To serve this portion size to my children (pic inc)

[Blondeandinept]

My son is on the 75 centile for height , 20 for weight. My daughter is 50 for height, 25 for weight.
As a family we are very very slim (in 5'7 and weigh just under 8 stone). We're very fit, gym, sport etc

My mil saw this and was appalled. Said it was way way too much. My children would be peckish an hour later if they didn't have this kind of lunch (it's the weekend, hence all the breaded items!).

My son is 6, my daughter 3.5

I'm only anti the wrong kind of carbs.

Bread, pasta, rice, flour and sugar - we don't need them.

So that's why the Mediterranean diet is so bad for you.

BIWI With which authority are you giving out such dangerous advice?

Thanks for rephrasing Biwi.

I still think children should eat wholemeal bread, pasta and rice, as part of their diet. Is there anywhere in the world where children only eat veg and salad as their carb intake?

Surely there are lots of very healthy foods we don't need specifically. So yes we don't need bread, we also don't need kale, or bananas, or broccoli. What we do need is a balanced diet. Of course bread, rice, pasta etc can be part of that balanced diet.

I also think as long as kids are getting plenty of variety and balance, the odd chocolate bar or slice of cake is fine too!

Eatwell Guide

Funny how the NHS are advocating eating starchy carbs as part of a balanced and healthy diet. They recommend that a third of the food we eat is based on starchy carbs. Not allowing children to eat them at all can't be good for them.

Link here

dangerous

If you did a bit more reading, you'd realise that the Mediterranean diet is exactly what I've been talking about! High fat, medium protein and low in carbs.

Highly processed carbs, which the body treats as sugar are the ones that are dangerous to our bodies.

And the NHS is dangerously behind the times, and all the most recent research.

Just ask yourself why, suddenly, we're being told to avoid sugar, rather than fat.

Carbohydrate is sugar. The body treats potatoes, rice, pasta and bread in the same way as it does sugar.

It just sounds more palatable to blame it all on table sugar, or sugar that's in drinks or added to food.

And of course it is, Mamushka. And life would be very boring without it.

It's all about balance overall.

Biwi- So the med diet is low in carbs? I've never heard that before.

I do think you're using phrases with not much thought or evidence.

There was an Italian poster earlier on in this thread who posted the recommended diet for her 20mth old.

It has bread, pasta and more bread iirc.

If you did a bit more reading, you'd realise that the Mediterranean diet is exactly what I've been talking about! High fat, medium protein and low in carbs.

Highly processed carbs, which the body treats as sugar are the ones that are dangerous to our bodies.

I don't need to read about a reality I live every day. Pasta or rice is eaten twice a day as part of a balanced diet.

Please tell me with which authority you speak. Or did you read a book and profess yourself an expert?

You choose to ignore one important fact. Carbohydrates are one of the main types of nutrients. They are the most important source of energy for your body. A low carb diet is actually very dangerous. Maybe you should read up on the side effects of a low carb diet before giving out dangerous advice on an open forum.

I do agree with you to a large extent BIWI but I do feel that a constantly growing child must have different nutritional needs to an adult - their metabolism must be a lot different to ours surely? So while we need to avoid too many starchy carbs as adults, perhaps kids, especially active ones, need the faster energy release that these carbs offer?

BakeOffBiscuits that would be me,

This all seems weirdly smug about almost clean eating our children - dd (typical weekend day) 15th percentile for weight - only know because u looked it up for this thread and got her to stand in the scales at swimming - breakfast - ham sandwich - lunch - pasta - tea sausage, yorkshires, veg - 2 cadburys doughnuts eaten - karate exercises, swimming, mile a day done. She is 6 doesn't need to low carb etc - just needs to eat when she is hungry.

BIWI what on earth are you talking about. Growing active kids don't just need veg and salad for carbs. All this food fadiness is dangerous especially for children. Very worrying at the lack of knowledge.

Quokka12

Exactly children need to eat everything. High fat, low fat, highly processed, whole grain, carbs, protein, veg, fruit. EVERYTHING

If you as an adult want to eat clean, please do so but let a child grow, eat, play, and not be oppressed by this unattainable body image that some people are so fixated on.

It's quality not quantity. That plate looks healthy enough to me, I could understand MIL's concern if it was all junk, but it's not.

Amalfi I'm glad you've posted again to actually give some facts about the meditarian diet.

My little chap is two and I would consider that quite an insubstantial lunch for him. He's a slim little chap and tall for his age but incredibly active.

"Yesterday 13:46 Blondeandinept
Bakeoff. You are very committed to carbs.
Be honest, are you a healthy weight?

jingle whilst I agree you don't need plate laden with simple carbs that comment is a bit out of order"

Yes, I agree with you jingle that this was out of order. I wonder if the comment has something to do with my username as I'd only said what many others had already posted.

I'm resisting the urge to ask the OP questions based on her username but I'm far too polite.

BakeOffBiscuits

I've just read that post to DH (100% Italian) and he's shocked that anyone could proclaim that the Med. Diet is high fat, low carbs when we eat very few fats, red meat twice a week (at the most) and fish maybe 5 or 6 times a week and carbs in pasta or rice at lunch and dinner every day plus loads of bread. Bread for breakfast, snack, with lunch, with dinner and with supper too.

I'll tell the MIL tomorrow and I might actually record what she says because it will probably be one whole long beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

The boy (8) that I look after will regularly eat between 6-8 weetabix for breakfast (his 'record' is 12!?) he has adult-sized portion for tea, and will ask if he can have more weetabix for pudding (he loves the jolly things!?) he is nearly 5 foot, has size 3.5 shoes and is skinny. Every child is different!

Oh you have to tell her and let us know her reaction

Your diet sounds very healthy and also delicious. What kind of bread do you mainly eat?

6-8 weetabix?

What don't they just do him. An omelette or something. He must be bunged up to the max...

Agree, Amalfi

I am familiar with a different type of Mediterranean diet, but the same principles apply :

Lots of veg and pulses
Lots of fish
Bread with every meal
Meat only 2-3 times a week - red meat occasionally

Then above is a healthy diet, whatever your opinion about carbs!

MN threads about food attract the most misinformed advice IME. I must say though I am impressed with how the OP has stood her ground

BakeOffBiscuits I bake either soda bread or wheaten bread on rotation every day it's the Irish in me , panini all'olio (evol bread rolls) for dc and I either make or buy ciabatta for DH.

But rest assured that bread, pasta, flour, tinned tomatoes and fresh fruit and veg are never lacking in this or any other italian household.

OhtoblazeswithElvira
MN threads about food attract the most misinformed advice IME I am beginning to realise that 😂