"He eats meat, but can't eat any processed meat."

[Flangelica]

If someone said this to you when you asked about dietary requirements for a child, would you think they were massively w*nky/snobby, or is it socially acceptable and fine?

OP, they are both Group 1 carcinogens but that classification refers to the strength of evidence that the item causes cancer and not the level of risk.

If you eat 50g of processed meat every day of your life, your risk of getting bowel cancer increases from 8.2% to 9.3% according to the Cancer Council.

If you smoke regularly, your risk of cancer increases by 20x

The odd chicken nugget on a play date will not directly lead to cancer

"processed" it such an odd term though - the best quality serrano ham has been 'processed' 😂WHAT DOES IT MEAN??!!

See, in the U.K. people might interpret processed as meaning turkey twizzlers but not sliced ham from a joint they've cooked themselves. Or Parma ham from the deli.

So just be clear what you mean. I'll stop labouring the point now 😂

processed" it such an odd term though - the best quality serrano ham has been 'processed

I think it's probably sensible to read the terminology the context of the thread. Everyone knows that a cheap sausage is not the same as serrano ham.

Yes, good quality meat can be preserved and processed to an extent (although the actual processes can be very different), but everyone knows that references to 'processed meat products' on THIS thread are not referring to artisan charcuterie.

I thought (possibly incorrectly) that the processed good quality meats are just as bad as the cheap quality as it is the processing that causes the carcogen

everyone knows that references to 'processed meat products' on THIS thread are not referring to artisan charcuterie.

Perhaps not, but what are they referring to? Chicken nuggets? Sliced ham from a joint? Best to be clear.

but everyone knows that references to 'processed meat products' on THIS thread are not referring to artisan charcuterie.

OK cool. Not charcuterie.

But what else does it mean ? There's a big vague gap between charcuterie and turkey twizzlers.

As a PP pointed out some chicken cuts can be termed processed.

The level of risk isn't the same for everyone though. For some it will be lower, for others much higher.

I've had a few older relatives die of bowel cancer (and they weren't that old - life expectancy in my family isn't high). I therefore reduce my consumption of higher risk foods on the basis that there may be something genetic there. It's not about being snobby, it's about wanting to preserve my health. And quite honestly I don't give a shit who thinks my preference is wanky

This is like when people say they don't like chemicals. And when told everything is chemicals they insist you know exactly what they mean...the unnatural chemicals, not the natural chemicals. "What, like arsenic?" You ask and then they huff off demanding you know what they meant.

If you are going to stick a word to another, like processed and meat, and then insist it is a distinct class of meat - you should have the good grace to be clear about the definition of this makey-uppy term you now insist is common knowledge and not just wave an arm around insisting other people are being difficult.

No. This is completely WRONG.

Do we know that? How? The best quality serrano ham has more nitrates than a cheap sausage. If the issue is nitrates and possible carcinogens, the best artisan charcuterie is just as much risk.

So if people are banning cheap sausages and not artisan charcuterie, its just one more example of the complete lack of logic and understanding and their inability to properly assess risk.

This 🤷🏻‍♀️ you can give them beans on toast or cheese sandwich.

You don't need to provide filet mignon🥩

You ask and then they huff off demanding you know what they meant.

Except you did know what they meant, didn't you? I mean, yeah, everything is theoretically a chemical, but we all know that what people are actually trying to avoid are man-made additives.

If you look at an ingredients list, it's typically about the things that your grandparents would have recognised as food vs the things which you need to Google to work out what exactly they are (and even then sometimes you're none the wiser!).

People are comfortable with the former, and often uncomfortable with the latter. And for good reason - the food industry has a long history of adding things to food which humans really shouldn't be eating!

Saying "Ooh, but everything is a chemical and arsenic is natural, you know" is almost deliberately obtuse.

Do we know that? How? The best quality serrano ham has more nitrates than a cheap sausage. If the issue is nitrates and possible carcinogens, the best artisan charcuterie is just as much risk

I know that I've said the same thing upthread. You seem to have misunderstood the context of my comment.

So if people are banning cheap sausages and not artisan charcuterie, its just one more example of the complete lack of logic and understanding and their inability to properly assess risk

Has anyone even suggested this?

No, noone has suggested it. No idea where that claim came from.

I would have assumed processed meats meant ham/salami etc, but fine with chicken nuggets/mince. I think this is one where you really have to spell out what exactly you mean.

It's a bit bizarre that so many posters keep bringing up artisan charcuterie/Serrano ham etc, because we all know that that is not what is being served for lunch at a typical play date. Ah well, that's MN for you... 😂

When my dc was a toddler he would definitely not eat processed meat but be ok with plain meat.

It's definitely a thing and I'd respect it.

@MichelleScarn do you have any wanky preferences or are all your preferences non-wanky?

Still going for "eye roll" if the parent said that to me before a play date as it's so bloody VAGUE.

Vague re allergies

Vague as it covers a vast range of stuff that people don't agree on.

And also I'd think, they don't trust me not to be straight out with the Turkey Twizzlers. So a bit condescending.

But no probs. That's what Margarita Pizza is for.

Don't think I've given play daters meat for years though! Not whilst they're young enough for their parents to be having input.

But that is rather my point, isn't it? There doesn't seem to be an agreed upon definition of what people mean by processed beyond a general nod to stuff they consider bad. Nitrites are found in veg, but when used to extend the life of food, it's bad, but salt is used to extend the life of food but is natural and fine - beyond its capacity for inducing hypertension. Unknown ingredients are bad. Although our Grandparents knew exactly what sugar was and that is bad. There was a thread the other day about how passata is a processed food but I'm sure both me and my grandmother could read the list of ingredients.

I mean, each person seems pretty certain on what they mean by processed, but yes you are right, I'm fucked if I know what they mean.

The older ones eat anything!!!

Just my tuppence here:

If a pack of meat has a literal glossary of ingredients used, then I won't touch it. Meat from a standard British, grass-fed cow is fine.

I've just looked up the brand 'Beyond Burgers'. One of the top ingredients is methylcellulose. Methylcellulose is commonly used in wallpaper glue. No thanks!

It's a bit bizarre that so many posters keep bringing up artisan charcuterie/Serrano ham etc, because we all know that that is not what is being served for lunch at a typical play date. Ah well, that's MN for you... 😂

What do you call processed meat @Octomore ?

Don't worry about charcuterie. Like you say prob not on the menu anyway.

I don't eat meat, but I apply pretty much the same rule.