Sugar free breakfast for my children, any suggestions?

[HinnyPet]

I have just watched the BBC tv programme on Alder Hay Hospital, I am now kicking myself and feel bitterly ashamed of my childrens diet.

My two have either weetabix with a sprinkle of sugar, readybrek with sprinkle of sugar or Oats so Simple which has sugar in it, or cheerios. They share a sliced banana.

They have sandwiches for lunch (cheese or tuna mayo usually) and they share some organix crisps.

For tea they have pasta with bolognese sauce (make it with handfuls of frozen veggies, cherry tomatoes, tinned tomatoes and herbs) or sometimes cheese and tomato pizza. They love toast and anything, beans, hoops etc.

I need to get rid of this sugar. I need to get our diets back on track, I am really ashamed

What do your DC's eat? Any advice would be great. Thank you.

Horton, those fritters sound lovely! How much flour do you use?

Hinnypet, your DC's diet sound fine to me, very similar to my DS's.

I usually make porridge for breakfast. We both prefer the proper stuff to Readybrek so I make that on the stove (always bubbles over when I try to microwave it!) and grate an apple or pear into it. I usually put a bit of dried fruit on top too as DS has gone off fresh fruit on his porridge.

You will not be able to eradicate sugar completely from your diets, nor should you want to.

Limit sugary food to blocks in the day, so if they are to have a little treat, have it after a meal. Go for some chocolate instead of sweets/biscuits, because chocolate doesn't get stuck in the pits of their teeth. Same with sugary drinks, limit to meal times.

If they have a treat between meals, make sure it can't be drawn out. The teeth suffer an acid attack for 20 minutes after food/drink, so if they are grazing on a snack over some time with large gaps in between, they will be subject to several acid attacks.

Look for hidden sugars. They are where you don't expect them to be.

Brush teeth after breakfast & before bed. But no more than 20 minutes after a meal.

Water is the best drink, but I would always recommend going with drinks with sugar if you have to, as aspartame (in sugar free drinks/foods) is not a good alternative!

Brush teeth after breakfast & before bed. But no less than 20 minutes after a meal.

Whilst it's not a dreadful diet at all, I disagree with posters who say that it's fine and better than most have.

Def cut out the sugar from the breakfast, and maybe do eggs for a change once in a while.

Cut out the crisps from the lunch and make them an occasional treat only. Replace with some chopped fruit or veg (cucumber and beetroot are a popular lunch choice for my 4 yo for eg). And could you add sweetcorn to the tuna mayo?

Are the dinners you mention just an example, or the only things they get for dinner? I'd be concerned about salt levels with bread for lunch and dinner on a regular basis.

What about a mild chilli with lots of assorted (unsalted and unsugared) beans in with some rice as you say that they like mince. Or minced lamb turned into a shepherds pie with lots of veg mixed in (grated courgette, chopped or grated carrot and celery work well ime) or cottage pie. You can top with a mix of potato and butternut squash or sweet potato or swede.

There are also some good recipes on aitch's blog that I still use as family meals - sweetcorn patties go down very well.

I'm not really sure how much flour, BornToFolk. I beat the egg, add flour until it's a fairly stiff mix and then add milk gradually to make it a kind of dropping consistency, like scotch pancake batter. I guess a few tablespoons? They are really nice and endlessly variable.

Lovely, thanks Horton, will try those out for lunch tomorrow!

The traditional British breakfast with a lot of meat is the best of course. I had bacon and eggs today (that's grilled bacon, poached eggs) and I know people have very strong view on meat and even eggs but it works for us. One child had fried egg on toast and another a bacon sandwich.

Thank you all!

They are all brill suggestions and I am gonna definately try the lamb mince and grated veggies with potato on top, but they won't eat chilli beans though, I've tried lots of times..how about using (rinsed) baked beans in it? DH will eat the other half of the tin.

Horton, thanks for the advice, am going to try those fritters too.

Is there any good recipies you can suggest that I could make in bulk and freeze?

Don't rinse baked beans hinny - just use tinned haricot beans, or flageolet beans, or butter beans or any other beans that you think they might try - there are loads in the bean aisle of the supermarkets - just make sure that you pick an unsalted and unsugared variety.

Which beans are the softest do you think?

my kids love burgers or meatballs made with roughtly grated carrot and cheese and a bit of minced garlic, it really makes them moist and delicious. if yours can take a bit of spike, add some harissa to the mix. they make great meatballs too. it's not a children's recipe, just a really good burger. we have them with oven baked wedges and salad.

Haricot beans are basically just like baked beans only without the sauce so that sounds like a good option.

Meatballs with grated carrot and cheese sounds like a fab idea, thanks.

oh, and if you're having tuna mayo sarnies for example, grate cucumber into a bowl first then squeeze out excess liquid, then grate carrot then tuna and mayo. really spins the tin out and is also nicer. (i add capers to mine but dd hates them).
also, gently poach some sliced garlic in a fair amount of olive oil, then add haricot beans to warm through, then mush about a bit, and serve that in place of mashed pot. more protein, generally better, and tastes AMAZING with fish. sea salt is a nice addition for adults.

Will try that tuna suggestion! Aitch, thank you