing healthy. You must instead prepare whole grain crackers with healthy meats and fresh veggies as a healthy lunch option yourself.

Lollipops. This is a favorite of almost every child. However, if consumed too often this hard candy loaded with sugar and artificial colors can easily harm the children.

Toaster Pastries. These are filled with sugary jelly and shoot the blood glucose levels of the little ones in no time. You can instead replace these with a quick whole grain toast and real fruit spread.

Kid’s meal. These lucrative food options at the restaurants often consist of fried food prepared with sub-optimally healthy ingredients. You may consider checking out the food options offered before ordering any of these at the restaurants.

Packaged pasta. Most of these offer plenty of sodium and negligible levels of healthy nutrients.