Oxo cubes and children

[storminabuttercup]

until now I haven't used them for ds, he is one now and I'm wondering if I'm ok to use them for us all? I don't add salt to what I'm cooking anyway so any salt he has is in things like bread, cheese, ham etc...

[Flisspaps]

I use them sparingly, where I used to use one I might use half. You can get baby stock cubes but they're fairly expensive.

[DilysPrice]

Best practice is to use no/low salt stockcubes until they're 5, on the grounds that the "unavoidable" salt in bread, ham and cheese is so high that it's best to cut it out anywhere else you can. I personally find baked beans (the reduced salt type but still) and ready made pasta sauces so handy when I'm in a hurry that I'm always aware that I can never afford to add salt anywhere else when I'm cooking from scratch.

Kallo do a pretty good salt-free range.

[storminabuttercup]

Thanks! I will look out for the kallo ones, I have been using heinz baby ones but they are very expensive and I've only ever found the veg and chicken ones.

[Graciescotland]

Marigold vegan vegetable boullion is also low in salt. It'll be in the "free from" bit in the supermarket. It's in a tub rather than cubes but we use it the same way.

[bacon]

I wouldnt over stress yourself over this as the portion wont be much and if your cooking from scratch and feeding the little ones a good healthy diet then in my eyes thats fine.

With DS2 I stopped worrying and even fed him spag bol with wine in it as the portion was so tiny why be too OTT.

We dont have crisps and crappy ready meals here so that outweighs the risks. The way I see it the damage seems to be done after 5 when a diet of sauasages and crisps is killing our children.

[storminabuttercup]

See thats kind of my thinking bacon, I'm just so paranoid, been struggling to find these low salt ones and you may as well use water as the Heinz Cook at home ones.

[goingmadinthecountry]

My view's the same as Bacon's. I never add straight salt to stuff but have never avoided stock cubes or wine in moderation. In a casserole or similar it's in there for hours. I think children / parents need a more relaxed attitude sometimes. It's the nuggets and fruit shoot brigade that are really being targeted with all this no fun scare mongering. Mine are 17, 15, 14 and 7 now and all seem pretty regular, healthy kids.

[Scootergrrrl]

DS, who is 17 months, ate an Oxo cube yesterday. Silver paper and all. I managed to get most of it out of his mouth but I'm looking out for an interesting sparkly nappy soon

[strawberryblondebint]

Buy marigold low salt wegetable bouillon. Irs in a purple tub with an orange lid. Makes delicious stock and yummy soups. Honestly it changed my life! Apparently my soup is better then mils now.
You only need a tiny amount to make things taste yummy

[strawberryblondebint]

Buy marigold low salt wegetable bouillon. Irs in a purple tub with an orange lid. Makes delicious stock and yummy soups. Honestly it changed my life! Apparently my soup is better then mils now.
You only need a tiny amount to make things taste yummy

[Xiaoxiong]

Another vote for marigold bouillon powder.

[IHeartKingThistle]

I used to use Oxo cubes all the time. I mostly cook from scratch with very little salt so I don't really worry too much about the salt thing. I stopped using Oxo cubes when I realised they had MSG in though, and switched to Kallo.

This Marigold powder sounds interesting though, especially as I read it as 'magical bouillon powder'

[bananamam]

I cook with them. Kids are 2 and 4. I add no other salt to their food. I also always add wine to spag Bol etc. Adding wine to food is a flavour issue and nothing else as alcohol cooks off so is not a factor in the meal if you follow

[squishysquashy]

I disagree with the 'we cook fresh food and don't add salt or give junk so it's fine' view. Adding stock cubes is adding salt. If your kids eat cereal, bread, cheese regularly and have a homemade meal including a stock cube that's probably more salt than they should have. Having said that I am certainly not hung up on salt for DD, she has a mature cheddar addiction!
I just think stock cubes are avoidable.

It is a myth that alcohol burns off, not to any significant degree even after hours of cooking. I put red wine in bolognaise anyway... loads

God I hate sounding like a know it all

[bananamam]

From what i know there is 5% alcohols left after 2.5 hours cooking. I cook most things in my slow cooker so imagine this is reduced even more. Never had a tipsy kid yet

Yes stock is adding salt but many people add salt on top of it. But meh my kids eat healthily. I make my own bread and add less salt to it than I should

[storminabuttercup]

I think I will add the odd cube where needed and stop worrying tbh, I made something for us all the other day with one if those cook at home ones and it was very bland, compared to normal, however if something has lots of herbs or other flavourings then it doesn't need them IYSWIM, it's all about moderation I guess, I will add the odd splash of wine too if needs be, mighnt make ds sleep better (kidding honestly)