to think nesquick whole grain cereal, fat free milk and no added sugar juice is relatively healthy for a fussy eater

[twistedsista]

Hi,

My 7 year old Ds is a very fussy eater, tried everything!

I would love it if he would eat kale with cottage cheese on rice cakes for breakfast but get real no child eats perfectly like that.

Today he had a normal sized bowl of whole grain nesquick cereal with skimmed milk.I know it has some sugar in it but its only about the same as a banana and to counter this he has a glass of sugar free orange squash. Both the cereal and juice have added vitamins. Does everyone else agree this is pretty healthy and realistic breakfast?

Thanks

Marie

I'm pretty sure bacon isn't processed, I buy mine for the butchers.

Of course it's a processed meat. And not sure why where you buy your bacon has any bearing on its nutritional value?

It's breakfast and is better than no breakfast.

That said, if he's on the heavy side, it's sugar that he needs to cut down on, not fat. Semi skimmed milk might actually leave him feeling more full than skimmed milk.

How varied is his diet for the rest of the day? What sort of things does he eat?

arethere, I wasn't commenting on the nutritional value....just on the grossness of porridge with cream and nuts. But if you like it, fill your boots!

Tony the tiger wore a cravat, what a dude!

Frosties are grim though - although when we get our variety packs for camping, it's Frosties the kids fight over (they pour the milk directly into the packet - because we are classy)

Of course bacon is processed and linked to bowel cancer too.

I'm very keen on nutrition. My children eat fantastic diets and I care a lot about it and put a lot of effort into it. But I HATE the idea that a good diet has to involve a child never eating cereal or squash, ffs. It's ridiculous.

Johncusack - not me, I wouldn't go near that!! I sneak a bar of chocolate in whilst trying to hide said bar from the kids. And pretending id love to steal her porridge.

Get him helping to cook/buy/prepare food and aim for two weetabix, semi skimmed milk, and a glass of fresh OJ.

BTW at least he's having breakfast, and it's not too bad.

Bothered.

I ask you all again - please tell me - what is homemade granola? (I'm not being facetious honestly, I do want to know!)

I am also greatly amused by this thread!

Loving the suggestion that you feed a fussy 7 year old with eggs, natural yogurt and berries for breakfast.

I'm still reeling from the "My 7 &10 yo DC have had a mini cheeseboard with oatcakes, cornichons and olives for breakfast every day" comment.

My kids have shreddies, full fat milk, couple of petit filou yogurts, banana and non aspartame squash. I thought an hour ago that was ok, now I'm told it's shit in a box.

And what the fuck are cornichons

Generally - nuts and oats rolled together and roasted, with maple syrup often. Plus raisins and other dried fruit.

Sorry, that's granola not cornichons!

Pmsl "I'm pretty sure bacon isn't processed"

Cornichons are little pickled gherkin things. Very nice.

Minty they stop being fussy if you don't pander to them though. If you cave then they always demand shite for breakfast. Once they realise "This is all there is" then they eat it and begin to learn to like it.

Kate I wondered that...Google tells me they're gherkins. I think the poster who wrote that is not from the UK. My Belgian friend used to eat that kind of thing for brekkie.

Thank you bigkidsdidit . It is basically sugary cereal then, if made with maple syrup. I think I made some granola accidently this week, when the flapjack mixture (with walnuts in) went horribly wrong and basically crumbled everywhere when removed from tin after 'roasting'!

DoingAKate that was my personal highlight too. Quietly sharing the crudités while polity taking it in turns to peruse the TES....

IsItSnowing I'll PM you my secret recipe. It's WINNER. Believe.

Politely even. Sausage fingers. (For breakfast)

Processed meat is linked to lots of cancer actually, not just bowel cancer.

OP, google Great Grub Club and see if there are any ideas there that help. It's aimed at young children and their parents. Although the motivation is primarily cancer prevention, the advice fits equally well for a whole range of other reasons too.

they stop being fussy if you don't pander to them though. If you cave then they always demand shite for breakfast. Once they realise "This is all there is" then they eat it and begin to learn to like it.

If it was that simple then there wouldn't be any children who are selective eaters and who have food issues - or are all these issues just because parent's 'pander' to it?

It's easy and it's clear. The evidence that processed foods are what makes us fat and also part of what causes many diseases is very, very clear....avoid it. Of course you might get knocked over by a bus and think "Shit...should have eaten all the Hula Hoops and Pies I wanted!" but you might not....and a clean diet makes you feel SO much better in general.

Having read that bit of wisdom, I might as well cancel our appointment at the specialist dietician next week!

Jane a number of those children you mention have special needs which is very different I understand.

But as the parent of a so-called "selective eater" I can tell you now that it IS changeable. If you don't have any shit food in the house they eat what's on offer. No child will willingly starve themselves! They get used to what's on offer and because we're programmed to survive...they eat it!