Junk food vs healthy stuff, palate tussle intensifies

All delicacies are usually made by my mother
I like to have staple food which includes rotis, vegetables and salad. My mother makes even simple food taste delicious. She makes all kinds of delicacies at home, so I' am not tempted to frequently eat out. My parents are particular and ensure that I don't consume junk food repeatedly. I like burgers and pizzas. So when I have to go out with my friends, then I' am allowed to eat out, but only twice a month. At home, my parents make it a point not to stock aerated drinks, so we don't form a habit to consume it. Taking inspiration from my father, I actively play sports like football and cricket to keep myself fit.
—Trishank P

Avoid reckless consumption of fast food
I like to gorge on restaurant food, at least once a week, but my mother keeps a strict control over what I devour.  Usually my staple diet consists of home-cooked meals, but who doesn't like to eat outside, once in a while? The main reason in opting for junk food is that they are different from the regular food. My mother packs my school tiffin because I'm not allowed to eat from the canteen. I admit that I have cultivated lazy habits like watching TV for long hours or playing computer games, but my mother stresses upon me to go to the playground and engage myself in recreational outdoor games to stay in shape.—Amrit Kaul

Have at least one wholesome meal
Children don't want to eat home-cooked food when they have the choice of pizza, bhel-puri or instant packaged noodles. I love eating snacks especially in the evening, at least thrice a week. My mother prepares all these delicacies at home, so I don't usually have to frequent eateries and restaurants to eat them, except for when I' am out with family. I know it is unhealthy but it tastes better than the normal staple diet. I have an understanding with my mother, wherein I eat one wholesome supper and get to eat my favourite snack in the evening. In that way, I get to balance my health and fun.
—Shrusti Talati

Fast food has become my standard diet now
I don't like eating daal, roti and sabzi everyday. It's very boring and unappetising. I definitely prefer and love eating fast food like burgers and pizzas. My favourite evening-time snack is aloo tikki from McDonalds. My mother keeps complaining all the time and counsels me to eat home-cooked food, but I somehow manage to convince her and evade her pleas. I eat out at least twice a week. I don't mind if this is unhealthy, but I like fast food and find it very tasty. I also love having aerated drinks and I can eat Ruffles and Lays potato chips everyday. 
—Dhrumil Bhavsar

Verify nutrient value of fare
Firstly, I believe that young children don't know exactly what food is unsuitable for them and what items should be avoided. I think parents play an important role and they need to know the nutritional value in the foodstuff that they serve their children.
A McDonalds burger contains 400 calories and it has saturated fats which add to the cholesterol level to the body. This amount of intake is not good for young children.

They need to eat healthy snacks like fruits and green salads - to give them nutrition - during the evening hours. But then youngsters find such foodstuff uninteresting. So parents should device interesting ways for children, so that they will enjoy eating it. Parents can learn fruit decoration and cut them in interesting ways and add various coloured fresh vegetables and fruits. They must make it appealing to children, only then will they like it.

Instant packaged noodles have become a common evening-time snack, which is not a healthy option. Today many schools have become conscious and refrain from stocking fried chips and aerated drinks in their canteens. India has many instances of child obesity cases so we need to be careful regarding what children are consuming. The attitude of mothers towards preparing food for their children must change. Instead of overfeeding children, we need to verify which foodstuff contains more nutrient value.
—Sugra Kachwala, consulting nutritionist- dietician  and general practitioner

I make kids lunch tiffin interesting
We keep a watch on how our child spends his pocket money. I have read that child obesity is on a rise in India. I' am particular about what my child's tiffin to school contains. I have set rules that instant packaged noodles will be served only once in a week. We also limit intake of bread since it contains maida, which can be fattening. Also I keep a tab on the food my children have when they are out. I give them lunch in colourful tiffin boxes, so they enjoy having it. Moreover, my daughter takes active interest in sports and extra-curricular activities.  —Sheetal Agarwala

Even junk can be made healthy
However much we try and experiment with innovative cuisine, children always seem to complain, that nourishing roti sabzi does not appeal to them everyday. Today children are extremely finicky regarding their eating habits and timing of meals. I take effort to prepare new food items that children may like and it works at times. If one cannot negate junk food, one must devise ways to make it healthy. 'Nutritious' junk food is my way of protecting my child from consuming unhealthy junk. I also keep a watch on the eateries that he frequents for snacks. —Sejal B