Ham sandwiches & kids

[Thrupo]

My DS has ASD and his diet is pretty limited, not as limited as some but quite hard work all the same. The only lunch he will eat is rolls/sandwiches and the only filling he will eat is ham, which I really don't like him having every day due to the fact processed meat is a carcinogen. He likes chicken so I've tried him with a chicken sandwich but no good. Cheese he won't eat.

DH says plain buttered rolls or bread would be better than ham but then I worry he doesn't get enough protein (won't drink milk, will eat a yoghurt here and there though).

Any bright ideas? How much processed meat do your kids have? I'm not a huge meat eater myself but probably have bacon or chorizo once a week, sometimes twice (which DS himself won't eat, he only eats ham).

I thought about trying veggie ham but I don't think he would eat it. And obviously it is also highly processed.

@Aria999 tried and failed with that one lol.

Ham has an increased risk, it doesn't mean it will definitely cause cancer.

Just give him the ham sandwiches. It might not last forever anyway.

It’s the nitrites that are linked to bowel cancer. M&S and Naked Brand do nitrite free ham

My DS are so many ham sandwiches for lunch at school and still loves ham.

Ham, fruit and veg sounds like a balanced lunch. And for him to eat two rolls is good going.

Would he eat cold chicken on the side with bread? Maybe dairylea?

You can only do what you can do and he needs protein.

Have you tried him with something like hummus, cheese spread or peanut butter?

Yes.

OP to me it sounds like he is actually getting adequate/good nutrition, he even eats some fruit and veggie which is great for kids with restricted diets!! I wouldn't worry about the ham at all, I would just try to find a nitrite free version or make your own as others suggest. I would keep offering other foods all the time but I really think he's getting all he needs with the options you've described. My dr told me kids don't really need variety, a lot of veggies and fruits have very comparable nutrients so if they only like a few kinds it's ok. You are doing great.

I have ARFID that appears to get worse with age…

my diet is shocking. I don’t even like my diet, but it’s that or I don’t eat at all.

Let him eat what he can eat. Don’t make food a battleground

My autistic children eat ham everyday in their lunch. As long as they eat I’m happy. At some point they’ll move on to something else, maybe.

I love the ‘have you tried…’ on this thread. Yes, we all have.