British Heart Foundation - Combat pester power

Parents who give in to pester power spend £378 extra a year on treats*

Combat pester power

Junk food advertisers know what they are doing. Making your kids pester you for expensive junk food is good for their profits. New research by Which? shows that parents who give in to pester power spend, on average, an extra £7.28 a week on food treats for their children. That’s £378 a year. Here’s a few tips on how to say no.

Be sympathetic
Acknowledge that they want it. Explain to them that you know it looks yummy, but that it’s bad for them, so it’s the kind of thing they can’t have too often.

Be consistent
Let your children know how often they can have unhealthy treats and what they can choose from. And when you say no, mean it. If they know they can wear you down, they’ll just keep at you.

Be clear
As well as explaining healthy eating, talk to your children about the cost of junk food. Explain to them that you don’t have a bottomless purse and that packaged food can cost a lot.

Be fun
Get your child involved in writing the shopping list and fetching the items on it when you’re at the supermarket. They’ll get used to the idea that you don’t put things in the trolley if they’re not on the list.

74%
of young people said that fast food businesses should not be allowed to set up websites that encourage children to eat unhealthy food. (National Union of Teachers)