Chocolate enfamil?!?!?!?!

[elizabethkott]

Are you KIDDING ME?!
Where is Jamie Oliver?!?!?!?!

http://enfamil.com/app/iwp/enfamil/productDetail.do?dm=enf&id=/Consumer_Home2/Enf_Products/ForToddlers/EnfagrowChocolate&cm_mmc=paid%20search-_-EnfagrowChocolate-_-Google-_-Expert2054

From their awesome site:
"As your child grows from an infant to a toddler, he's probably becoming pickier about what he eats. Now more than ever, ensuring that he gets complete nutrition can be a challenge.

That's why we created new Enfagrow PREMIUM Chocolate with Triple Health Guard™. With more nutrition than milk, Omega-3 DHA, prebiotics, and a great tasting chocolate flavor he'll love, you can help be sure he's getting the nutrition he still needs even after he outgrows infant formula."

[kijip]

I am going to go cry now. This is terrible. Are you sure it's not some sort of twisted joke?

[belovedgandp]

Wow, just wow....

[ohiomom]

I saw this a week or 2 ago in an ad and just about spit.

Hello!?! Does Michelle Obama, with her childhood obesity attack, know about this?

I have attended several "thought leader" sessions for these types of companies on the adult side. Whoever thought up this idea and whoever approved it should be ashamed.

Disgusting.

[ehlana06]

This is just asking (or should we say teaching) your child to be picky....
This is just idiotic...

[lalasmama]

:bag

For mom's with kids that are failure to thrive, it's a God-send. Want to talk about the embarrassment of having a 6 year old on Pediasure three times a day just so that she doesn't lose weight? At least with a flavored formula drink, La can tell her classmates she's drinking chocolate milk in her thermos.

[nov04]

:bag

For mom's with kids that are failure to thrive, it's a God-send. Want to talk about the embarrassment of having a 6 year old on Pediasure three times a day just so that she doesn't lose weight? At least with a flavored formula drink, La can tell her classmates she's drinking chocolate milk in her thermos.

that's what I was thinking too. It's not marketed to infants. It's just like pediasure. I think the issue is that it comes from a formula company.

[elizabethkott]

Lalasmama, to me, giving this to a six year old who is having legitimate issues is waaaaaay different than one of the "reviews" that was posted on the site:

"We received a sample in the mail of the Vanilla Enfagrow. I mixed it with water and it turned into this delicious vanilla shake. The consistency of milk but the taste of a shake. My 13 month old drank it up to the last drop. I am running out to buy some today to give him instead of MILK. Send me coupons please!!!!!!!!!!!"

13 month old?! And this mother is going to run out and get this instead of milk? I agree, for parents who have a great deal of difficulty getting your child to get even close to an adequate caloric intake on a daily basis something like this could be a godsend. But for the many others whose children *don't* have food-related issues to just swap in a chocolate formula because the kids "like it more" just doesn't sit right with me.

[essnce629]

Wow, that's just sickening. And I agree-- this is not being marketed to small 6 year olds. It's seems like it's being marketed to babies as young as 12 months old. "When your infant becomes a toddler....." And we wonder why there's an obesity epidemic. I just posted this to my FB page. I wonder how much sugar (in the form of "corn syrup solids") is in this? Gross.

[Nooknookmom]

that's what I was thinking too. It's not marketed to infants. It's just like pediasure. I think the issue is that it comes from a formula company.

It sure is marketed towards infant/toddlers, says so right on the tub: 12-36 months.

This is from their website: As your child grows from an infant to a toddler, he's probably becoming pickier about what he eats. Now more than ever, ensuring that he gets complete nutrition can be a challenge. That's why we created new Enfagrow PREMIUM Chocolate with Triple Health Guard™. With more nutrition than milk, Omega-3 DHA, prebiotics, and a great tasting chocolate flavor he'll love, you can help be sure he's getting the nutrition he still needs even after he outgrows infant formula.

It is disgusting, another ploy for these companies to make a buck at the expense of kids health. I'm sure introducing chocolate formula to a baby is definately going to help that picky eater problem ;) To boot, new Mommies may take the word of the company that this IS necessary and recommended and actually use it!!!!!

My youngest was born with severe infant reflux, allergic to milk and soy-she was thisclose to being tube fed due to her inability to ingest ANY milk or soy products. She could not have taken this Nestle Quick, oops, I mean formula due to it containing milk ingredients. This went on for us up until she was 2. I'll bet alot of other kids who have nutrition issues are also MSPI and could not take this for legitimate nutrition issues as well.

