Would you be deeply concerned if...

[lookforthespace]

You knew someone who only fed their DC ready meals? As in just popped it in the microwave and done, every day? For dinner.

With toast and a sandwich for lunch every day unless going out to eat

Wondering if this is a red flag type of thing really

Deeply concerned….?

Really??

Stop twitching the curtains…

I'd be worried more about the long term implications and habits created about this type of eating, such as weight issues, etc

@readingismycardio

I'd be worried more about the long term implications and habits created about this type of eating, such as weight issues, etc

Depends on the ready meal surely. You can get plenty of ready meals at 350 or so kcal. If we are worried the kid will be too skinny, maybe kick it up a notch and make it mac and cheese at about 700 kcal.

Not deeply concerned. I might worry that there was too much salt, sugar and fat and suggest, or buy for them, some of the healthier alternatives. A single mum friend of mine basically raised her DC on beans on toast most nights. They survived.

Any thoughts @lookforthespace?

I used to be great at home cooking and even had to deal with DS1's multiple food allergies as an infant, but his ASD means that consistency of texture and predictability is important to him.
He can't cope with umpteen textures mixed together on his plate, ideally he wants to eat one type of food at a time. Give him a casserole of all the textures and flavours mixed together and he shuts down in overwhelm after 3 bites. Then I have a hangry child with no emotional regulation to deal with.
So I use a lot more processed foods than I once did because any food in the child is nutritionally better than the superior food abandoned on their plate.

It's not ideal, very processed foods will deliver essential macros but are not equal on micro nutrients, but it does meet a child's need to eat and put fuel in their body.

Oh how I'd love to stick a healthy meal in the slow cooker and get back from the evening sports/ Scouting and serve up, but when they won't touch it, there's no point.

Do you know why they are using ready meals so regularly?

To know that they use them so much must mean that you know these people really well.
What other ‘red flags’ have you noticed?

Tbh unless it’s you that is being force fed ready meals each day it isn’t really any of your business.

It's not the best nutritionally but you would be surprised at how many people just cannot cook.

The child is fed at the end of the day. And like PPs have said it's better than takeaways, nuggets and chips every day.

Certainly not a "red flag"

I’d think it’s lazy parenting (and an expensive, boring way to eat), but not a red flag, no.

A microwave meal is much better than chips and nuggets every night

@FrancescaContini

I’d think it’s lazy parenting (and an expensive, boring way to eat), but not a red flag, no.

It might look like that but sometimes there are things going on that you may not be aware of. Maybe the parent cannot cook or has huge anxiety about cooking or the child has food fads or the parent is overwhelmed in some way. What looks like laziness to some of us can be someone else's best effort,

If you can, try to encourage the person to cook a few vegetables to go with it, to create more if a meal IYSWIM. Plenty of microwave veg bags available.

From there maybe they could then be encouraged to do other basic things, like cook eggs etc.

No, it may be that they have faddy eaters so it's an easier way to manage several different meals when they won't all eat the same meal. Nothing wrong with toast, maybe suggest they have beans or egg with it.

@PermanentLockdown

A microwave meal is much better than chips and nuggets every night

Looking at salt, fat, saturated fat and sugar, something like a ready meal shepherds pie is much worse nutritionally than nuggets and chips.

No. I grew up on microwave meals bc both parents worked f/t & I was veggie.

Many of them tasted awful & I won't go near them now as an adult as a result. I was fed & I'm fine.

This was the 80s so no doubt ready meals have improved.

No. I know kids raised like this and they seem fine.

I mean, in an ideal world they’d be exposed to more variety, learn to cook from scratch by it being part of their normal experience, thereby setting them up better for their adulthood and healthy eating.

But it’s a packed lunch and a hot dinner, isn’t it. I’m sure there’s fruit and they likely have microwave veg too (fresh or frozen) or salad so it’s not a red flag.

They’re being fed. It’s not a red flag for me.
I was raised on a combination of microwave meals and beige food, my mum didn’t cook and my dad didn’t live with us.
I’m still alive.

Love when OP just doesn't come back!

My mums cousins ate nothing but jam and sugar sandwiches as kids!

They (all 6 of them) are now aged between 60-80 no major health issues ever and the mum died a couple of years ago at 96! Makes you wonder .....

No sign of the op yet

My friend can’t cook… I have no idea what her justification is. She gets in from work at 5 O’clock and is able to follow a recipe but just doesn’t. She’s classified herself as “unable” to cook and that’s that!!

@BogRollBOGOF

I used to be great at home cooking and even had to deal with DS1's multiple food allergies as an infant, but his ASD means that consistency of texture and predictability is important to him. He can't cope with umpteen textures mixed together on his plate, ideally he wants to eat one type of food at a time. Give him a casserole of all the textures and flavours mixed together and he shuts down in overwhelm after 3 bites. Then I have a hangry child with no emotional regulation to deal with. So I use a lot more processed foods than I once did because any food in the child is nutritionally better than the superior food abandoned on their plate.

It's not ideal, very processed foods will deliver essential macros but are not equal on micro nutrients, but it does meet a child's need to eat and put fuel in their body.

Oh how I'd love to stick a healthy meal in the slow cooker and get back from the evening sports/ Scouting and serve up, but when they won't touch it, there's no point.

This resonates with me! At the weekend, I was out all day volunteering at an event on Saturday so DS has a pepperoni pizza from Tesco for tea and polished off the whole thing. On Sunday I was less busy so I made a lamb stew from scratch with loads of veggies; DS dipped some bread in the gravy and wouldn’t touch the rest.

His ASD makes him super picky but his ADHD also makes him underweight and so we just need to get calories into him whatever. I wish his diet was better and pre-DS me would have judged like hell.