Processed meat or no meat at all?

[Velvetvilla]

So my DC hardly eat any “real” meat. They are generally picky about food. I am NOT looking for advice on this, as we have tried it all! Including “like it or go hungry” (spoiler: they go hungry).

so my dilemma is……

There has been a lot in the news recently about how bad processed meat is for our health. Wondering if it is better to give the DC a small amount of processed meat (such as good quality sausages) or better for the DC to have no meat at all? WWYD? It’s not like they would be eating a variety of other protein sources that vegetarians normally do, like beans and pulses, instead, because there is no way that they would eat these! At least, not at the moment.

Will they eat chicken or fish?

If they like meat and it's part of a balanced diet, I'd say a better quality is a good idea if you can afford it.
Sausages from a butcher for example.
Would they eat chicken nuggets if you made them?

DD is a fussy eater, won’t eat certain meats now due to school friends diets and comments. She pint blank refuses fish. This was a child that ate her steak rare and wolfed sea bass and salmon down when she was 5.

I give DD good quality sausages/ ham at home and a vitamin.

I’m vegan, DH eats anything that moves - unless you go deep in to a vegan diet meaning you take all the vitamins/ minerals it’s not a good idea to cut the meat imo.

Im also vegan and dp is a big meat eater.
We met in the middle so to speak.
I think you have to pick your battles op. The odd processed sausage isn't going to do more harm if the rest of their diet is good.
Whatever nutrients you get from meat, ar the kids getting from other sources?
Eg eggs have plenty of iron and protein, there's lots of iron in green veg but obviously alot of young kids wont touch them, b12 so that's your meat, or marmite, or supplements.
Etc. Just try and work out what's missing and fill in the gaps.

They don't need meat at all, but they do need to get enough protein. Is there nothing else that they would eat which would enable them to get this? Could you get creative about how to sneak healthier proteins into stuff?

Honestly, I wouldn't be keen to rely on processed meat to meet a basic dietary requirement, because it definitely isn't healthy and you might be setting them up with bad habits for life. That said, you've got to feed them something, and if they're incredibly fussy, your options may be very limited.

Ultimately, fed is better than not fed (as long as they aren't over-fed!). And some protein is better than no protein.

Make sure they’re getting age appropriate vitamins/supplements.

Use nutritional yeast in food you make up for them. It can be added to lots of things.

If they eat pasta make your own sauces up from cooking up lots of veg. Carrots, onion, celery, garlic, spinach etc and blending with tinned tomatoes (and add the nutritional yeast). This can also be used on pizza bases.

Would they eat home made chicken nuggets? This is an activity they can get involved in. Rolling the cut up chicken breast in the flour egg and breadcrumbs and getting them in the oven.

Helping to make food how been linked to improving what foods children are open to eating.

Occasionally a bit of chicken, but otherwise no. It's so frustrating.

I can be seen reading the back of pre-packed ham slices to see if they're "formed" and most of them are. I never buy these no matter how nice it looks. I watched on TV how they do it. 🫤

They only eat processed chicken nuggets.

Any attempts I make at homemade meatballs, nuggets, tenders etc are not eaten. I think they struggle with the texture of meat, and processed meat gives that even consistency.

I have a DC with a relatively limited diet due to autism. I figure it's better to have him get some protein from sausages, nuggets, fish fingers, than to serve protein he won't eat. I buy ones without additives and/or a high meat content.

I have had some success with my own breaded chicken and fish. We also do protein with cheese, egg and lentils (because it's a sensory issue, he'll eat smooth curried lentils but not eg mince in Bolognese or chicken in a casserole).

Thank you. I think I need to have a look around for options without additives.

What do you mean they can't eat beans, lentils and pulses? They absolutely refuse? Not sparky but I know a few people who told me kids (in uk) don't eat legumes/pulses. They are not given and they don't eat. Turns out when I cooked a bean, lentil and mushroom ragu two sets of teems and preteens wolfed it they had to be asked to leave some for adults.

In any case, try naked ham and naked sausages. Also if you have butchers nearby. And can they eat the sliced chicken and turkey that supermarkets do? Less processed and mostly roast or steamed.
Have you tried thin slices of meat either like that or further softened by hammering or velvetising? Velvetising will give it a processed meat feel without being truly processed

@Velvetvilla What do you mean they can't eat beans, lentils and pulses? They absolutely refuse? Not sparky but I know a few people who told me kids (in uk) don't eat legumes/pulses. They are not given and they don't eat. Turns out when I cooked a bean, lentil and mushroom ragu two sets of teems and preteens wolfed it they had to be asked to leave some for adults.

In any case, try naked ham and naked sausages. Also if you have butchers nearby. And can they eat the sliced chicken and turkey that supermarkets do? Less processed and mostly roast or steamed.
Have you tried thin slices of meat either like that or further softened by hammering or velvetising? Velvetising will give it a processed meat feel without being truly processed

Finnebrogue does naked ham and sausages. Not additives free but nitrite free

Good quality sausages are fine. Have you tried making nuggets from turkey mince?

I’d pick your battles. In every almost certain likelihood, they aren’t going to be this way forever: as they get older their tastes will broaden, they’ll be exposed to new foods through their peers, the fussiness will drop away. I don’t know any adults who now only eat nuggets and baked beans, even if that’s all they’d eat as children. A few years of chicken nuggets and sausages, because being fed is better than not being fed, is not a tragedy in the grand scheme of things. Just check the ingredients, buy the best quality / highest meat content / least additive versions you can that they’ll accept.

Re the beans and lentils - believe me, I've tried!!! But they refuse.

Thanks for the tip about velvetising. Despite my username, have never heard of this. Googling now....

As others have said
1 they don't need meat if they have other protein sources. The processed meat can then occasionally supplement
2 choose low additives as low as you can go

It might be more helpful if you post a sample week's diet then people can help you think of options s as well as adequacy of protein

Ultimately you are feeding your kid the best you can under tough circumstances. Kudos to you

Don't forget trying velvetising. And it could also be associations. So velvetise thin slices and cook them. Pack them like in a supermarket (you can use ziplocks) . Then let dc only see you take them from a pack not cook them and see if that does the tricks.

As parents we are called to be many things including tricksters and magicians

Yes I just wanted clarity on that as I wasn't sure.

I realised your username later. It made me smile.
Velvetising changes the meat texture. The longer you "marinate" it, the more denatured the protein. So you could experiment with a range of times. What might be too much for some might be exactly what a kid with sensory issues needs. Who knows. You can use cornstarch or bicarb.
All the best

To add, as a couple of other posters have touched on, the specific concerns with processed meat are nitrites and nitrates as carcinogens - which are mostly found in cured processed meats like bacon, ham and charcuterie, in reconstituted meat products, and in some hot dogs. Things like fresh sausages, burgers, and chicken nuggets, whilst often less than ideal because they’re usually high in saturated fat, don’t usually contain these preservatives.

Thank you.

For other protein sources, DC1 eats peanut butter toast, cheese and yoghurt.
DC2 eats cheese and sometimes some eggs or yoghurt.
They both drink lots of milk.

Good to know, thank you. Will start scrutinising labels.

Aim for healthier versions

But don't worry about it.

Have you tried homemade chicken nuggets? If you make them in batches and freeze them they'll at least be better than processed.

Yes, and the little blighters turn up their noses at them! Sigh!!!