How much do your DC eat? Need some help with snack ideas and general advice please.

[mumat39]

Hi All

I'm feeling REALLY pathetic again and was wondering how much your DC eat. My two are 4.5 and 2.5.

Until recently they were on 3 meals a day, plus 3x7oz bottles of nutramigen a day. They haven't really been into snacking but most days I'll give them some apple or carrot or chocolate as a snack in the afternoon.

I have finally weaned them off the nutramigen and onto cows milk which is fine, but I'm worried as they both seem to be looking like they're losing weight.

I'm still giving them the same food and same amount of milk but I think they need more food. I've always been convinced that they have both done really well with their weight gain and how they seem due to the nutramigen but I'm now thinking maybe it was more than just a milk replacement, if that makes sense..

I think I need to give them more food but I don't know what.

I could keep making and giving them biscuits which they'll happily eat, but I'm not sure that's quite right. They have apple and carrot most days but I think they need something a bit more substantial than fruit but I don't know what?? I'm a lazy so and so and the thought of more cooking and washing up is actually quite depressing but I'll do whatever I have to do to ensure they get enough of whatever it is they need.

At the moment (please don't judge me on this as I know it's not right) they both eat the same foods. DD has allergies to Eggs, Wheat, Tree Nuts, Legumes, Sesame, Rapeseed Oil, Ginger and Oats. I always forget something ....

I posted about ham/chicken slices before but I know these aren't great everyday either. I think I forgot to mention oats on that thread.

Can anyone recommend any other foods/snacks I could give them? Also, how many meals/snacks/milk do your allergic DC have in a day?

Thanks so so much in advance for any help or advice.

Hello!!

I also worry about my DS not eating enough. He's very skinny and I would love to fatten him up a bit.

I do feel that he consequently has more chocolate and crisps than he might otherwise have had if he wasn't so skinny , but he does eat plenty of fruit and veg to balance it out.

DD doesn't have as many allergies as DS, but I give them the same to eat although I will put a bit of cheese on her sandwich or on her pasta.

My kids have breakfast, lunch and dinner and pudding with lunch and dinner. At nursery they have morning and afternoon snack, but at home they'll probably have just an afternoon snack.

Popcorn is quite good as it can be reasonably healthy, also soya cream cheese on gluten free digestives ( if they'll eat it). My two love toasties, you can cover the (gluten free) bread in olive oil to add calories and we use soya mayo with tuna or ham inside. Bits of coconut are high in calories, but healthy but can't get DS to eat it. Corn tortilla wraps with guacamole and chicken again if they'll eat it!!

I do a lot of baking with them making muffins with carrots, courgettes or bananas.

Hope this has helped, will try to think of more.

Hi mumat. Worrying about food and nutrition is part and parcel of parenting, much more so with multiple allergies. I don't think you are being pathetic at all!

My DS is younger and has fewer allergies but from your list it looks like cheese might be ok? High calorie density and good as a snack. I would probably go for high protein foods if you want to increase their intake. dS can't have milk so cheese is no good for us

DS loves homemade chicken strips. Marinade chicken breast fillets with soya sauce (get the wheat free ones), pepper, garlic and honey overnight. Bake them with the marinade in a pan until cooked through then slice thinly. I am generous with the honey and make a few portions in one go and freeze them. A quick blast in the microwave and it can be a quick snack or part of a meal or a sandwich filling. When freezing make sure it is liberally coated with the sauce from the pan so it doesn't become too dry when reheated.

Try not to worry but if you have access to a dietitian how about having a chat with them for some ideas?

My DS doesn't seem to eat enough to keep a sparrow alive, and is extremely fussy as well. It is something I worry about quite a lot. I know lots of parents have concerns about their children eating enough of the right kinds of things, but it is certainly harder when you are dealing with multiple food allergies.

That is a really hard list of allergies you are dealing with! No wonder you are finding things difficult at the moment. I seem to remember mentioning flapjack on your other thread - sorry, I had forgotten your DD was allergic to oats as well

Could you see a dietician? We have had mixed experiences of dieticians, but the last one we saw was wonderfully matter-of-fact about DS's nutrition. She said something along the lines of "well, he looks healthy", which made me feel a lot better! As parents of children with multiple food allergies, we just don't have the luxury of feeding our children a range of healthy food at all times. We do the best we can in the circumstances, and sometimes we have to make compromises. You seem so concerned about this that I would bet quite a lot of money that your children are doing just fine... (but that's not meant to sound glib because I understand why you are worried and I do get rather upset about this too sometimes).

Thanks for your replies

I'm glad it's not just me that is worrying about this. It is a tough list of foods to deal with but we manage with very limited choice :(

Unfortunately, DD can't have Soya which she is allergic to. I used to list all the individual legumes she can't have but as we avoid them all it makes it seem like a slightly better list if i just put the catch all heading of legumes

In addition to Soya, she also can't have peanuts, peas, lentils, mung beans, chick peas, kidney beans and all other beans. I'm indian and grew up eating lots of lovely food most of which DD an't have. I'm much more at ease cooking indian meals as they're really easy but when it comes to other types of cuisine I struggle. I actually got an O level in cookery and used to love following recipes and baking but things don't come out quite right with non wheat flour and all recipes seem to need 1 or more adaptations so I try but find it really disappointing to have to bin yet another batch of another disaster.

GreenBananas, no worries about the flapjacks. I always forget at least 1 or 2 items form the what DD is allergic to list that I'm sure I forgot to mention oats (again) on the one where you suggested flapjacks :)

Anyway, it's good that I'm not alone in this. I have one recipe for some biscuits that do work so I'm going to make a batch of those with slightly less sugar and that'll make me feel a bit better she said kidding herself

Thank you all again and I hope you all have a lovely weekend.
:)