to think this proves my point?

[WhatTheWhat]

With baby just starting proper food, I read somewhere that peanut butter in small quantities is a good first food.
So I bought some SunPat.
When I checked the label, I saw it contains hydrogenated vegetable fat - ie a transfat - which is super dooper unhealthy.
I wrote to SunPat (Premier Foods) ask why and to say please remove this from something you market to kids.
Their response was (paraphrased) "The Food Standards Agency has not required us to remove trans fats, so we haven't. But since consumers increasingly don't like them, we're slowly taking them out of our products".
Which to my mind means - yes you're completely right, this is bad and we're starting to do something about it.
Anyway - Mum alert - SunPat contains trans fats!!!
Wiki on trans fats

[DiscoSquish]

I thought you shouldn't expose young children to peanuts because of allergys?

[rubyslippers]

Peanut butter should be avoided i thought?

DD is 11 months and won't be giving it to her until she is one

[diddl]

Peanut butter would never have occurred to me as a first food, and if it was recommended, I would assume it was the manufacturers recommending it!

[thisisyesterday]

peanuts are fine as long as no history of allergies

[WhatTheWhat]

NHS current advice:

Avoid giving your child peanuts and foods containing peanuts (including peanut butter, peanut (groundnut) oil and some snacks) before the age of six months. Don't give whole peanuts or nuts to children under five years old because they could choke on them.

[Lougle]

No, DiscoSquish, it ia because of choking hazard, which is eliminated by the making of PB. Unless there is a family history of allergy, of course.

[sethstarkaddersmum]

I thought peanut butter just had peanuts in it

[invisibleink]

Third the avoidance of peanut butter. Do you know where you read it? I would be interested to read it - I may need to update my guidelines if they can now have it!

[invisibleink]

Ah! xposts.

[Giddyup]

peanut butter is not recommended until at least 1 yr I thought? unless its another thing that has changed since DS was a baby in the dark ages. Most are full of sugar and salt anyway, but there is a really nice one with no added salt or sugar or other crap in. I can't remember the name but its got a green lid and is in most supermarkets (not much help there sorry)

[WhatTheWhat]

@Seth - ditto hence being so surprised it had additives!
Once I started looking, it's surprising how few brands are just peanuts. Meridian was pretty much the only one I found and it's not that easy to buy!
Even 'Whole Earth Organic' had palm oil in. Although they say it's from a sustainable source.

[Giddyup]

x posts

[Tee2072]

I think you need some sort of oil, otherwise its just Peanut Dust!

I do think Whole Earth Organic is the best. Its what I eat.

Haven't given it to my son yet. He's 14 months though, so I guess I could...

[diddl]

Would it not be hard for a young one to swallow?

[Giddyup]

Whole earth, was the one I meant, off topic but I made cashew nut butter once... it was extremely delicious

[WhatTheWhat]

I was told at the start of pg not to go near peanuts as it could cause allergies and then, with 4 weeks to go, told I should eat some because avoiding them in pg can cause allergies!

[thisisyesterday]

mine all love it.
ds2 and ds3 have it loads because we are vegetarian and they are both intolerant to dairy/egg too, so it's a good easy form of protein

we eat whole earth, or meridian normally.
i don't think it's that hard to make your own though?

[WhatTheWhat]

@diddl - you're supposed to spread it really, really thin at first. But it's apparently fab for energy and lots of vitamins, if the peanuts have been ground with their skins on.
You do need to keep the spreading thin, otherwise there's a slight risk it could ball up whilst being 'gummed' and cause a choking risk. Same with white bread apparently.
God - this weaning business is terrifying!

[thatsnotmymonkey]

My DS had it from around 7months on rice cakes or dipped on the end of cucumber stick. He loves it, it is full of good calories and is filling. It is my go to snack!

The peanut thing is a bit OTT, as long as there is no allergies in the family I think you are safe.

My DS also has whole olives with stones in them! He can chew around them and spits out the stone. He is 22 months. I know mothers of 3,4 year olds who have issues with this. What is wrong with a bit of supervised eating of tricky foods?

[kveta]

DS has been having peanut butter sandwiches occasionally since he was about 7 months, and seems to like it. No harm as an occasional 'oh shit we've run out of avocado' luncheon. you can make your own peanut butter if you want though see here, it's not difficult.

[WhatTheWhat]

Anyway, weaning fun aside, I still think that they should not be allowed to market products containing trans fats to children. Why isn't the Food Standards Agency making this a rule?
(Wonder how many kids' products do still contain hydrogenated this and that?)

[thatsnotmymonkey]

kveta- I hate thinking "shit we've run out of avocado", but I will tell you what's worse "oh fuck, no hummus"

[resistanceisfutile]

I gave my DD peanut butter before 1 - it's fine if no history of allergies. But then I also ate peanuts when pregnant. We get the whole earth one too.

[BonniePrinceBilly]

I'm pretty sure most of us were steeped in hydrogenated fats as children, and most of us are still alive.
Every shop could be filled only with organic free trade free range hand knitted lentils and some people would still whinge about it.

[massivemammaries]

@ WhattheWhat .... All hail .... YANBU, this clearly proves your point, you are right and they are clearly wrong.

Now, what are you expecting? a medal? honorary degree from Cambridge? Free PNB 4 Life?

If not, then what exactly is your point?

Or do you just want everyone to say you are right and they are wrong? They have already admitted that their product contains trans-fats but its' not against the law and they will do something about it over the course of product development.

What do you expect them to do? remove a legal and commercially viable product from the shelves at astronomical cost to their business, just because you have proved your point?? I think not.

You need to get out a bit more m'dear