it breaks my heart to see young kids started off like this. In my daughter's daycare, there are two children who come to daycare at 7am every single morning wiht donuts or oreo cookies. I started bringing extra yogurts and cheerios with me because it bothered me so much. I finally had a bit of a blow out with the mother when she started trying to give my daughter this garbage in the morning. The thing is though, no matter how little money you have (I am a single parent and watch every dime), it is still cheaper to buy a big box of cheerios, and put some in a baggie in the mroning for a snack before the day starts if there isn't time for a full breakfast, or pack slices of cheese and cucumber - rahter than stopping at tim hortons for donuts. One trick I have been using with racheal is that one shelf in the fridge is dedicated to her - it has little baggies adn tupperware containers full of thinly sliced veggies, cheeses, fruits, yogurts, etc. Those are her "snacks" for after daycare, or when she is hungry between meal etc. Plus, it saves me a TON of work running every time she wants something, and teaches her to make choices.

She does get junk food occassionally - maybe once a month I give her a couple timbits or a peice of cake, etc...with a lunch out at mcdonalds. But she loves it becuase it is such a treat, and not a daily meal choice. Kids are smarter than we give them credit for. I can't cntrol her eating when she is a teenager, but right now can instill good choice making in her, and hopefully that will carry on whenshe is "out of my sight" later on