Question about Ham, Bacon, Chicken slices etc.

[mumat39]

Hello

I hope this finds you all well.

I'm just wondering about things like ham, bacon, chicken slices etc and whether they are okay to give to young kids everyday. My DC are 4yrs9months and 2yrs8months old and I don't know if these are suitable snacks for everyday?

I'm looking for things they could have just as a snack but I know they are often quite salty.

Also, DD is allergic to Eggs, Wheat, Tree Nuts, Sesame, Rapeseed Oil and all Legumes, so not sure whether things like smoked ham are ok. I have seen some packs with a wheat/gluten warning.

Also, is it possible to buy any that havent had soduim nitrite/nitrate added as I think they're not so good, or am I wrong about that?

Having things like this as an option would make it easier to get out and about for the day as at the moment we're very much restricted by meal times.

Sorry if this is a daft question, but I honestly don't know.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Sorry, I forgot to add Ginger to the list of allergies that DD has.

I don't think they are the healthiest things in the world, but perhaps this is okay if it helps you to get out and about a bit more.

I know that my DS's diet is often pretty rubbish in terms of salt and other additives, but we would never leave the house if we didn't make some compromises occasionally. When we go out, he exists mostly on cold sausages, flapjack, plain hula hoops and tinned fruit - I haven't yet found a quick and healthy option. I keep unhealthy junk things for emergency packed lunches permanently stashed in the kitchen, and try to balance it out with what he eats at home.

I don't know about sodium nitrate, but suspect that buying from a pricey butchers shop rather than from the supermarket would be the way forward with that.

Has your DD tried the ham and chicken already? My DS won't touch pre-packaged ham in any form, no matter how well it is hidden. I met an adult with the same allergies who said he wouldn't eat ham either because it made his mouth tingle in a weird way - he didn't know why though. DS won't eat chicken at all, but I don't think this is because of nitrates - he sometimes gets a rash from touching it (does chicken occasionally contain undeclared traces of egg, I wonder?)

Tinned tuna can be useful for packed lunches, if your DD is okay with that?

I know how tricky this can be! I have wondered about the same but just try to watch the salt content. Also I try to limit each to once a week, but it is difficult. I also have Tuna (packed in spring water rather than brine). Are prawns/tinned salmon an option? Also, did you know many health food shops have alternatives to spreads - such as mushroom 'pate'?

Hi mumat39, I have the same problem in that my DS's allergies are very similar to your DD's. He has a lot of salt and sugar in his diet, and I reckon that this is a compromise I have to make in order to ensure he gets enough variety and nutrients and to ensure my sanity as well.
At nursery, for example, I make my own versions of the puddings the other children have at lunchtime. This involves a lot of baking with sugar, although I sometimes try agave syrup, Sweet Freedom or xylitol instead.
For out-and-about snacks or quick lunches I rely on parma ham (the Tesco finest one only contains pork and salt, and no preservatives), tinned sardines and popcorn. They are all high in salt, but if I keep an eye on how much he is having (e.g. only a slice and a half of the ham) then I think it's ok. I make up for it by not using salt in home-cooked meals.
Besides, I'm sure my brother and I were brought up with a lot more salt, sugar and other nasty stuff which was not considered unhealthy in the 70s and early 80s! And we're fine.