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Original poster

Is DS’ diet really that bad?

458 replies

enuquer · 17/08/2021 13:25

Please be kind.

DS is 2, will be 3 at the end of the year. His daily diet is usually

Breakfast: weetabix or rice krispies/corn flakes

Morning snack: an orange or a yoghurt

Lunch: Ham sandwich with an orange or yoghurt (whatever he doesn't have for snack) and some wotsits or quavers

Afternoon snack: 2 biscuits or a small packet of chocolate buttons

Dinner: pasta/pizza/ sausage and mash with carrots/fish fingers/chicken nuggets/ the occasional McDonald's happy meal (probably once or twice a month)

Dessert: ice cream or a small chocolate bar

Then he sometimes has chips if me and DP have had a takeaway, and he isn't asleep yet.

The only fruit and veg he'll eat are oranges and carrots. During the day he does drink water or apple juice and has a bottle of milk before bed.

We recently stayed at my mum's as my mum said that he shouldn't be eating those foods and his diet is awful.

Is it really that bad?

OP posts:
ISpyCobraKai · 18/08/2021 12:58

I buy the munch bunch yoghurts for me!

Heliachi · 18/08/2021 13:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Hdhdjejdj · 18/08/2021 13:03

Sounds like he is eating snacks and junk food all day. Do you ever make actual real food, like a roast dinner or spaghetti bolognese?

DancingCoyote · 18/08/2021 13:57

@TheKeatingFive - the advice wasn’t homemade breaded chicken, just breaded chicken.

@Aria999 @Bryonyshcmyony - I agree that breaded chicken can be better, but only if you buy a decent breaded chicken breast. And in that instance, you can also buy 100% chicken breast nuggets.

If you compare Sainsbury’s regular chicken nuggets and regular breaded chicken, the ingredients are almost identical. The breaded chicken has 63% chicken in it. The nuggets 60%.

I’m just trying to point out that some advice isn’t entirely accurate. And a potato waffle is more processed and has more ingredients than an oven chip.

I completely sympathise with the OP. I have teens who have lots of outside influence with what goes in their mouths. They’ve gone though eat anything phases and eat nothing phases. One is much better than the other now. I think as with most things, balance is key.

Tal45 · 18/08/2021 14:17

It sounds like your DH is the problem. Your ds makes a fuss and dh gives in. Go back to what you used to feed him and don't let your dh give him junk. It sounds like your dh has no respect for you, you need to make an issue of this as your ds's diet is now awful thanks to his dad. It sounds like he doesn't eat any meat that isn't processed, and will only eat one fruit and one type of veg. Try sweet potato mash - kids often like the texture of mash so it's a good place to start IMO. If he's going to have chocolate then melt it down and dip fruit in it. Give the apple juice a miss and stick to water - apple juice is mostly sugar. The munch bunch yoghurts second ingredient is sugar, don't buy them get plain yoghurt or there are some no added sugar little ones which would be better- petit filous do some and yeo valley.

DelphineMarineaux · 18/08/2021 14:18

@enuquer

Please be kind.

DS is 2, will be 3 at the end of the year. His daily diet is usually

Breakfast: weetabix or rice krispies/corn flakes

Morning snack: an orange or a yoghurt

Lunch: Ham sandwich with an orange or yoghurt (whatever he doesn't have for snack) and some wotsits or quavers

Afternoon snack: 2 biscuits or a small packet of chocolate buttons

Dinner: pasta/pizza/ sausage and mash with carrots/fish fingers/chicken nuggets/ the occasional McDonald's happy meal (probably once or twice a month)

Dessert: ice cream or a small chocolate bar

Then he sometimes has chips if me and DP have had a takeaway, and he isn't asleep yet.

The only fruit and veg he'll eat are oranges and carrots. During the day he does drink water or apple juice and has a bottle of milk before bed.

We recently stayed at my mum's as my mum said that he shouldn't be eating those foods and his diet is awful.

Is it really that bad?

