Processed meat or no meat at all?

Also a mum to an ASD child and his protein comes from chicken nuggets, fish fingers, battered fish fillets, cheese, milk, yoghurt and eggs! We can occasionally get him to eat a bit of roast chicken (work in progress - it s a naked chicken nugget dude!) but he will eat homemade fish fillets and nuggets although I don’t often have time to make them. Again not sure I’d get him to eat pulses but he eats plain couscous so maybe he’s eat lentils, who knows?

We are lucky he eats a good range of fruit and a few veg - he eats so many carrots he can probably see into a black hole let alone in the dark 🤣

Should you not take vitamin b if you do not eat meat?

A lot of vegetarian and vegan foods are just as processed. Natural whether meat or non meat is the safest and healthiest.

In a way was talking exactly about nature & nurture (Asking OP to clarify whether they cant eat as they have textural issues which OP verified is the case, or wont eat because they have tried one way and not liked it or because its never served). And my example was a specific situation where these specific (not all!) British families told me their kids don't eat beans (With exception of baked beans but not bean stews, salads, burgers etc). In any case, you are right, its nature and nurture. Some cant eat them others wont eat them. And am ok with it all (except if someone is asking for advice).

And I am bringing mushrooms to your house. Mushroom starter, mushroom rice, and mushroom creme brulee. No spitting! 😁

Sorry what are you talking about. Beans are an absolute British staple, it is unusual to hear of kids not eating beans. Lentils not so much anymore except in soup or daal. However, the OPs kids just sound picky and I think a covert veggie diet makes sense.

Mushrooms are absolutely vile and are banned in our house - my daughter recently had one and spat it out - made me proud. So think taste is a mix of nature and nurture!

I’d buy them some age appropriate vitamins and just focus on trying to expand their repertoire a bit without stressing too much about content. I saw you said they don’t like home made chicken nuggets. Annabel Karmel had a recipe in one of her baby food books for chicken and apple balls where you blitz the chicken in the food processor so its really smooth texture. I used to serve them to the whole family. Kids loved them. Not processed at all, just very appealing.

Hi, I’m pretty sure fresh sausages aren’t included in the processed meat being dangerous research. There was a kick off at the time by the British meat industry that it meant salami and similar but in the uk where we think of sausages differently the wording was confusing.

Cancer research uk doesn’t include them in their definition of processed meat. Below is copied from their website:

What are ‘red’ and ‘processed’ meats?

First, let’s clear up some definitions.
‘Processed’ meat is meat that’s not sold fresh, but instead has been cured, salted, smoked, or otherwise preserved in some way. This includes things like bacon, sandwich ham, corned beef, and some sausages, such as hot dogs, salami and pepperoni. Processed meat does not include mince, homemade burgers, or sausages which you find at your local butchers or supermarket.

Hope the kids enjoy their sausages!

They don't have to eat meat at all. I've raised mine vegetarian because I am, although they do eat meat outside of the house.

It's definitely easy enough to give them enough protein with dairy products, eggs, nuts, pulses (if they'll eat them) etc. The only concern might be iron- eggs have got lots in in they'll eat them though.

The only tricky one is a vegan diet- that's when you have to be careful.

Personally I think what you don't eat is as important for health as what you do, so I'd be looking at every alternative protein source before resorting to processed meats. Nuts/nut butter, Greek yoghurt, cheese, milk, eggs in various ways etc.

I'd say no meat, rather than processed meat. Alternative protein sources required though.

I’d be inclined to remove all nitrate/nitrite containing processed meats altogether.

We have a friend who’s a colorectal surgeon and they are the one food he will not allow his children to have.

Absolutely this! I’m not convinced you have much control over how good of an eater your child will be - other than offering them stuff.

DS (7) now regularly asks to try thing from my plate now so we are getting him more adventurous that way, while he eats his meal of plain spaghetti, raw carrots and cut up sausages 🤦‍♀️

All meat is processed.
It is the ultra processed that is supposedly the issue.
Get your meat from a decent butcher and avoid all the pre packed meats with water, sugar and god know what additives in them.

Not at all! My DS wouldn’t touch a spag bol. His dinners always consist of a serving of protein, carbs and veg. But I am very limited in options for all three. He won’t eat anything like a curry, or a stew, or pasta with sauce on it even (yet he will eat it plain?!)

I have tried, but it’s not even that he is being fussy - he will actively gag and get upset when I have tried to get him to try something new and that’s not something I want to put him through!

Totally. The solidarity is real. And people who think that you are a poor parent who hasn't tried when this happens are not worth listening too.

My eldest was baby led weaned and I was the smuggest of the smug when she chowed down on sauerkraut at one, and I lightly said 'it's all about giving them a range of food and putting them in charge' to anyone pretending to be interested at the time. Hahaha. How I laugh now.

Mother of two autistic children here with the scars and medals to prove it.

One was referred to a dietician and discharged a year later on the basis that their diet was a lot better than many on the books - that was a wake up call as in our eyes it was appalling, but the dietician said she had one child who lived on ketchup. Not that we want our kids to struggle that much but ultimately, as someone above has said, fed is best and it sounds like your kids are getting some decent protein and nutrients at least.

One of my kids currently eats virtually nothing but pasta, plain bolognese sauce and some chicken. So a decent amount of protein of course but no fibre at all. My other is the traditionally pickier and is living off ready-made cheeseburgers (supermarket burgers with a slice of plastic cheese in the middle), tomato soup and bread, and prawns (random - high protein at least). Both will cheerily eat all manner of sugary things too but for actual main meals we're on this. We've had long periods where the only thing one would eat were various processed meat products night after night. It's a luxury in a way for their eating to be so poor that I've stopped worrying day to day. I have another child who eats basically what we eat so I do know it's out of my control to an extent. We just try to apply zero pressure to avoid things becoming a battle ground and take every opportunity we can to offer new things in a good way. Occasionally it works.

They don't need to eat meat but they do need protein as others have said.
If its the texture of a solid piece of meat, what about more homemade food using quality mince - bolognese, lasagna, meat loaf. What about homemade fishcakes rather than a piece of fish. Or recipes based on lentils or cheese.

I did not ask her to force mushrooms or lentils on her kids. I asked her to clarify why they didn't eat legumes (in essence, whether cultural or sensory) and gave her an option I know worked in a situation where it was more cultural or because its kids being kids. She understood me and replied nicely. I certainly have benefitted from other mums telling me what they tried. Sometimes its worked, other times it hasnt. Am just grateful for their suggestions

There’s an app Tgats tells you the best upf option so if you type in meatballs it will tell you the best one. It’s hard to get a decent level of protien without meat so I would give processed meat a couple times a week.

There’s a brand called Naked which produces bacon (and sausages, I think) without the use of nitrates or nitrites, which are the elements of processing that cause most concern. Bit pricier than standard fayre but maybe once or twice each week would be a good compromise?

Processed meat is a level 1 carcinogen according to the WHO. I don’t feed it to my children at all.

You could also try tenderising the meat, giving it good whack with a rolling pin or mallet. Chicken mince might work too.

But, mostly in your situation I’d say fed is best. Ignore the whole UPF hype. It completely disregards the fact that for some people it is impossible to avoid it. If you need to supplement with a vitamin, just do that.

Ahh yes, it must just be that you are a wonderful chef. Pat on the head for you!

I have a textural issue with most lentils and pulses. Also with mushrooms. I guarantee I couldn’t force down your amazing rage without gagging or choking.