With National Fairy Bread Day which happened yesterday (November 24) in Australia, families across the country were certainly in for a treat.

But as a pediatric nutritionist and a motherI can’t help but ask: what’s hidden in these little luminous nuggets?

It’s not about taking the fun out of birthdays or demonizing a beloved treat. It’s about understanding what we feed our children and making informed choices.

The truth is that many of the hundreds and thousands of traditional products we grew up with can still be found on supermarket shelves. contain artificial colors like amaranth (123) and tartrazine (102) – dyes banned in the United States and which carry warnings in Europe regarding their potential health risks.

However, in Australia and New Zealand, they are still found in festive dishes and even in everyday staples.

Spotlight on harmful dyes

This is not just a marginal issue. Prominent advocates like Cindy Crawford, Eva Mendes and even U.S. health officials are speaking out about the dangers of artificial food colors. Their campaigns have highlighted that these additives are linked to behavioral problems, allergies and even cancer.

Outside Kellogg’s headquarters in the United States, a wave of frustrated parents made their voices heard. Armed with colorful signs reading “Ditch the Colors” and “Our Children Deserve Better,” they chant slogans demanding the removal of harmful artificial food colors from popular breakfast cereals.

These parents shared personal stories of hyperactivity, allergies and health problems that they believe are linked to these additives.

As a mother and nutritionist, I completely understand the desire to protect our children and have campaigned for this in Australia. But I also understand the need to let kids be kids, enjoy some fairy bread, and have fun.

However, we must ask ourselves: why are these chemicals still allowed in our food? Amaranth (123), for example, is banned in the United States due to its links to cancer and behavioral problems, but it still colors fairy bread in Australia.

Another harmful coloring, Brown HT (155), is found in products like Oak Chocolate Milk and Big M.

So, imagine a child enjoying fairy bread washed down with a glass of chocolate milk: it’s the cumulative exposure that counts.

Why it’s time to think beyond sugar

When we talk about healthy eating For children, the conversation often revolves around sugar. Make no mistake – limit sugar is essential, especially for toddlers.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend against consuming added sugars in children under 2 years of age, not because sugar itself is harmful in small amounts, but because it can create a preference for sweet foods.

But sugar isn’t everything.

The real danger lies in the artificial chemicals found in many of our foods. These additives aren’t just found in fairy bread; they are found in wraps, jams, yogurts and even seemingly healthy products that carry high “health stars”.

The problem ? The health star rating system doesn’t take into account harmful additives, so products containing artificial colors can still get a high rating, tricking parents into thinking they’re making a good choice.

The arguments in favor of natural alternatives

The good news is that safer alternatives are more accessible than ever. Supermarkets like Aldi have already removed artificial colors from their product ranges, including hundreds and thousands, and natural options based on ingredients like beetroot, carotene, turmeric and spirulina are widely available.

As parents, we don’t have to give up fairy bread or fun treats. It’s about being intentional and making smarter choices. For example, my own “real food ranking” system ranks all of the hundreds and thousands of products available so parents know exactly what they are buying:

1. Best option: Hopper 100s and 1000s Rainbow (no artificial colors or preservatives).

2. Correct options: Aldi and Coles hundreds and thousands
(both without artificial colors but contain preservatives).

3. Avoid: Dollar Sweets by the hundreds and thousands (contain artificial colors and preservatives).

What parents can do

If you’re celebrating National Fairy Bread Day, here are some simple steps to do it safely and deliciously.

1. Choose natural colored nuggets: These are widely available and free from harmful dyes.

2. Read labels carefully: Learn to spot artificial colors and avoid them whenever possible. Numbers to avoid include 124, 102, 133, 110, 123 and 122.

3. Limit exposure to artificial colors in everyday foods: Opt for additive-free versions of staples like wraps, yogurt, muesli bars, bread, cheese and lunchbox snacks.

4. Save fairy bread for special occasions: Let it be an occasional food and not a daily snack.

5. Advocate for better labeling: Push for transparency and improvement of the health star rating system to include harmful additives.

Mandy’s 3-Step Fairy Bread Remake:

1. Choose good quality bread: Preservative-free white bread, sourdough white bread or wholemeal bread would be the best choice for your child’s fairy bread.

2. Replace margarine with unsalted butter: Unsalted butter offers many health benefits for children, unlike margarine, which often contains inflammatory oils and emulsifiers that can disrupt gut health.

3. Choose hundreds and thousands of natural colors: Choose products that use natural colors like anthocyanins, carotene, spirulina and turmeric and avoid those containing artificial food colors.

A rainbow for the future

Fairy bread is not just food, it is a symbol of joy and celebration for many families. And I believe we can preserve its magic without compromising security.

It’s time to demand better from our food industry, protect our children from unnecessary risks, and embrace natural alternatives that keep the fun alive. The good news is that these natural options exist and children don’t know the difference.

Let’s enjoy tradition while taking a step towards a healthier, brighter future – a rainbow just as colorful but free from harmful chemicals. Together we can make things happen.

– Additional reporting from the NZ Herald