I'm apalled.

[DrSally]

Omg...............

[plusbellelavie]

I would just like to let the mothers here with babies and toddlers that are "disgusted" by this to please not come to Europe then because here in France you mostly find formula and cereal marketed for babies 4/6 mths and older several flavors including hazelnut and chocolate, chocolate, vanilla and biscuit, biscuit and honey etc....and when they hit 12mths they find even more chocolate based foods directed to them....puddings, yogurt, biscuit, breakfast items, snack items,.

French eat chocolate in the morning! Toddlers and children here are raised on hot chocolate milk and toast for their morning breakfast...they eat Nutella on toast for breakfast and/or snacks, chocolate pain here is common, the majority of cereal and bread for everyone in the family has chocolate in it or is chocolate flavored....even the ones for the one on a "diet" has chocolate pieces in it!

I don't see the children here to be overweight due to them eating or drinking chocolate milk starting when they are 6mths!

Honestly I believe the reason that Americans are overweight in comparison to the European is more due to the amount of food Americans consume...serving size in the US are huge when you compare it to what Europeans consider normal...many Europeans traveling in the US can easily share what is served to one person in resturants and be full for any meal! I see this every time I visit friends in the State and how much their toddlers, children, teenagers, and even themselves eat is incredible to me! The constant snacking by toddlers and children is not healthy either especially when 90 percent of the time it is full of surgar or fat or additivies....I think this is what Mrs Obama and Jamie Olivier are trying and should be fighting in the US...not only what you are putting in your mouth but how much you are putting into it at one meal or snack!

So please if you are disgusted by this please think that there are many families in the States from Europe who may be thrilled to find some variety in the formula flavors that they can offer to their child....it is probably much better thenthem adding Quik or Ovaltine to their milk or formual as I know many French women who did this while visiting/living in the States since they couldn't find what they would normally feed their child and they improvised but those alternatives are full of sugar!

Culturally chocolate is acceptable to many in Europe to give to their child starting at 4 to 6 mths and it may not be what is culturally acceptable in the US but it doesn't IMO make it disgusting!

Just my 2cents from a American woman whose French mother gave her and 7 siblings chocolate flavored milk every morning since 7/8 mths....and who is now a mom to 3 kids....2 of which were born and lived in the States until the age of 4 and 6 and had very American taste which over the past 4 years living here they have fortunately expanded and to one French born baby who is currently at 16 mths being weaned but who has had his chocolate moments (inculding Chocolate formula) and LOVES them!

You don't like it don't buy it but don't judge someone who does purchase it!

[essnce629]

I would just like to let the mothers here with babies and toddlers that are "disgusted" by this to please not come to Europe then because here in France you mostly find formula and cereal marketed for babies 4/6 mths and older several flavors including hazelnut and chocolate, chocolate, vanilla and biscuit, biscuit and honey etc....and when they hit 12mths they find even more chocolate based foods directed to them....puddings, yogurt, biscuit, breakfast items, snack items,.

French eat chocolate in the morning! Toddlers and children here are raised on hot chocolate milk and toast for their morning breakfast...they eat Nutella on toast for breakfast and/or snacks, chocolate pain here is common, the majority of cereal and bread for everyone in the family has chocolate in it or is chocolate flavored....even the ones for the one on a "diet" has chocolate pieces in it!

I don't see the children here to be overweight due to them eating or drinking chocolate milk starting when they are 6mths!

Honestly I believe the reason that Americans are overweight in comparison to the European is more due to the amount of food Americans consume...serving size in the US are huge when you compare it to what Europeans consider normal...many Europeans traveling in the US can easily share what is served to one person in resturants and be full for any meal! I see this every time I visit friends in the State and how much their toddlers, children, teenagers, and even themselves eat is incredible to me! The constant snacking by toddlers and children is not healthy either especially when 90 percent of the time it is full of surgar or fat or additivies....I think this is what Mrs Obama and Jamie Olivier are trying and should be fighting in the US...not only what you are putting in your mouth but how much you are putting into it at one meal or snack!

So please if you are disgusted by this please think that there are many families in the States from Europe who may be thrilled to find some variety in the formula flavors that they can offer to their child....it is probably much better thenthem adding Quik or Ovaltine to their milk or formual as I know many French women who did this while visiting/living in the States since they couldn't find what they would normally feed their child and they improvised but those alternatives are full of sugar!

Culturally chocolate is acceptable to many in Europe to give to their child starting at 4 to 6 mths and it may not be what is culturally acceptable in the US but it doesn't IMO make it disgusting!

