The 7 Worst Summer Foods for Kids

With the kids home from school, it's okay to relax stringent school-year eating rules, right? Not a good plan. "Children tend to be less active in the summer because they have more downtime," says Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, a registered dietitian in Phoenix, AZ, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "There's more mindless eating potential because summer days are less structured and kids have access to the kitchen." Less activity plus more junk food equals weight gain. When little ones are running around outside, they're active under hot conditions. Kids are particularly prone to dehydration in the summer, because their central nervous systems aren't fully de veloped yet, according to Jessica Crandall, RD, CDE, a registered dietitian in Denver, CO, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Read on to discover which eats (and drinks) your darlings should ditch this season.