In my opinion, yes, it's really that bad. I don't see any reason why a child, of any age, should be fed biscuits, chocolate, processed breaded fish and chicken, McDonald's, ice cream and whatnot as staples in their daily or weekly diet. Those are atrocious things to eat regularly even for adults, let alone children.

In your shoes I'd look into feeding my child fresh fish and chicken instead of fingers and nuggets. The rest I've mentioned should only really be treats. Daily staples should be things like meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, vegetables, nuts, dairy (if they can tolerate it), rice, pasta, potatoes and things like that.

Aria999 · 18/08/2021 14:30

@DancingCoyote I basically agree with you. I was talking about home made breaded chicken.

However after my mixed-success attempt to do that yesterday I think I will be sticking with the posh organic shop bought ones for now!

emuloc · 18/08/2021 14:32

You could try your son with a banana, which is sweet, instead of him having the chocolate buttons or chocolate bar for dessert. You could make banana muffins which would be better than what he has now for a snack.

There is nothing wrong with the pizza if it is homemade, with some salad, such as cucumber cut up into slices with some sliced red peppers. Pasta with a tomato and meat sauce which is home made is good, with some sprinkled cheese on top, again served with the sliced veg. Most of the meals he eats should be made from scratch to ensure low levels of salt and fat.

Aria999 · 18/08/2021 14:38

Not everyone has time to make all their kids (or their own) meals from scratch.

You need a balance and not to let the best be the enemy of the good.

I.e. do what you can and don't start to feel that it's hopeless so why bother changing anything.

Goldbar · 18/08/2021 14:46

I agree @Aria999. Serving fish fingers a couple of times a week is not the end of the world. If you're serving up processed food, boil some frozen veggies and stick them on the side - takes a few minutes max. Don't aim for perfect straight away but focus on the easy victories. Substituting chocolate, crisps, biscuits and ice-cream for healthy snacks like peanut butter on toast, cheese and crackers, natural yoghurt and veg sticks is easy. And your DS is so little he'll soon forget the alternatives if they're not waved in front of him.

Hobnobsandbroomstick · 18/08/2021 14:46

Breakfast: weetabix or rice krispies/corn flakes
Sounds okay

Morning snack: an orange or a yoghurt
Sounds okay

Lunch: Ham sandwich with an orange or yoghurt (whatever he doesn't have for snack) and some wotsits or quavers
Lose the crisps.

Afternoon snack: 2 biscuits or a small packet of chocolate buttons
Lose the chocolate buttons

Dinner: pasta/pizza/ sausage and mash with carrots/fish fingers/chicken nuggets/ the occasional McDonald's happy meal (probably once or twice a month)
Try and hide some veg in pasta sauce etc, no 2 year old needs to be eating McDonald's

Dessert: ice cream or a small chocolate bar
Every night?! Skip desert or replace it with some fruit.

DelphineMarineaux · 18/08/2021 14:46

@Aria999

Not everyone has time to make all their kids (or their own) meals from scratch.

You need a balance and not to let the best be the enemy of the good.

I.e. do what you can and don't start to feel that it's hopeless so why bother changing anything.

I personally think that's just a bad excuse to not cook. A meal from scratch doesn't have to take 2 hours to make. It takes 10 minutes to boil pasta, and while it's boiling it's not that hard to make some kind of sauce and cook some chicken breast or fish.
emuloc · 18/08/2021 14:46

There is imo nothing more important than what you feed your children. They will learn their eating habits from mainly their parents. The time issue is spoken about a lot. It does not take that much time to cook a simple meal from scratch. And it does not have to be all meals, but it should not be no meals either.

DelphineMarineaux · 18/08/2021 14:48

@emuloc

There is imo nothing more important than what you feed your children. They will learn their eating habits from mainly their parents. The time issue is spoken about a lot. It does not take that much time to cook a simple meal from scratch. And it does not have to be all meals, but it should not be no meals either.
Completely agree. I just don't believe it when people say they honestly don't have 20 minutes to spare to cook a decent meal. Doesn't it take longer to heat of fish fingers anyway?
Aria999 · 18/08/2021 14:49

@emuloc

It probably doesn't take you much time because you're good at it. Not everyone would even know how to make 'some kind of sauce'.