Just my 2cents from a American woman whose French mother gave her and 7 siblings chocolate flavored milk every morning since 7/8 mths....and who is now a mom to 3 kids....2 of which were born and lived in the States until the age of 4 and 6 and had very American taste which over the past 4 years living here they have fortunately expanded and to one French born baby who is currently at 16 mths being weaned but who has had his chocolate moments (inculding Chocolate formula) and LOVES them!

You don't like it don't buy it but don't judge someone who does purchase it!

Real chocolate, as in cocoa, is good for you and has many antioxidents. I'm sure your chocolate products in France are not artificially sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (since it's not allowed in Europe I'm pretty sure) or corn syrup solids (which most infant formulas are sweetened with). Most of our chocolate products here are made with artificial ingredients. I'll take some real European chocolate any day!

[plusbellelavie]

According to the list of ingrediants that I have it is made with sugar both formuals I have in front of me are already made and contain 12.5 g of sugar per 240 ml....the list of ingrediants are different for both one is just chocolate and the secod is chocolate biscuit. The first conatin 1.4percent sugar and 0.6 percent chocolat (which is made up of cocoa mass, cocoa butter, and sugar) and the second contains 3.4 percent sugar, 0.4 percetn chocolat, 0.3 percent carmel.

So I don't think that the formulas marketed here in France are any better or worse then the ones in the States...I have found that many of the companys are the same but call their products differently here...ie Nestle is big here for baby products as in Bledina but I haven't seen Similac or Enfamil but many of the statements made on their formulas can be found on the cans here.

And actually corn syrup is here in France in many products...yes a lot of them come from the states but are produce here in Europe for example the box of Oreo cookies I have in the closet have corn syrup in them and are produce in Spain but sold in all over Europe. One of the most popluar brand of chocolate and snack products here in France is Kinder and there products are made in France and contain corn syrup.

Yes "real" chocolate is delicious and fake is not. And yes I prefer real chocolate but products here in France and Europe may be made to the taste of the consumer but they are not always "better" for you then the ones made in the States.

But in Europe they use sugar and honey in many of their baby products to sweeten them and I don't always agree with this but you have to do with what you can or do without it.

I have to admit that as an American when I first came I was horrifed at the amount of chocolates products were marketed for breakfast for the kids and adults but now it just part of our lives and I think it will be a bit of shock for us all when we return to the States to find that it isn't as culturally/socially acceptable even in a country as culturally diverse as the USA!

I just think it is up to parents to decide what they want to give/purchase their children and culturally those things vary and the key to everything is moderation when it comes to the fats and the sugars.

[BabyMine]

Real chocolate, as in cocoa, is good for you and has many antioxidents. I'm sure your chocolate products in France are not artificially sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (since it's not allowed in Europe I'm pretty sure) or corn syrup solids (which most infant formulas are sweetened with). Most of our chocolate products here are made with artificial ingredients. I'll take some real European chocolate any day!

At least it is made from cocoa. I was shocked at first but I can see the advantages.

http://enfamil.com/app/iwp/hcp2/content2.do?dm=enf&id=HCP_Home2/ProductInformation/hcpProducts/hcpToddlers/hcpEnfagrowChocolate&iwpst=B2C&ls=0&csred=1&r=3450066908



Ingredients: Powder: Whole milk,‡ nonfat milk, sugar, cocoa processed with alkali, galactooligosaccharides,§ high oleic sunflower oil, maltodextrin, and less than 2%: tuna fish oil,|| magnesium phosphate, ferrous sulfate, calcium phosphate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate,¶ cupric sulfate, sodium ascorbate, niacinamide, ascorbic acid, soy lecithin, calcium pantothenate, vitamin B6 hydrochloride, thiamin hydrochloride, vitamin D3, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin E acetate, vitamin A palmitate, sodium chloride, natural and artificial flavor.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

HFCS is, IMO, worse than other sweeteners including corn syrup, so if I buy Nutella, I only buy the European one. Americans eat more+exercise less, but the subsidized corn industry with HFCS is many things isn't helping. Europe and the US are very different, so to compare the two isn't fair.

For me the point is these are kids old enough to drink milk, not powder from a can. I do milk with Santa Cruz Organic syrup, or chocolate almond/rice/hemp milk.So I am not anti-chocolate. Plus DD and I eat a piece of dark chocolate most every day.:D

[TwinFoxes]

I am going to go cry now. This is terrible. Are you sure it's not some sort of twisted joke?

