To give my dd Innocent smoothies?

[Mummylion9]

DD is 12 and has autism and sensory issues which makes eating very difficult for her. She eats no fruit or veg other than a small piece of broccoli and/or apple or cucumber which I insist on but it's difficult for her.

She does like the individual Innocent smoothies so I buy those for her, she might have one or two a day certainly no more.

But then I start to worry about the sugar and how we are supposed to be cutting down on fruit juice etc.

So good or bad in these circumstances? I give her vitamin tablets too.

I'd recommend having them with food to mitigate tooth damage and blood sugar spikes.

I’d personally consider them something to have occasionally rather than daily. Dont they have more sugar than cola?

I think when you have a child with food sensitivities, you do have to relax your preferences a bit.

I never, ever imagined id celebrate the day my child ate pizza, but here we are!

Also probably cheaper and healthier to make your own, jf you are giving often? You can get frozen fruit so cheap

Mum of a baby with sensory food issues. Do what you need to do.

Better to make a smoothie by blending together the fruits are in the Innocents she likes?

I’ve tried that previously but DD won’t have it.

Could you put it in a Innocents bottle?

They are the worst type of 'food'. They contain a vast amount of sugar and it is disguised. They will destroy her teeth and digestive system. Water is the best drink of all. I can see why DC is addicted to it as it is very attractive. Try to introduce other things using the same container without her knowledge.

You have my greatest sympathy and hope she can eventually move on from this situation.

This wouldn't work, I work with children with autism and food issues and they know if anything tastes even remotely different.

For most people making your own smoothies is better, for these kids you will not get a consistent taste and texture each time and the smoothies will be rejected.

I’ve tried that as well previously unfortunately and DD refused it saying it tastes different

This

Absolutely yanbu. I also have an autistic dd who has one daily. I'm at the thank fuck she's eating a processed chicken nugget stage so a smoothie is the least of my problems tbh.

And would not touch a homemade one, the innocent ones are completely smooth and more "watery" as I was told by her.

I would say one a day max due to the sugar content. Only one pouch will count as 1 of 5 a day so there aren’t really any benefits to having two pouches

In those circumstances I think I would give them to her, better than nothing. If she likes it completely smooth have you tried the baby fruit pouches? I imagine you have but just an idea I saw from another child with autism

As others have said, adjust your expectations. Consider this a reasonable adjustment for your child. Also for any others reading: please do not try to 'trick' your autistic child into consuming things like pouring a homemade smoothie into the bottle. They will almost always know, it can dysregulate them and it will erode their trust in you. It can also impact their ability to try new foods and drinks.

She's probably on the way to rotten teeth, fruit sugars are acidic and the worst for children's teeth.

Dd has one a day with her porridge, the dentist said that is absolutely fine as long as brushing twice a day. She hardly ever gets any colds or bugs so I think the vitamins must be doing some good.

No they are simply sugar with no goodness and the goodness is in the fibre. Basically it's sugar water . Concentrate on enforcing good eating habits which will stay with the child through to adulthood. Children if allowed will eat what they want and not what is good for them.

I have a DS with suspected ARFID. He has an innocent smoothie with his breakfast. I weigh the fact that otherwise he gets very few vitamins with the potential impact on his teeth. Vitamins win out. I do make him have it with food to try and minimise the impact but when you have a child who struggles to eat anything, you take what you can get.

Unless you have a child with significant sensory issues around food...

@Familymanheroyour advice is wrong for a lot of SEN children.

ASD children like beige bland food so basically give her whatever she will eat. Don’t make a fuss over food but every now and then offer something different. Being very chilled out over food helps and when they are older you’ll be amazed by what they will eat :)

This may not be true but I was told that blending fruit does something to the sugars in it, making it really sugary. That’s any fruit, not just innocent smoothies

I’d allow one a day in your circumstances. Yes sugary but theres got to be some nutritional value there that’s beneficial when she doesn’t eat other fruit and veg.