It seems that every day, someone is outraged by something and within the blink of an eye, it’s banned. 

They’ve taken ham and cheese toasties, fairy bread, juice poppers, and last year a Sydney daycare even went as far as banning vegemite toast - a national treasure. Kids’ parties have taken a hit, with the snack table looking less and less fun, and school canteen menus read more like a gourmet cafe. 

It seems banning items has replaced educating about nutrition and healthy eating.

According to the Institute of Health and Welfare, one in four Aussie kids and teens are overweight, and one in 12 are obese. 

However, there is also a real danger in labelling food as ‘good’ and ‘bad’, as it is much more nuanced than that. Issues around banning ‘junk food’ start with defining what that term even means. 

If you were to ask someone what their idea of junk food is, they’d probably rattle off fast food, chips, chocolate bars and other ‘bad’ foods. But instead of labeling a food as ‘bad’, kids should be told, “This food doesn’t have loads of health benefits and should only be eaten sometimes.”

“Whenever children feel deprived, the tendency is to push back and want it even more,” says child psychologist Sara Dimerman.

Sydney mum, Elle told Kidspot, “Parents need to relax and let their kids live a little. Canteen food is a treat and not an everyday thing.”

Mum to one-year-old daughter, Isabelle, said, “Kids need balance; a mix of healthy food but let them enjoy a little fun.”

Mum to one, Nama was frustrated and told me, “Fairy bread is a goddamn rite of passage, and this is bloody un-Australian.