It honestly sounds like something from The Onion.

And I'm not going to applaud them because a small % of the kids who get this stuff has a medical issue. The majority of the kids are just getting a jumpstart on their way to type 2 diabetes. I'm sure Nestle is kicking itself that they didn't come up with it first.

[schrocat]

It's actually very common in Asia to have toddlers and preschoolers on formula and chocolate and vanilla flavoured next step types formulas are very common. I don't see these kids having as weight problem as a result.

[TwinFoxes]

But we aren't in Asia/France! Obviously there is a huge obesity epidimic here. To ignore that and say this type of formula is common in other places doesn't make sense to me.

I can drink wine with dinner and know when to stop. I don't then compare myself to an alcoholic.

[kristac]

:bag

For mom's with kids that are failure to thrive, it's a God-send. Want to talk about the embarrassment of having a 6 year old on Pediasure three times a day just so that she doesn't lose weight? At least with a flavored formula drink, La can tell her classmates she's drinking chocolate milk in her thermos.

Could you not pour pediasure into a thermos to disguise it? Is the formula cheaper/ healthier?

[Melaine]

Oh my word. I don't know what to say. I sent Jamie Oliver an email though through the contact form on his site!

[mamicka]

I'm not horrified. It isn't something that I would buy for my young child but I don't think it's that terrible. :shrug: Everything in moderation for me & I can see this having a place in someone's overall healthy diet.

[arivecchi]

I think Plusbellelavie's point is really interesting. It is true that in different cultures, different foods are acceptable and that does not make those choices automatically unhealthy. I agree that it is more important to worry about portion control than consuming x amount of sugars and fats. I lived in France for a year and actually lost weight even though I was eating hot chocolate and toast with honey every morning. The French do eat small portions and a much more balanced diet, so perhaps the emphasis should be on portions and a more balanced diet.

As an aside, I used to have coffee and bread after school as a snack when I was a little girl in my Caribbean home. I am sure people here would be shocked at that and think that coffee is really harmful for kids. Well, lo and behold, I am fine and have a healthy weight for my height. :) It is interesting that people in the US obsess so much about foot/dieting and we are still probably among the heaviest, if not the heavist, country in the world.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds2 drinks Instant B'fast so I am not going to judge the chocolate formula for a toddler. We don't add much powder to it and he only gets about 8oz/ day so I'm going with the "in moderation" attitude on it.

Beth

[Nooknookmom]

I'm not horrified. It isn't something that I would buy for my young child but I don't think it's that terrible. :shrug: Everything in moderation for me & I can see this having a place in someone's overall healthy diet.

I agree about taking things in moderation, my kids eat chocolate/candy/soda/fast food, etc. I just don't think this is something that a new mom will offer as an occasional drink.

It is marketed as a daily formula, KWIM? Once that toddler has a taste of the "good stuff", regular old milk will taste horrible. Just my take though.

[mamicka]

It is interesting that people in the US obsess so much about foot/dieting and we are still probably among the heaviest, if not the heavist, country in the world.

I think this is soooo important to note.

[essnce629]

I agree about taking things in moderation, my kids eat chocolate/candy/soda/fast food, etc. I just don't think this is something that a new mom will offer as an occasional drink.

It is marketed as a daily formula, KWIM? Once that toddler has a taste of the "good stuff", regular old milk will taste horrible. Just my take though.

Yep, I totally agree. No toddler is going to drink regular plain unflavored milk when they've been drinking a sweet chocolate formula every day from 12 months on. It's like how it was on the Food Revolution show-- the elementary school kids had to have milk every day at school and their "choices" were regular, chocolate, and hot pink "strawberry" milk. The chocolate and strawberry milks had more sugar in them than soda, but that was ok since "the calcium was more important than the sugar content." Every day the kids chose the strawberry and chocolate milks and the regular milks just sat there.

"The Next Step to Childhood Diabetes" is what their slogan really should be!

[DrSally]

I
It is marketed as a daily formula, KWIM?.

:yeahthat: This was my thought. With the amount of milk most toddlers in this country drink, That would be a lot of chocolate formula. The neighbor's recycling tipped over and we had 4--1 gallon cartons of milk that blew into our yard. They have 2 adults and 1 toddler (1 infant). We prob go through 1 gallon every 2 weeks since my kids don't drink milk and I really only drink it with cookies, DH uses it with cereal when he's home.

[lalasmama]

Could you not pour pediasure into a thermos to disguise it? Is the formula cheaper/ healthier?

