AIBU not to let my children have salt on their chips?

[Nospringflower]

They have asked me to post on here to find out as they think I am . I don't like salt, don't have it on anything (including chips) and don't use it in my cooking ever. They are age 10, 8 and 7 and I don't think they need it but am not sure if I am doing the right thing - I could be making them really want it. What do you think? Thanks

Just checked my fishfingers box and yes they do have salt. Now that I've been on here I looked at the Feast icecream one of them had for pudding and it has salt in it too! I tell you its everywhere without putting it on their chips too!

No salt for my dc's but the 8 yr old gets round it by adding Jamie Oliver's chilli with salt grindy mix or just black pepper...

They don't need salt, from a health perspective & becoming accustomed to it at an early age is no great achievement.

I cannot understand how you would not chop anything for a meal of meat, frozen veg and potatoes?

Oops - think I'm sounding more extreme than I really mean to! I guess its just that because I don't like it I haven't maybe appreciated how much others do like it and so I accept that IAB a bit U on this one and should let them have a little salt on their chips

I luuuurve salt.

Ah see, your answers on what else they eat now help me make sense of your view. I don't worry about added salt on chips, because mine don't eat a lot of anything with stealth salt. Mostly we eat basic carbs, meat/fish/cheese (which does have salt), fresh veg/fruit combinations. I even limit processed meats like ham/sausages and bacon is v rarely eaten. In this context, I'm happy for them to put a little salt on chips occasionally -even my 2 year old . I also suspect the amount I put on homemade popcorn is a lot less than the quantities found in those microwave bags.

I don't cook with salt much either. But I'm curious - you're saying you don't like salt, so you encourage them not to have it, right? Do you always expect them to fall in with what you like and dislike, or is it just this one case?

It reminds me a bit of a woman my mum used to get fed up with, who refused to give her son 'poncey fruit' (=anything not an apple, a banana or an orange) because she didn't want to have to buy them if he got a taste for them.

I get that, broadly, fruit is good for you and salt in excess is not, but still ...

(Actually I'm sure she said something ruder than 'poncey'', now I think ... )

Well, if it was little potatoes that you just boil with their skin on and veg straight out the packet and then chicken fillets put in the oven. I also use lots of salmon fillets and baked potatoes etc so feel like I'm cooking but not really doing much (and according to this study it counts as convenience foods). Also I do things like open a tin of tuna and put it in pasta which I have boiled and add frozen veg - looks like a healthy enough meal to me but doesnt count as cooking! Maybe it doesn't matter about their stupid study but I like the idea that I cook!! Even if I dont.

I never put salt on anything until i was pregnant with DS1. Not even chips. I love it on everything now. He hates it and can taste one speck in his food.

I think it's fine to have a little salt - if they haven't had it much growing up I expect just a little will taste very salty to them.

(This reminds me of the stealth-boasts about olive-eating toddlers and the amount of salt they must have consumed!)

LRD - I don't eat meat and hate fish fingers but I do make it for them so I'm not too dictatorial! But yes, I know what you mean about just cos I don't like salt - I guess because it ties in with healthy eating .....

YABU, sorry!

It took me a long time to appreciate that just because I dont like sweet things and that the thought of sugar in my tea makes me heave, doesnt mean that anyone who does want it is a PITA and should just go without!

I cause quite a kerfuffle on here a while back when I said that I dont keep sugar in the house and only buy it when I am baking. I was called rude, selfish and a bad host! I countered that I only drink decaff but I dont expect other people to keep that in incase I visit but that was different apparantly . So now I keep some sachets that I pinch from Costas in the cupboard for the odd occasion that I need some :o

Your sons reaction to pour loads of salt on his chips at IKEA was classic gluttony after being deprived, let them have some on their chips and he will soon learn that he only needs a bit. And remember this lesson when it comes to alcohol......

Oh, I can see the benefits TBH. My mum used to ration the number of apples I got, with the result that when I went wild and crazy I'd pig out on ... fresh fruit. I guess if you're setting yours up for a delinquent adolescence of raiding the Maldon, it really could be worse ...

If you are having chips you have salt: it is written into the statutes of childhood YABU

Oh God noSprinng please don't tell me you make meals like that without even making a sauce!

If I was having new potatoes, frozen veg and chicken fillets I would at the very least have made an onion gravy to go with it. Or if it was salmon I would roast the new potatoes with lots of garlic which would be chopped.

I'm still trying to learn the lesson when it comes to alcohol! . Ok will let them have some and see how we go .

YABVU.

Chips and potatos in general need salt or they taste shit bland.

I dont go mad with it but some things do need salt IMO.

Ok will let them have some and see how we go

Oh yay!

They hate sauces! They really are quite fussy children apart from when it comes to salt maybe cos my cookings crap. I tried putting creme fraiche in their pasta as a wee bit of a sauce and it caused uproar. They have spaghetti bolognaise (and moan) and thats about as saucy as it gets!

Chips without salt? (and vinegar, ketchup as optional extra)

It's like the rice cakes instead of biscuits thread. What is MN coming to?

Why are people who do such things even allowed on MN?!

Forget the DC and booze, I need it now!

But don't you at least make sauce for yourself?

DS used to not like sauces, but I always put a little on his food, and over the years just gradually increased it. No way would he not eat a roast now just because of the gravy on it. He has got used to it.

Well, because I don't eat meat and I don't like a lot of the things that they eat I eat my own nice stuff which may or may not have a sauce (usually not). I would have a salad say or stir fry - things they dont like. Tonight we all had (home cooked!) fish pie and (frozen) veg.

I'm laughing now at the thought of the person who accused me of stealth boasting - no chance!!

Ok - will put salt on chips and gravy on meat . What else should I be doing?!