These Are the Most Unhealthy Foods You’re Likely Feeding Your Kids

As a parent, you likely try your best to feed your kids healthy foods, even if you let them have treats every once in a while. Many parents live by the motto, “everything in moderation,” and don’t have a problem letting their kids have an unhealthy snack or treat as long as they have an overall healthy diet. However, the difficult part about keeping your kids healthy is so many of the most popular foods and snacks for kids are actually unhealthy.

Some of the foods marketed to kids are obviously unhealthy while others seem healthy until you look at the nutrition label. Regardless of whether you know how bad these foods are, we’ve created a list of the most unhealthy foods you’re likely feeding your kids. Keep reading to find out what they are and why they’re so bad for your child’s health.

• Why it’s unhealthy: High in sugar and calories, little nutritional benefit

It’s no wonder so many parents buy fruit juice — kids love it and many juice brands exclusively market it to children. Not only do children love this sugary beverage, but it’s even harder to say no since so many juice brands use fun characters to market their products.

Even fruit juice that claims to be “100% juice” isn’t healthy for kids. Fruit juice is full of sugar and doesn’t have all the nutritional benefits that come from eating a whole piece of fruit. Although it may taste like fruit and even contain actual juice, there are far more health risks to drinking fruit juice than there are benefits. To keep your kids healthy, they should drink water most of the time, and children above the age of 1 should only have a moderate amount of fruit juice.

• Why it’s unhealthy: High in sugar and processed ingredients

Apple sauce is a snack that could be healthy in theory, but most pre-packaged apple sauce brands you find at the store are far from healthy. Even though apples are naturally sweet, most brands of apple sauce, especially those marketed toward children, have additional sugar and unnecessary ingredients.

Apple sauce does usually contain apples but it’s unhealthy when there’s a ton of added sugar in the apple sauce. If you’re going to purchase apple sauce for your kids, look for one that doesn’t have any added sugar and only contains ingredients such as apples, cinnamon, and lemon juice. You can also make apple sauce at home with apples, water, and cinnamon.

• Why it’s unhealthy: Highly processed, high in sodium

There’s no doubt that boxed mac n’ cheese is one of the most convenient foods to make for your kids. Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch at home or something to send with them to school, this meal is easy to make without needing a ton of ingredients on hand.

Despite the convenience of making this food, it’s highly processed, filled with artificial ingredients, and high in sodium. Even homemade macaroni and cheese isn’t the healthiest meal in the world, but the nutritional benefits that a child gets from homemade macaroni and cheese are generally lacking in the boxed version.

• Why it’s unhealthy: Little nutritional value, high in sugar, often contains artificial flavors and dyes

Some of the most difficult snacks to avoid have the word “fruit” in the name. Many parents assume that if fruit is in the name, such as fruit snacks or fruit gummies, then there must be some health benefit to them.

The name “fruit snacks” can be misleading for parents because most fruit snacks don’t contain fruit. They sometimes contain fruit concentrate, fruit juice, or sometimes artificial fruit flavoring. However, this means that most of the nutritional benefits of fruit, like fiber, aren’t there. Fruit snacks are closer to fruit-flavored candy than they are healthy snacks.

• Why it’s unhealthy: Filled with artificial ingredients, high in sugar

Granola bars are often exclusively marketed as a healthy snack for kids, however, this is often far from the truth. Even though they may have oats and other healthy ingredients included, granola bars are also often loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients.

There are some healthy granola bars out there, so it’s important to check the list of ingredients before purchasing a box for your kids. It’s also relatively simple to make granola bars at home with just a handful of ingredients. If you want the healthiest version, making them at home is preferable since you can control exactly what goes in them.

• Why it’s unhealthy: Highly processed, high in sodium, high choking risk

Hot dogs are another food that kids love even though they’re unhealthy. The main reason why hot dogs aren’t healthy for kids or adults is because they’re highly processed meat. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, processed meat, like hot dogs and deli meats, can lead to an increased risk of certain types of cancer.

When it comes to kids specifically eating hot dogs, another reason why they’re not good is because they’re one of the foods with the highest choking risk. For this reason, experts don't recommend hot dogs for children under 4. When giving them to young children, it’s best to cut them into small pieces to reduce the risk of choking.

• Why it’s unhealthy: High in sugar, highly processed

Sugary cereals are another food that companies specifically market to children. The amount of fun characters, pictures, and colors on cereal boxes makes it difficult to say no when children ask for cereal for breakfast. However, sugary cereal should be avoided most of the time and there are many healthier alternatives.

While many cereals for kids may even try to market their products as “healthy,” they rarely are. Not only are they highly processed, but they’re also incredibly high in sugar, which takes away from many of the possible nutritional benefits. If your child enjoys eating cereal, you’re better off getting them a cereal that’s lower in sugar and adding fruit for sweetness.

• Why it’s unhealthy: High in calories, sodium, and carbs

French fries are a delicious side that goes perfectly with your kid’s favorite fast-food meal. Even adults love eating french fries, but kids should only eat fries in moderation. French fries, whether you order them from a restaurant or buy them at the store, are usually high in calories, sodium, and carbs.

Even though the main ingredient in french fries is potatoes, the fact that they’re fried negates many of the nutritional benefits. If you want to make a healthier version of french fries for your kids, you can bake or air fry potatoes at home and add your own seasonings.

• Why it’s unhealthy: High in sugar, includes added dyes and artificial ingredients

There are many benefits to eating yogurt, but when it comes to flavored yogurts marketed toward kids, there are a lot more downsides than health benefits. Most of the flavored yogurts are high in sugar and filled with many artificial ingredients.

Flavored yogurts for kids may include anything from food coloring to excessive amounts of added sugar. If your kids enjoy eating yogurt, a healthier option is to buy plain yogurt and add fruit or honey for kids over one year old. This way, you can control the amount of sugar that goes in it.

• Why it’s unhealthy: High in calories, saturated fat, and sodium

Most parents are aware that pizza isn’t the healthiest meal, but many don’t realize how high in calories, fat, and sodium most pizza is. Your kids might enjoy pizza every once in a while as a treat, but it shouldn’t be something they’re consuming all the time.

How unhealthy the pizza your kids eat will depend on where you order it from and what toppings they choose. There are some healthier brands of pizza out there you can try, or you can make your own pizza at home. Adding vegetables as a topping for your pizza is also helpful to add to the nutritional benefits.