After about an hour out of its original container, the stuff smells putrid. Knocks me over when I find a missing (opened) bottle of it.... I never remember formual smelling that bad that quick! So, I send her to school with a bottle of it, usually, and apparently kids have asked her why she's drinking it. I would give almost anything to have her free of something so obvious!

[arivecchi]

Thought this article would be of interest.

http://www.chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2010/05/chocolate-formula-spurs-childhood-obesity-debate.html

[Melaine]

I found the chocolate formula on the shelves at BRU. Seeing IRL was shocking, I must say. DH and took photos!

[Globetrotter]

DD had pediasure for her "failure to thrive" issues. However, only a small percentage of kids need this for medical reasons.

You can't compare kids in the U.S. to kids in Europe or Asia (though I suspect things are changing there, too, and I know it's happening in India).

Here they don't get enough exercise, we drive them everywhere, budget cuts are eliminating PE in school, and there is way too much TV and computer time. This all leads to a sedentary lifestyle, so our kids cannot afford to drink this stuff. Whereas, in Europe you tend to walk a lot and eat smaller portions so a cup of this isn't going to make a huge difference, perhaps. You can't really say it's okay in the U.S. because it's done overseas. I still don't like the idea (same reason I don't like flavored milk for school lunches - they have as much sugar as soda!).

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

DD had pediasure for her "failure to thrive" issues. However, only a small percentage of kids need this for medical reasons.

You can't compare kids in the U.S. to kids in Europe or Asia (though I suspect things are changing there, too, and I know it's happening in India).

Here they don't get enough exercise, we drive them everywhere, budget cuts are eliminating PE in school, and there is way too much TV and computer time. This all leads to a sedentary lifestyle, so our kids cannot afford to drink this stuff. Whereas, in Europe you tend to walk a lot and eat smaller portions so a cup of this isn't going to make a huge difference, perhaps. You can't really say it's okay in the U.S. because it's done overseas. I still don't like the idea (same reason I don't like flavored milk for school lunches - they have as much sugar as soda!).

So very true. Americans tend to eat larger portion and exercise less. People in other countries think the gym is a joke, since they walk/bike everywhere and cannot imagine driving to the store for groceries. I said in a prior post comparing Europe to the US is not the same....

[Indianamom2]

I'm not horrified. It isn't something that I would buy for my young child but I don't think it's that terrible. :shrug: Everything in moderation for me & I can see this having a place in someone's overall healthy diet.

:yeahthat:

[nov04]

that's what I was thinking too. It's not marketed to infants. It's just like pediasure. I think the issue is that it comes from a formula company.



It sure is marketed towards infant/toddlers, says so right on the tub: 12-36 months.

This is from their website: As your child grows from an infant to a toddler, he's probably becoming pickier about what he eats. Now more than ever, ensuring that he gets complete nutrition can be a challenge. That's why we created new Enfagrow PREMIUM Chocolate with Triple Health Guard™. With more nutrition than milk, Omega-3 DHA, prebiotics, and a great tasting chocolate flavor he'll love, you can help be sure he's getting the nutrition he still needs even after he outgrows infant formula.

It is disgusting, another ploy for these companies to make a buck at the expense of kids health. I'm sure introducing chocolate formula to a baby is definately going to help that picky eater problem ;) To boot, new Mommies may take the word of the company that this IS necessary and recommended and actually use it!!!!!

My youngest was born with severe infant reflux, allergic to milk and soy-she was thisclose to being tube fed due to her inability to ingest ANY milk or soy products. She could not have taken this Nestle Quick, oops, I mean formula due to it containing milk ingredients. This went on for us up until she was 2. I'll bet alot of other kids who have nutrition issues are also MSPI and could not take this for legitimate nutrition issues as well.

I'm apalled.

You've misquoted me. I said it wasn't marketed towards 'infants'. 12-36 months is not an infant.

[schrocat]

So very true. Americans tend to eat larger portion and exercise less. People in other countries think the gym is a joke, since they walk/bike everywhere and cannot imagine driving to the store for groceries. I said in a prior post comparing Europe to the US is not the same....
That's not entirely true. I used to drive to get groceries living in Asia and so do most of my friends back home. I've lived in 2 different countries in Asia and in Australia and people there do not think that the gym is a joke.

I do agree about the larger portions though.

I don't think that chocolate formula for toddlers is a big deal. I drank it as a child and it hasn't had an impact on my weight. However larger portion sizes did. Drinking chocolate milk will not make a child not like regular milk.

