Honey roast parsnips - infant botulism?

[worrierandwine]

Had planned to roast parsnips and carrots in honey and mustard for Christmas dinner but our almost 8 month old will be eating with us (obviously) should I avoid due to botulism risk? Can I do maple roasted instead?

Errorofjudgement we eat as a family and always have. I don't believe in cooking separate meals as I think this breeds fussy eating. The children eat what we eat, which is fresh food cooked from scratch. I don't slather things in salt or oil.

Hey-the op came on a parenting site asking for some advice. There is no need to be so sneery.

I came on to say that agave syrup is a good substitute for honey if you want something more similar to honey.

Merry Christmas!

You're right to ask. Ignore the useless replies.

I would avoid and use maple syrup or agave nectar.

I wouldn't give it to your baby. When they're under 1 their gut microflora is less developed meaning they have an increased risk to Botulism and honey is one of the foods that is a risk. Botusim is horrible so I would definitely avoid giving!

Merry Christmas

worriedandwine
At 8 months old my 3 children were eating puréed food which if it needed sweetening was done by adding apple rather than sugar.
Usually it was a simplified version of what we were eating, slightly modified for their age.
My post earlier was intended to suggest a way of still giving your child(ren) the same meal, but in a simpler form.

But thanks for branding it a sneery and unhelpful comment

I would chuck 2x carrots and parsnips in with the potatoes for the baby. Does that work?

Mine was not a snide remark, it was a genuine point about judgement of risks. People can be very naive abut risk, ignoring large risks and obsessing about tiny risks. You should be thinking about why this worries you and other more risky things do not to help you bring your child up safely.

It's not obsessing to follow the guidelines, cooking doesn't kill the botulism spores apparently so I wouldn't, maybe use maple syrup or keep a few to one side/out of honey pan.

My youngest is 8 mths and we aren't cooking carrots, parsnips etc in honey either. He gets whatever we get to eat, no blending etc.

The guidelines are because even though it's rare it can make little babies very poorly, like with formula and making it up with 70 degree water, the risk is small but if they do get ill it can be very serious. It's an easy risk to avoid.

Oh and my baby is baby 6 not pfb but following the guidelines which haven't changed re honey in the 17 yrs since I had my eldest.

This risk is small but the consequences could be high and what is there to gain? I take a risk when I take kids in car but u help minimise by using appropriate carseats etc there are some risks that are part of life, we actually cycle and walk a lot and avoid car use when we can, but there are things we can't do without a car and there is a gain to using the car. What gain is there from giving the baby honey?

Totally agree, 5MadThings.

5madthings Thank-you for proving my point. Cycling and walking is more dangerous per mile than car use, but you avoid using the car for safety reasons.

Missing the point of the thread entirely, you said you wondered what happened overnight at a year old to mean you can stop sterilising. You can stop sterilising at 6 months. Merry Christmas, I hope I have gifted you a liberty from the drudgery of sterilising, which I hated so so so much.

I don't avoid the car for safety reasons I avoid the car because it's bloody lazy for short journeys. We may have a risk in walking/cycling statistically but it's still healthier choice, it's also dun, enjoyable and better for the environment. There are a variety of 'gains' unlike in going a baby honey.

I bloody love you OP

I'm always seeing nice recipies for roasting etc but they include Evil Honey (I can't bare the smell let alone the taste) so i just sign, and skip over them.

An obvious substitution never really came to mind, but I'm pretty sure I've seen Maple Syrup in the supermarket.

sigh

Not sign

I do not make rude signs at the recipie.

Usually.

Peaceloveandbiscuits I think I stopped sterilising around that time with DD1 as once they're crawling I imagine they pick all sorts of germs and bacteria up. Thanks for confirming it though
I just roasted them in a little olive oil and she had them with her mash, gravy and turkey which all went down a treat.
Online I'm glad the suggestion of maple syrup has helped, some other posters have suggested agave syrup which also sounds lovely. I find maple syrup gives a less sweet and more interesting taste.
I originally posted about this as I wondered if others had thought the same and wanted opinions and/ or confirmations of whether the heat would kill the bacteria or if it just wasn't worth the risk. It's an easy thing to avoid, but as I say, just wondered really.
Hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and enjoyed your dinners whether honey roasted or not

If it's any help, my understanding is that it's the toxin that is a problem rather than the organism itself. Cooking may kill the organism (though I seem to remember it forms resistant spores and can re-grow) but doesn't remove the toxin, so should be avoided even if cooked.
Hope you have had a lovely day.

Slightlyperturbed that helps greatly. Thanks for answering my question, sticking with plain or maple roasted for the next few months