Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Food/recipes

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Original poster

corned beef

87 replies

samanthajm · 28/02/2005 12:02

trying to think of new things to give my 7month old son. My mum told me that she thinks he wouldnt be allowed corned beef. Does anyone know?

OP posts:
Gwenick · 28/02/2005 12:03

I'ts very high in salt - so not really suitable for him

Gobbledigook · 28/02/2005 12:04

Agree with Gwenick

Original poster
samanthajm · 28/02/2005 16:51

Thanks so much for that. I seem to be lost with what he can have and cant. thanks

OP posts:
stitch · 28/02/2005 17:20

by seven months old i think he can have most things as long as they are prepared properly, and dont have salt in them.

Original poster
samanthajm · 05/03/2005 22:35

Thanks Stitch. HV said it was ok so i gave it to him still quite relunctantly but he loved it

OP posts:
soapbox · 05/03/2005 22:37

Oh yuck - why would you feed a young baby somethink like corned beef. Full of fat, loads of salt and processed.

I certainly wouldn't!

wobblyknicks · 05/03/2005 22:42

Have to agree with soapbox, corned beef is nutrionally disgusting!!! What's the salt content for a start?

Original poster
samanthajm · 10/03/2005 21:17

i gave him it because i got told it was as healthy as any cold meat. HV thought it was a good thing. Sometimes on here i cant believe what people suggest but i always believe its a matter of choice. What one person finds "disgusting" another finds great.

Thanks anyway but ill go on the HV advice

OP posts:
HUNKERMUNKER · 10/03/2005 21:20

SJM, corned beef is meat that's been 'corned' in brine (salt water). I think your HV was remiss to tell you that this was suitable for such a young baby. Not only that, but it's hardly the best cut of meat - it's very fatty and has suspicious white chunks in it.

Health professionals don't always get it right.

ThomCat · 10/03/2005 21:22

Corned beef + RACKNESS. I wouldn't give it to my cat, or dog if I had one. NAsty stuff, uggghhhh!

ThomCat · 10/03/2005 21:22

That + sign should have been a =

HUNKERMUNKER · 10/03/2005 21:23

It cannot possibly be as healthy as any cold meat. Organic free range chicken is not comparable, for instance. If it was called salt beef, would you still give it? Because that's what it is!

Libb · 10/03/2005 21:28

We have corned beef in the house as DP loves it (the screwball) but there is no way on this earth that 10 month old DS will have it until I see fit.

And as for your HV? don't get me started . . .

Twiglett · 10/03/2005 21:29

How about chicken baked in oven chopped into little pieces and mixed with cottage cheese

make a savoury mince .. brown mince, add garlic, mixed herbs, small veg like chopped carrot / peas, tin of tomatoes and simmer for 20 - 30 mins .. mix with cooked pasta and layer in a casserole dish with white sauce (you can pop this in the freezer in portions)

toast

cheese on toast

(I personally wouldn't give corned beef to be honest, I think your HV was mistaken on that .. but no harm done so wouldn't worry about it)

Twiglett · 10/03/2005 21:31

couscous .. really quick .. just put a little in a bowl, cover with hot water, plate over the top for a few minutes, then mix it with anything you like

Libb · 10/03/2005 21:31

I forgot, the ingredients: cooked beef (84%), beef (12%), salt, sugar and preservative (sodium nitrate).

helsi · 10/03/2005 21:31

cous cous and cheese melted in it is yummy.

wobblyknicks · 10/03/2005 21:34

samanthajm - as some of those boards show, some HV's are notoriously ill-informed. And I didn't say that corned beef tastes disgusting, though I happen to think so - that would be a matter of opinion. I said it is nutrionally disgusting, which is a fact.

I don't have exact figures on me though and haven't been able to find any on the net - anyone know the saturated fat and salt content in corned beef?

alux · 10/03/2005 21:38

I would eat salt beef and do eat corned beef occasionally, while I wonder if it really is 'beef' in it, as in McD's '100% beef'. Please remember that it is in the method of preparation whether or not corned beef or salt beef is unhealthy. I make corned beef pie occasionally and don't add any salt. Mixed in with all that potato, the saltiness is gone. I sometimes get leg cramps because I put v. little salt into my food - 80% home cooked I may add.

Likewise, I have corned fish - all caught, cleaned, corned and later cooked by my family as corning is a method of preservation before refridgeration.

And I do know how important it is to be careful about what I would feed a weaning child so I would have asked about corned beef too. I don't know if I would or wouldn't feed a baby it. A tiny bit to change the flavour of mashed potato is imho a way of introducing new tastes.

Oh, my mom almost killed me by giving me old fashioned oatmeal before my digestive system could handle it so the most innocuous thing can be lethal.

With the JO threads, everyone seems to be on tenterhooks over food. Can we be gentle with our disapproval?

wobblyknicks · 10/03/2005 21:41

alux - using corned beef in a recipe may take the taste of the salt away but it doesn't actually lower the salt content. And trust me, I am being as gentle as I can with my disapproval but giving high levels of salt to babies is one of my huge bug bears. It can lead to so many problems in later life - heart disease, obesity and poor concentration to name a few.

wobblyknicks · 10/03/2005 21:45

Ok, obviously you'd have to check the exact corned beef you're using but have found a site that says on average a 100g of corned beef has 808milligrams of sodium. Now a child of 6 months to a year should have a maximum of 750mg per day, and the 'safe' daily intake is said to be about 300mg per day. So its not hard to see one of the reasons I called corned beef nutrionally disgusting.

Original poster
samanthajm · 10/03/2005 21:46

Thanks Alux, i was starting to regret asking.I dont give it to him much as i still doubt myself and i give him a variety of things.HV says that the prepration is the important thing (not to add extra salt).Cant find any details of the meat on the web.Some of these comments have made me quite angry.I didnt ask if people like it just if it could be given to a baby.I love it.I think there is to much caution now as i was fed normal gravy etc as baby and absolute fine but i take it all on board.Thanks again Alux for not being so "finger pointing" disapproving.Im new to it all

OP posts:
Blossomhill · 10/03/2005 21:48

Have to say although I don't give it to the kids but I love corned beef, with pickle on thick buttered bread. Yum!

Libb · 10/03/2005 21:48

The fat content (doesn't state the type of) is 13.5g per 100g - the tin I am reading from is 200g.

I have my opinions about this and didn't mean to be heavy handed. Sorry. xxx

Original poster
samanthajm · 10/03/2005 21:50

Dear Wobbly, ur last comment is exactly what i was needing to know at start but found that people where to busy disapproving of me and "telling me off" to get down to the basics. As a first time mum i have a lot of questions and naturally i go to hv and take her advice.i spend a lot of time with my ds food and try to give him best. So really didnt need some of the comments that have been made just facts so thanks

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread