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Jamie Oliver, 41, slammed parents and health gurus who refuse to give their kids sugar.

Speaking to news.com.au, the celebrity chef and nutritionist said kids should be able to go to a birthday party and “get sick” on lollies — because it’s what happens at home that counts.

“Personally I don’t care [about birthday party food] because if you have belt and braces done at home, you don’t have to worry about the fairground,” Oliver, who is currently in Australia, told news.com.au.

“You don’t have to worry about the cinema and you don’t have to worry about some horrible birthday party.

“Let them get sick [on lollies] … because once you’ve had too many sweets, you’ll tend not to do it again.”

The comments are in opposition to the likes of celebrity parents Rachael Finch and Pete Evans have both been vocal in the past in keeping sugar away from their children.

Rachael finch recently admitted she hadn’t let her eldest daughter Violet, 3, taste any lollies.  “Sometimes at birthday parties, parents don’t have sandwiches or sushi or fruit,” Finch, 28, told Stellar in April.

“So before she goes, I make sure she is full of healthy food. I’m with her and while I don’t say no to everything, she understands it’s a treat when she has a tiny slice of birthday cake.”

Jamie Oliver, who has five children — Poppy, 15, Daisy, 14, Petal, eight, Buddy, six and River nine months — said while his wife Jools does “worry” about party food she’d never “fill them up” before a party.

“I think the question is what [food] do you do for a kid’s birthday party,” he said.

“Personally, I’ve never found a kid who doesn’t like a really nice roast dinner with potatoes and chicken.

“Throw that in the middle of a table and they’ll kill it. But life is about having some treats as well.”

All in moderation as with anything in life.

Are you Team Jamie or Team Pete? Why? We would love to hear your story.

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  • you have to let them live a little hey! just be sure to teach them to make good choices as well

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  • Definitely Team Jamie. If you don’t let them have lollies and sweets, when they have the chance they will gorge themselves. Everything in moderation is the key.

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  • Team Jamie – moderation is the key and an occasional treat is fine.

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  • Team Jamie…moderation is the key.

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  • Everything in moderation. I agree with Jamie- let kids be kids and have fun, then as adults they will learn not to go overboard and will be less likely to binge.

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  • I do think it’s about what you generally eat at home. Parties, treats, etc. are sometime food, not everyday food. I do know of families who restrict their children or who ban them from lollies, etc. Those same children have developed binge behaviour when at parties and are known to load up at milk bars near the school or at the canteen, unbeknownst to their parents. This is the behaviour that needs to be discouraged.

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  • I think a healthy diet is paramount and treats now and then, but not too often.

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  • Absolutely let your kids have treats.
    It angers me that schools have a blanket ban instead of teaching children about moderation.
    I see way to many kids that arent allowed treats and when they get access to them (like parties of families house) they binge and even go hide somewhere to eat them. How is this teaching good habits?
    Teach them its a sometimes treat and that you only get a small amount.
    My 6yo has done this and i can leave lollies and chocolate in easy reach and i know she wont touch it without asking and if i say no, she respects that.

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  • Two of my kids are glutenfree and always need to be careful. One of my kids has soft tooth decay and 10 teeth surgical removed as her teeth were rotting away in her mouth. We choose more healthy less sugary treats.

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  • I’m with team ‘me’. My son has grown up without ‘treats’, I never used the term. I just gave him his favourite fruits and food and never used foods as rewards. He has tried a few things but often says it’s too sweet because he is not used to sweets. I remember once someone said I was cruel not allowing my child lollies who was probably only one or two at the time. Why can’t we do what we think is best for our children without being judged. Just because you are a chef you don’t know everything. And Jamie does not know my son who would never eat a roast dinner, so saying he never found a kid that would not eat a roast is ridiculous, he is not looking hard enough.

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  • Treats are ok in moderation. They don’t need to fill themselves up on them.
    If you know your child has an illness that is made worse with some foods which may include treats sometimes you do have to say no. Relatives of ours only let their children have a few lollies as there is a family history of diabetes. They acted on medical advice. If you have lollies too often they are no longer a treat. The same principal applies to a lot of different foods and drinks.
    If they are on a special medical diet, that’s when you sometimes definitely have to say no. e.g. Coelic Disease – if they eat food they shouldn’t they can be ill within a couple of hours and take a few days to recover.

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  • Jamie all the way, he is a very sensible guy

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  • Definitely team Jamie. You ban it now it’ll be all they feed their own kids one day because they will remember how deprived they were.

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  • I’m team Jamie. All in moderation. You denie kids something & as soon as they are old enough they’ll decide themselves & end up doing it behind your back..

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  • I have to say I’m on team Jamie here – the odd treat here and there is fine, especially when they know it’s a treat and not an everyday thing. I had no food treats when i was a kid & to say i rebelled on the sly was an understatement & it took me a long time to learn & practice moderation later on.

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