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.
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