AIBU feeding my kid instant noodles several times a week

[cooknwithbaby]

I had dinner with my DS and my mum saw we were eating instant noodles with chicken soup and extra vegetable I added. She shamed me about feeding my DS instant noodles, saying it was unhealthy.

It's easy for me to make and everybody likes eating it. DS has loved noodles since he was 6 months old. I cook it several times a week. But I usually make it a bit healthier with broccoli. Sometimes I add a fried egg.

AIBU by feeding my kid some instant noodles for dinner?

A few years ago a friend of my Dsis dropped her almost 2 year old off with her for the night with a visibly dirty empty bottle and a Pot Noodle for dinner. Dsis called me to find out what she could make that would be better for her. Imagine what that kid lives on at home. Dsis had to wash the clothes the child arrived in and her teddy because they were literally chunky with filth.
In this case, fucking grim. Once in a while older child, not nearly as bad.

I don't agree that noodles are the devil, but this is just false.

A slice of processed ham is not equal to a carrot. One is full of vitamins and one is a literal carcinogen.

I think it's fair to eat treats in moderation, but to claim "its all in your tum at the end of the day, eat what you want!" Is just absolutely harmful. Do you just pretend the increased risk of cancer/heart disease is not there?

Says you.

Likely based purely on western diets.
Without realising that all over the world there's millions of perfectly healthy people eating a varied diet of moderate properties and none of them need weight watchers and gyms like westerners do.

Are you eating just sliced ham or just carrots?
Does anyone?

No, that'd be fucking stupid.

Surely this is a piss take? Who on earth is giving their child instant noodles several times a week? Assuming of course it’s the over processed kind eg Super Noodles and not just plain noodles like Amoy which would be ok but unimaginative? The instant flavoured kind are full of absolute shite like Palm Oil and MSG.

I tend to follow the rule that if foods have a list of ingredients as long as your arm, avoid like the plague.

It's not great I have to say. There are lots of simple meals other than instant noodles.

Think it depends how often and how much/what extra ingredients you're adding really. I knew someone who got scurvy from eating nothing but cheap instant noodles, so they're not nutritious on their own 😬

MSG isn't 'bad' FFS. How long is that myth going to continue?

People need to drop all this 'good' & 'bad' food mindset, it's limiting and a bit silly

most likely lead to obesity and diabetes

@Nimbostratus100 No one food causes obesity or diabetes. It's a prolongued surfeit of calories, from any source.

Pop is the nearest to 'causing' diabetes, but that's probably because obese people drink it as extra calories alongside everything they eat, and it's easy to drink a lot of calories without registering it.

My husband being one of five children regularly had pot noodles as a child in the eighties. There wasn’t much money to go round so they ate what was put in front of them. He is now 59, healthy, hardly ever ill, not obese, low blood pressure, very sporty, it certainly hasn’t harmed him.

don’t beat yourself up, if my hubby is anything to go by they’ll be fine 😊

I make mine exactly like you would a chicken or beef stock. But I add star anise, cinnamon stick, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime, garlic and ginger etc. Gives it that sweet and savoury taste.

You can do it in a pressure cooker in next to no time if you can’t be bothered to wait around. I’ve never done it but that’s how my ex MIL (she was Chinese/Japanese) used to make hers!

Scurvy comes from a lack of vitamin C.
Were they not eating and drinking nothing else at all?

People in MN have a weird opinion of food and they'll often try and one up other posters.

This is true. There was a v different thread on here recently full of Mumsnetters who loved scoffing raw supernoodles!

The main thing I take from OP is that she needs to educate herself on what's a balanced diet for her DC, not by being shamed by her mum or the mad range of opinions on here. Just some basic reading up and her own more informed judgement.

Apparently not, they were weirdly proud of it as well. They were a student at the time - not a great way to save money.

No it really isn't.
Funny though, I suppose..

Scurvy dog.. should have had an orange a day.. or some Robinson's Squash.. just tell MN you're having squash, it comes directly from Satan's sweat glands.

I keep a tub in my freezer for carrot or onion peelings, meat trimmings or bones, tomatoes that are over ripe (rare!). Then when I have a big pot full I defrost them, put them in the stock pot and cover with water, and simmer for an hour or so. Sieve then strain through a J-cloth.

Put in tubs and freeze until stock is needed. I sometimes reduce it down a bit first, then freeze smaller portions, if the freezer is a bit full.

@Lachimolala thanks for sharing, that sounds amazing. I think I'll try your recipe next time instead of using the flavour sachets weekly whoopsy.

@cooknwithbaby I looked up the packet flavoured ones and they're not actually that high in salt- a lot of products have reduced their salt content in recent years.

But you could use ones like this and it'd be better, and has very little salt https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/sainsburys-wholewheat-medium-noodles-250g they do a wholewheat and a normal one. They'd maybe work out cheaper really.

Several times a week is a bit much

As in supernoodles or pot noodle type? It's full of salt for a start. My son has a pack most days as part of his routine (ASD). I can however own the fact that's its not ideal or healthy and would not care to defend its merits.

I actually had a stir fry this eve with cheap Aldi super noodles. Plenty of veg, little bit of chicken. I did not though use all of the little packet of 'seasoning'. I use these quite regularly (once a week?). If added to soup I'll use 1 packet for 2 portions. I don't add any of the sachet. I only buy the chicken ones. I stock pile the sachets and might use half a one with some oil on a fresh chicken before roasting. Far too salty for me.
So yes to the noodles but big fat no to flavouring for a child.

My mum used to give us toast with Super Noodles and melted cheese on top. Like a carby toast topper. It was divine.

Instant noodles are pre fried so even if you don't use the season packet, it is still very unhealthy. To me it is ok as an indulgence but would basically treat it as junk food.

Is this a Joke?

My mum used to give us toast with Super Noodles and melted cheese on top. Like a carby toast topper. It was divine

I love a noodle sandwich with grated cheese added.