I hate the phrase 'check your privilege' but I'm thinking it.

Goldbar · 18/08/2021 14:52

If you're used to cooking, whipping up a meal from scratch is easy. But a lot of parents lack the confidence to cook new things, especially if they're on a limited budget and (in the OP's case) their partners aren't supportive of them trying new things.

emuloc · 18/08/2021 14:55

[quote Aria999]@emuloc

It probably doesn't take you much time because you're good at it. Not everyone would even know how to make 'some kind of sauce'.

I hate the phrase 'check your privilege' but I'm thinking it.[/quote]
Yes I would think that you are privileged by being able to afford to buy posh organic chicken nuggets. Maybe try making them from scratch again, instead of giving up so easily.

DelphineMarineaux · 18/08/2021 14:59

Cooking is a basic life skill. If you don't know how to cook, you really should learn how to do it. With today's technology you don't even have to leave your house or spend money to learn, there are so many videos on YouTube that specifically caters to people that don't cook, or have little time to cook.

I'm sorry, but there just isn't any good excuse to feeding yourself and your children fish fingers when it takes just as long to heat them up as it does to bake a filet of salmon.

DelphineMarineaux · 18/08/2021 15:01

@Goldbar

If you're used to cooking, whipping up a meal from scratch is easy. But a lot of parents lack the confidence to cook new things, especially if they're on a limited budget and (in the OP's case) their partners aren't supportive of them trying new things.
Well, partners are adults. If they don't want to eat what's being served, they hopefully know where the kitchen is and can make themselves whatever else they want to eat. Just because you're a family doesn't mean everyone has to eat the exact same thing, especially when we're talking adults here.
Goldbar · 18/08/2021 15:03

Fish fingers really aren't the worst thing in the world. There are lots of foods which should be targeted for removal from children's diets before fish fingers.

Hobnobsandbroomstick · 18/08/2021 15:04

@Aria999

It's 2021. Most people have a smartphone and can use Google and YouTube to learn how to cook new things. Or just boil up some frozen veg in ten minutes, which is very cheap to buy.

Not sure what privilege is it that your referring to. Most people in the UK is privileged that they can buy fruit and veg easily and cheaply from the supermarket.

Goldbar · 18/08/2021 15:04

Well, partners are adults. If they don't want to eat what's being served, they hopefully know where the kitchen is and can make themselves whatever else they want to eat.

That's putting 100% of the burden of learning to cook new things and make healthy meals for her DC onto the OP's shoulders with no motivation or support from her OH. Bit unfair.

Maray1967 · 18/08/2021 15:17

My DS2(13) eats plain food eg dislikes gravy and most sauce so has plain meat, tuna and salmon, but loves spag bol so DH makes the sauce with loads of veg and then blitzes it so there is no visible evidence of the celery, courgettes, red pepper etc . Will he eat spaghetti bol? If so, try that. We’ve managed to get away with a casserole last winter but basically pick his meat out so there is little sauce and cook his carrots separately.
He does eat broccoli but no other green veg other than what is hidden in the spag bol sauce. He will eat carrots, baby corn and red peppers. Only fruit is apples.
I would try to reduce the choc and ice cream etc and add a bit of fresh cooked meat or fish, just a bit on the plate, alongside his usual food. Don’t say anything, and don’t give up. Does he have a friend who does eat well who could come for tea? He might be more willing if he sees a friend eating it.
No need at all for the apple juice - just stick to water and milk.

Aria999 · 18/08/2021 15:19

I am very privileged, though only a so so cook. I wasn't talking about me.

DelphineMarineaux · 18/08/2021 15:21

@Goldbar

Well, partners are adults. If they don't want to eat what's being served, they hopefully know where the kitchen is and can make themselves whatever else they want to eat.

That's putting 100% of the burden of learning to cook new things and make healthy meals for her DC onto the OP's shoulders with no motivation or support from her OH. Bit unfair.

That's true. But in the end of the day, what's more important: That the kids get fed well or to have a power struggle with your partner about who needs to cook for the kids?