For what it's worth, DS (5) loves chocolate milk. He also loves water and drinks regular unflavoured organic whole milk too. He's 38 lbs and 45 inches.... not quite overweight. He also drank some chocolate formula while staying at grandma's. He much prefers the taste of normal organic whole milk to chocolate formula.

[DrSally]

Thought this article would be of interest.

http://www.chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2010/05/chocolate-formula-spurs-childhood-obesity-debate.html

Interesting quotes from the article:

"Chicago pediatrician Rebecca Unger said feeding the Enfagrow chocolate or vanilla formula is similar to adding three teaspoons of sugar to a glass of milk. She said while she couldn't rule out using the formula in certain cases, generally, she thought it was an unnecessary purchase."

"For a healthy child who doesn't have medical problems affecting growth and behavior and development, I don't think it's necessary. Could there be reasons for a child who is a really picky eater who is having other issues to drink it -- maybe?" she said.

[HIU8]

As a mom of a kid who drank strawberry pediasure for 3 years in order to balance out his nutrition (he was/is super picky with food and would loose weight), I can see the benefit to this. However, I would not buy it and feed it to my child unless I had to for health reasons. I certainly would not start my 12 month old on this just because.

[AshleyAnn]

I'm surprised there is a market for this stuff. My pedi is constantly nagging me that formula should be my DD's main food until a year because so many people want to get away from bottles and the cost of formula as thier baby shows interest in 'real' foods. What person in thier right mind would want to keep paying for formula once thier child can have milk unless they needed to?

[maestramommy]

This is a joke, right?? A spoof? Ha ha ha?

[arivecchi]

http://www.chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2010/06/mead-johnson-to-stop-producing-chocolate-flavored-formula.html

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

That's not entirely true. I used to drive to get groceries living in Asia and so do most of my friends back home. I've lived in 2 different countries in Asia and in Australia and people there do not think that the gym is a joke.

I do agree about the larger portions though.

I don't think that chocolate formula for toddlers is a big deal. I drank it as a child and it hasn't had an impact on my weight. However larger portion sizes did. Drinking chocolate milk will not make a child not like regular milk.

For what it's worth, DS (5) loves chocolate milk. He also loves water and drinks regular unflavoured organic whole milk too. He's 38 lbs and 45 inches.... not quite overweight. He also drank some chocolate formula while staying at grandma's. He much prefers the taste of normal organic whole milk to chocolate formula.

I was comparing to parts of Europe. To me, formula and milk do not compare, formula is much more of a processed food. I would give my child choc. milk, but not formula.

[Wondermom]

People who eat in moderation, who teach their children the values of moderation and exercise, are NOT the people who will buy their toddlers chocolate formula.

No, the woman I once interviewed for a news story who was feeding her 2-year-old a dark, cola-colored soda in a baby bottle will be the one who also thinks chocolate formula is yummy, and, therefore, good.

If the formula makers are selling this to only the small percentage of parents with children who need serious nourishment, they'd never make enough money. (I'm saying this as someone who, under our pediatrician's direction, gave DS1 regular (non-flavored) Pediasure to boost his growth well past his first birthday).

No, chocolate formula will be sold to those parents who want to please their children, and, in doing so, regularly abdicate their responsibility as parents. The same the parents who will fall justify their decision by believing the formula maker's claim that this is healthier than milk. The same parents who will believe the cereal makers' claims about the nutritional benefits of sugary cerals. All of which contribute to America's obesity problem.

That's why so many of us are appalled by this insidious ploy by a formula maker to extend its relevance to toddlers.

[Katigre]

http://www.chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2010/06/mead-johnson-to-stop-producing-chocolate-flavored-formula.html
Wow, the comments at the end of the article are just plain sad. I'm glad the product is being pulled though!

[Uno-Mom]

This thread is really interesting. The comments comparing the US to other parts of the world seem very valid.

But I agree that marketing this product to American parents is HORRID! The thing is, these kids aren't being reared in European culture. They are being reared in American culture. So they will be prey to all the cultural influences that contribute to our obesity epidemic. In that context, I see giving chocolate formula to an infant as likely to be part of the unhealthy continuum. (And, yes, of course there are exceptions.)

The cultural context in which the chocolate is offered matters, in my opinion. All our parenting decisions are culturally influenced.

By the way, I'm seriously suprised that there isn't a high-cal drink marketed in "cool" looking cans for children like the little girl mentioned earlier. That stinks! If a kid's embarrassed to be drinking it, I'd be afraid that they might instead hide it or throw it out. I would have. I hope you can find a good solution!