"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?

Apparently it's not the nitrates per se that are carcinogenic, it's the way they break down to sodium nitrite, and the way these molecules interact in our guts when we eat meat.

This explains it well in layman's terms: theconversation.com/why-nitrates-and-nitrites-in-processed-meats-are-harmful-but-those-in-vegetables-arent-170974

If it's an allergy to nitrates, you'd think they'd be more specific.

As several pp have said, it's really easy to not serve processed meat.

I would never see this as a biggie. Plus I think people being engaged with food and eating better food, instead of processed crap is a good thing.

Nrtft, but after we read that the WHO classes processed meats as Group One carcinogens; the same category as smoking and asbestos; we stopped eating processed meats for the most part! We will eat a cooked breakfast in a hotel, as a treat, but that’s it!

Also, genetically high cholesterol runs in DH’s family; and the British Heart Foundation advises no saturated fats, no processed meat and not much sugar! DH doesn’t want to clog his arteries up any more!

I think it’s quite sensible, that parents don’t want their DC to have Group One carcinogens!

Most processed meats have additives so he could be allergic to one of them.

Chicken drumsticks? Fish fingers? Hummus and pittas?

I would think that it’s about additives in processed meat, sometimes people don’t have allergy but their body still can be significantly affected. Certain food may cause hyperactivity or diarrhoea, you certainly wouldn’t want this at the sleepover but it won’t be on “require A&E “ scale.
I would go for a roast chicken as PPs suggested.

I'd secretly think they're a bit of a wanker. I don't like my kids eating a lot of processed foods, but as a one off at a friend's house or birthday party it's fine.

Ok so around 10 million worldwide deaths of cancer per year; approx 30,000 attributed to processed meat. An occasional sausage not going to hurt imo and it does sound precious to say we don’t eat processed meats and expect to impose that on another house if your child isn’t allergic

This is our dietary requirement, I just say we are vegetarian.

Can people stop going on about allergies? I can assure you that when your children have ACTUAL allergies you would never dream of talking casually about what they can eat! You have to be highly specific and be assured that anyone feeding them is well aware of precisely what they can and can't have.

who roasts a chicken for a play date?!

fish fingers or jacket potato or pizza will do

more money than sense on mumsnet

who roasts a chicken for a play date?!

I know right? 😂

This is another thing...equating "processed meat" with "crap food". Is prosciutto di parma crap food? Speck, guanciale, the best chorizos? Breasola, pancetta, all of the french saucisson, jamon iberico?

🤣🤣🤣🤣

I wouldn't think anything of it, it's no biggy

I wouldn't. They'd be getting pasta with tomato sauce and cheese.

I think it’s fine and a straightforward request.

An occasional sausage probably isn't going to hurt, I agree. We eat bacon and sausages - but I don't feed them to my friend or his child who may have a genetic predisposition to bowel cancer.

My dad smoking in front of my as a child probably won't mean I develop lung cancer. The sunburn I've had once or twice probably won't give me skin cancer. Using HRT probably won't mean I get breast cancer. But if I had a BRCA2 mutation, would I avoid the pill? Yes. Who knows why this family avoids processed meat? Should they have to list their family medical history before you'd accept it as a reasonable request?

Processed meat causes terrible constipation in a child I know.

That could be the reason for the request without going in to personal details.

Exactly.

sometimes with odd allergies and intolerances it’s just easier to give a simple rule that’s been condensed from all the detailed explanation that would exactly define the problem. I’ve been there - just ask for clarification if you need chapter and verse.
Of course they might be a being a bit of an arse too, but with someone else’s child you can’t really experiment without risking a blood feud if you are wrong.

I voted YANBU as I

This. It is perfectly possible to go your whole life without eating it, without unduly restricting your diet.

There is no obligation on the host to serve meat at all, so getting arsey about your guest not wanting to invest carcinogens is totally unreasonable.

Is anyone seeing ads for Campbell's Meat? 😂😂

Stoopid phone. Had a parent say for a catered Guide event that her child ate no processed food so we had to spend xxx catering for said child. Who then proceeded to spend the evening eating nothing but crisps and dairylea slices while banging on about how she didn't eat processed food. I bit my tongue but it's (unfairly) made me grumpy about statements like this ever since!!