to think burgers and sausages are not accepatble foods for a 9 month old?

[EmmalinaC]

I have just returned to work so DD2 started at a local nursery 2 days per week. DD2 has been attending the same nursery since she was 18 months old.

It's a lovely nursery but I have always been a bit about some of their menus.

The babies can either have pureed vegetable (eg. sweet potato - proper first food stuff) or the 'nursery meal' mashed. To date this has included burger, potato and peas and sausages, potato and carrots.

Now, we're not an obsessive organic/wholefood household but I would have thought 9 months is a bit too young to be eating this sort of junk (not least because of the high salt content) but I would expect the nursery to know this!

So AIBU? Or should I make a fuss?

but you don't mind them feeding said 'junk' to dd1?

sounds like the whole menu needs an overhaul imo

(NB my 9mo would certainly have preferred the 'nursery meal' to slop)

if they can have the veg why not just let them have that for 2 days a week?

some week's ds's nursery meals are far better nutritional than others.

it could be a really nice homemade burger and potato, peas and carrots are ok (aren't they?)

How do you know it's high in salt? Nothing wrong with decent burgers or sausages.

well min were blw so just had what we had and yes, shock horro, we do as a family eat sausages so 9 monthers would have knawed on sausages of that's what they wanted to do

Well to be fair most nursery cooks don't have any training in child nutrition.

Depends on the burgers/sausages in question. Not all of them are high in salt. DS was happily munching away on sausages by 9 mths - not mashed though.

I do have to say mashed sausages sound particualrly grim... which is why I blw'ed, then they can chew them if they want

We eat sausages as a family too but we buy decent ones - I'd never even thought of feeding them to such a young one though! Maybe I am being a bit precious about processed foods

I have a 9 month old and he happily munches on sausages. I do try and buy decent ones but generally he eats what he eats. As a family this means that I avoid processed food and adding salt but I suspect it also means that my 9 month old eats things that you wouldn't approve of. He had pizza this evening, not mashed but great for his poor teething gums!

should be "eat what we eat."

Oooh, EmmalinaC! Come back to our May thread and say hi....

Really? I feel like I've been away so long you've all moved on without me! I do lurk from time to time...

I agree that its not suitable. At one point our nursery offered kids hot dogs as a snack and I created a stink. Nurseries have a responsibility to provide good balanced meals so, yes I would ask that they provide something more suitable for a 9mth old that is homecooked without any added salt & sugar.

If no one speaks up nothing changes.

sausage is not the best (for anyone) because of the nitrates and saturated fat. but in the grand scheme, I don't think it's a big deal.

It depends on the context of the burger/sausages - if it is once a week when the rest is fish pie/lasagna/roast etc, then it's no problem at all.

DS was quite happy to gnaw on a sausage at 7 months, and I didn't see the problem at all

What else is one the menu? Can't just be burger and bangers.

Partly depends on teh quality of the meat product, partly depends on teh balance of the whole menu. Find that out then see if you should make a fuss.

Not a problem once in a while - and I don't see why burgers and sausages are inherently salty either. Depends on if they are home made with the babies in mind, and therefore done without salt added, or whether they are bog standard Tesco value sausages. I would find out a bit more first (wondering why you haven't done this before as your older child's been there a while) plus, as has been said, look at the menu as a whole.

Yes, come back! It will be lovely to hear all about your DD. Here we are