How many times a week do you/your DC eat red meat?

[Embelline]

I've been thinking about this recently and just saw another thread which sparked the question. I've been worrying that DS (3) eats too much red meat as he doesn't love poultry, only likes salmon or cod but the cod is only in fishfinger format, and everything else he loves is either red med or cheese!
At the moment there are a lot of BBQs so he's eating a lot of burgers, kebabs (not loads each time, but we're going to more BBQs IYSWIM). His favourite dinner is spaghetti Bol or cottage pie or bangers and mash. He won't eat lentils instead to either pad it out or replace the red meat.

I was thinking about it and realising he has red meat at least twice every week, sometimes more which seems a lot to me, so I'm considering trying to make it once maximum and exploring more veggie options but don't know if I'm being OTT.

My fears are based on the way red meat is classed, the recent murmurs about the increase in bowel cancer in young people and how red meat has always been stated as a factor in bowel cancer.

The other side is he's got low iron so I was told my the doctors red meat is good as it's iron rich!

Do you eat it often in your household? Does it worry you? Not fear mongering, I know there are MANY factors in cancer for example and many things are 'bad' for us, but my thoughts have been around this for a while.

I don't think there's any evidence that lran red meat is unhealthy. Its fatty or processed meats that are the problem.

I'd rather eat a lean steak or mince that processed vegan fake chemical stuff.

Lean not Iran!

Myself every day if I can.

DC only maybe once a week as they don’t like it.

Nothing wrong with daily red meat, the key is to make sure it is mostly good meat and not ultra-processed stuff. For example steak or a beef brisket is great.

Highly processed grains such as white bread and sugar are far more unhealthy and lead to metabolic syndrome, as are trans fats & seed oils.

Our family dinners only include red meat one time per week on average. A family dinner is usually eaten by everyone once as a leftover lunch. I usually have frozen meatballs in the fridge that I made with minced lamb or beef plus beans, and I will defrost them 1 or 2 times per week to add them to my DC’s meals because I prefer to make sure he’s getting that iron and protein when we’re eating vegetarian meals or meals with fish or chicken that he may not want to try.

Vegetarian so never; however DH is “bad vegetarian” which means he’ll have meat as a treat when out, eg steak a couple of times a year. DS is not vegetarian so will have meat at school, when out etc but eats veggie happily at home. So probably once or twice a week for him at most.

Pescatarian household here so never.

Once or twice a week, probably less in summer.

Don't forget your son is only 3, his tastes are not yet set in stone. Keep offering him a wide variety of foods, those he currently likes and doesn't like and he will be fine.

I never eat red meat find the taste and texture revolting. Have just cooked chicken mince for our dog…had a few teeth removed on Wednesday. I tasted the chicken mince and it was disgusting! Tasted like kidney 🤢

Daily. I worry about other things.

Never as we're both veggie.

I stopped buying red meat about 2.5 years ago as DP doesn’t eat it. I use chicken or turkey mince and buy turkey burgers and meatballs. I’ve probably eaten red meat maybe 3 or 4 times when out and about but can’t imagine buying it again. To add, I only ever bought beef, I don’t like lamb

No idea as he has school dinners but I personally serve up red meat about three or four times a week id say.

We have red meat once - twice per week - it's a very good source of iron and which is a common deficiency in kids especially slightly fussy ones like mine are at times!

We used to have 2 dinners based on red meat every week and sometimes the leftovers for lunch.
Like others, I found mince really versatile and used it in lots of recipes.

Since DH was diagnosed with bowel cancer we have stopped consuming beef. DH will have lamb once a week only but the children will eat it more frequently as I think they need the nutrients from it.

Personally I am more concerned about processed meat and don’t think all red meats are equally bad i.e. lamb isn’t as bad as beef.

Several.

Maximum 3 times a week…. DS would eat steak every day if I let him…

Once or twice at most, because of the cost mainly.
I also love vegetarian food so eat much more of that.

Probably 3 times a week, history of anaemia for me and family members so I like DD to eat it to make sure she has decent iron stores. Better bioavailability from beef.

4 + times a week. We're intolerant to chicken, soya, quorn, eggs and bloody everything here 😭

Never. (Vegan. And thriving. Watch Cowspiracy then Gamechangers. You'll never touch meaty poison again, if you know what's good for you.)

Mine are grown up, but 2-4 times a week.for their evening meal.

Bacon sarnies for breakfast at weekends. Sometimes ham.sarnies/left over red meat for lunch boxes.

That works out at about 6-8 times.

They also have eggs, fish, chicken regularly.

I have six beautifully marbled sirloin steaks for tomorrow. Really looking forward: DH/me, DS/Dil (tbf she may opt for a salmon steak), dd and bf.

Probably 2-3 times a month normally. A bit less at the minute because money has been tighter. I don’t like lamb and I’m not fussed by pork so it’s just the occasional steak or mince for me. I don’t eat huge amounts of meat for both environmental and financial reasons but I do find the odd steak to be good for stopping my iron levels dropping too much.

Once or twice a week, chicken maybe twice and fish three times!

Never. I don't eat any meat, DH only eats fish. I have an extremely crap diet, and use a lot of processed fake meats. I don't abstain from eating animals for health reasons though.