... would you let your fussy 3-year-old eat ...

[swings]

Dd's 3, a skinny minnie, incredibly fussy and limited in her tastes. But I've been tough with her and not given in to giving her junk. She eats regularly (and this is literally IT): broccolli, carrots, mushrooms, wholemeal toast and butter, crumpets and butter, Mexican beanburgers (Tesco - no other make will do ... sigh ...), potato waffles, a tiny amount of cheese, pasta in tomatoey sauces, apples, oranges, kiwi, banana, ice cream, chocolate muffins. And she drinks a couple of cups of milk a day.

So, fine on the fruit and veg. BUT protein intake, apart from milk and the Mexican beanburger beans that don't come out whole the other end, is zero. WE've tried everything including disguising meat / fish in every way possible. No go.

... until dp gave her a slice of salami and she became addicted. For a tiny eater she'll down 3 adult sized slices in a space of minutes. It's like seeing her transforming into a werewolf or something I am so unused to her really tucking into her food. As a vegetarian (who's keen not to push her into that choice unless she wants to later on, plus with a meat-eating partner) I always thought that that kind of processed meat was as bad as it got. Is that right? Should I keep giving it to her because it's at least meat? Or should I stick with my mostly healthy guns as I have done so far?

[Distracted]

I'm sure other people are wiser on this one, but I don't think salami is necessarily too unhealthy? It's fatty, so not great from that point of view, but I'm sure that's not an issue for your dd (I avoid eating it too much, because I'm always watching my weight). I'm sure if you chose the right type, it wouldn't be too processed and there are all sorts of salami type meats (I like chorizo).

[Lonelymum]

Does she like it because it is salty I wonder? I hate to say it, but I have noticed with my children that if I accidently over salt a meal (and I don't use much salt usually) then they eat that meal far more readily than otherwise. I am not advocating a salty diet, but maybe as a way to get her regularly eating some more foods?

[misdee]

my kids like those pepparami sticks. i dont let them have them that often as they are very salty, but i think that once in a while its ok. the 3 adult slices are quite thin arent they? you can get it sliced very thinly at meat counters at tescos.

[franke]

I suppose the thing to watch out for is the salt content, but if she's not getting much salt in her other food it probably isn't an issue. Like all foods there are good and bad salamis. Maybe seek out some made from organic or free-range meat and see if she'll eat that. Perhaps if she's happy to eat salami, she'll also go for the odd sausage too!

[swings]

I'm not too bothered by the salt content as she doesn't eat crisps and has no other added salt in her diet.

LM, hello , actually we discovered that she'll eat a bigger plate of pasta if it's got pepper on it rather than salt.

I think she likes salty, garlicky foods. I forgot one thing on her list which is garlic bread. I've tried making some curry-type foods but she won't touch them. I'll look out for some healthier types of spicy meat then ... I think I thought it was the MacDonalds of cold meats?

[Nightynight]

my children did eat salami at this age. I wasnt wildly happy about it, and I did limit the amount they had. They also reacted to it like werewolves. cant stand it myself, full of chemicals yuk!
I dont think small amounts will do them any harm though.

[Nightynight]

have you tried her with garlic sausage? you can get a good quality one at Sainsburys I think, it is very nice actually.

[swings]

That's what I thought Nightynight. Is the garlic sausage better then?

[Lonelymum]

Gosh swings your name threw me a moment despite your email. Hello!

[swings]

Hello! How are you?

[Lonelymum]

If she will eat garlicky things, try her on Tesco's brussels pate with garlic - it is very garlicky and my children love it. It would be something else to put on toast and would be another bit of protein.

[swings]

Alas, LM, I will try it but I fear an instant failure because so far she won't eat anything on toast except the thinnest spread of butter. She won't even eat 'treats' like chocolate spread. no jam, no marmite, nothing. Zilch. She's incredibly fussy. I've truly been watching her tucking the salami away, agog, it's a first.

[swings]

I'm off for a quick novel-reading session now while my salami-lover sleeps.

But if anyone else has garlicky food suggestions which aren't processed and full of junk, I'll receive them very gratefully.

[Nightynight]

well, I admit I am going on the taste - the french garlic sausage tastes better than salami!

[Lonelymum]

Gosh aren't pre-schoolers irritating at times? No more ideas ofr you but jsut to let you know, they do get better if you persist. Ds2 was the fussiest of eaters for such a long long time, bt now is beginning to eat almost as much (and nearly as much variety) as ds1. No fruit still except for occasional bananas and apple sauce with pork (under protest) but loads more vegetables. This week, he ate ratatouille and my recipe for Hungarian red cabbage, and ds1 has persuaded him to drink a tiny amount of pineapple juice mixed with water. Years ago, he would have refused to touch anything on his plate - even the foods he liked - if there was anything he didn't like there too. He is 8 next month BTW so don't expect huge results too soon, but just to let you know, we are getting there.

Now to work on dd and ds3!

[Tortington]

i wouldn't let my 3 year old be fussy which would kinda negate the whole conversation

[tealady]

How about some nice garlicky houmous?

[swings]

Umm, custardo, I'd be interested to hear how you stop a 3-year-old from being fussy?

LM, that's encouraging to hear. I'm not massively bothered as her diet's generally so good but just limited.

Humous a no-no due to texture. Sigh ...

[swings]

anybody else with garlicky suggestions?

[swings]

chorizo - what is that? Sorry, I was brought up vegetarian (Jewish) so am useless on meat. Dp would know but he's snoring.

[janeybops]

my dd is fussy too.
she loves pesto on her pasta and garlic bread - not meat I know but she does love them. how about chicken kiev?

[hatstand]

dd2 adores chirizo. She'll ask for it for pudding! I very much take the view that there are no bad foods only bad diets, so if the rest of your dd's diet is good (and it sounds like it is) I personally wouldn't worry. On the basis of very little research I have a hunch that good quality cured meats - like a decent chirizo - will be lower on additives than some of the cheaper ones. Also - if she likes salami have you tired her on slices of cold sausage - again I don;t think you need worry about decent quality ones when it comes to additives etc.

[hatstand]

just realised that my last sentence is totally ambiguous - I meant that I think decent quality ones will have lower additives/less junk