Apparently one of our big supermarkets, Sainsbury’s, has not served chips (French fries) to children in their cafes for the past 18 months.  Kids have 5 options: Nuggets, fish fingers, sausage or veggie sausage, bolognese or macaroni and cheese.  They can have these with half a jacket potato, sweet potato fries, or veg sticks.  Each meal also comes with juice and a piece of fruit.

Sainsbury’s are obviously trying to do their bit to combat childhood obesity.  However, some parents are now up in arms complaining that the supermarket should not tell them what food they can give their children.  When a mother pointed out that chips are on the adults’ menu, she was told that children are not given chips at Sainsbury’s.  Mothers are also complaining that hypocritically, the supermarket will happily sell them frozen chips to cook for their children at home.

If this is the opinion of the parents, no wonder children are becoming fatter.  Maybe some parents need educating on what to feed their children?  Whatever happened to casseroles made of lean meat, fresh vegetables and stock?  What happened to grilled or baked fish without batter?  Instead fast and cheap junk food is taken out of the freezer and put in the microwave to collect around our children’s arteries and bring them to a possible premature death in their fifties or sixties.

These parents are offended in being ‘dictated’ to by Sainsbury’s.  They are of the opinion that nobody is going to tell them what to do, even though the supermarket is trying its best to ensure their child does not eventually end up in the cardiac ward.  Ignorance rules, and they will buy chips for themselves, put some on their kids’ plates, and smile with the knowledge that they have defeated the ban.  They grew up on chips themselves… it was alright for them, and so it’ll be alright for their children.

Gawd help us.