Pediasure commercials rub me the wrong way...

June2007

My pointless (possibly controversial) post...

Have you this commercial: A mom is trying to get her son to eat and then giving him like a doughnut (or something like that) "Just so he'll eat something!"  until she discovered pediasure! Now he is getting all of the vitamins and minerals he needs!

Yes, I'm sure there are situations why a kid might occasionally need a pediasure shake for some reason or another but the commercial makes it out like it's totally normal and healthy to make it a regular meal replacement. I get that their motive is to sale their product, but come on. It's doing a disservice to children as a whole when you don't teach them to eat real food. Your kid isn't going to starve himself to death. If s/he doesnt eat lunch then they'll probably eat dinner no problem as long as you're not feeding them doughnuts when they refuse their meal.

I just hate this commercial so much! 

/pointless rant

Arnegard

Have you actually smelled that stuff?!

We were advised at Dylan's 15 mo appt (she was 18-19 lbs) to suppliment her with at least 3 of those a week.  Uhh!!  Even her pee smelled so medicinal.  It gave her horrible diarhea so we stopped.

sdo_082989

Nope I totally get what you are saying. I know my DD is only a month old but my uncle gets his 5 year old daughter every other weekend and we've all had a huge hand in raising her. Her mom since that baby was born has been worried about making her fat so she only got 5 cheerios at daycare for a snack and her meals were fruit, skim milk (when she got old enough to switch to cows milk), and once a week she got 2 pieces of turkey on wheat bread. Then she came to my uncles house and we fix FOOD. Mashed potatoes, meat at EVERY meal, veggies...the works. She wouldn't touch it. She finally eats chicken nuggets and corn dogs but it has to be chicken nuggets from mcdonalds or look like them. She went home and told her mom she was getting chicken and corn dogs and liked them. Her mom flipped and called my uncle, "told him that Pediasure is ALL she needs to replace meat and stuff. She doesn't need to have weight issues because it's hard on women." Mind you the mom is NOT a small woman...at all.

My biggest problem with it is because there are parents like my cousin's mom that see stuff like that and think OH HEY! Great idea!

Dochas

I'm more disturbed by the number of people who think it's okay to give them a donut so they'll eat something.  My son fell off the growth charts so we talked a lot about what to feed him.  The pediatrician mentioned not to give him ice cream or something like that to put weight on him.  I laughed like 'who on earth would do that'.  Apparently MANY people do.

But, back to pediasure.  She said to try that and I gave him half of one.  It was one of the very few times he threw up.  I was breastfeeding at the time, looked at the list of chemicals in the ingredients and never gave it to him again.  It probably serves a purpose, but I'm glad we didn't give him any more.

sdo_082989

EmilyVReese80:

sdo_082989:

Nope I totally get what you are saying. I know my DD is only a month old but my uncle gets his 5 year old daughter every other weekend and we've all had a huge hand in raising her. Her mom since that baby was born has been worried about making her fat so she only got 5 cheerios at daycare for a snack and her meals were fruit, skim milk (when she got old enough to switch to cows milk), and once a week she got 2 pieces of turkey on wheat bread. Then she came to my uncles house and we fix FOOD. Mashed potatoes, meat at EVERY meal, veggies...the works. She wouldn't touch it. She finally eats chicken nuggets and corn dogs but it has to be chicken nuggets from mcdonalds or look like them. She went home and told her mom she was getting chicken and corn dogs and liked them. Her mom flipped and called my uncle, "told him that Pediasure is ALL she needs to replace meat and stuff. She doesn't need to have weight issues because it's hard on women." Mind you the mom is NOT a small woman...at all.

My biggest problem with it is because there are parents like my cousin's mom that see stuff like that and think OH HEY! Great idea!

How are corn dogs and chicken nuggets from McDonalds better than Pediasure?

and OP: I agree with you...but advertisers get paid BIG bucks to be good liars, they are going to say anything as long as it works.

I don't think they are better but how can she say that Pediasure is better? I personally wouldn't be giving my kids chicken nuggets or corn dogs but I don't think her going off the commercial is exactly the way to make a decision.

June2007

It's disgusting. And irresponsible advertising IMO.

JOEBunny

My son has been on Boost Plus (360 calories in 8oz), since he was 18 months old and was diagnosed with malnutrition and vitamin deficiency along with FFT.  I appreciate what boost does for him, and he really is a poor eater.  Today, he had 50 calories from apple sauce, 1/2 of a mini bagel slathered with cream cheese, and 1/4 of a cheese stick.  That is all. I also made him a grill cheese sandwich, pot stickers, a bowl of fruit, a blueberry muffin, a banana, sliced apple, and offered him goldfish.  None of which were eaten.  I get the desperation of having a child who doesn't eat, but not the substituting crap food for real food.  I am glad to live in a place where I can both afford and get food for my son that enables him to thrive and grow, and it should not be a marketing campaign that does it, it should be based on the needs of the specific child.  (My son is seen by a GI and his regular ped.  I do not give him formula based on a commercial).