Talk to Fish is the Dish about seafood and child nutrition - £200 voucher prize draw NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

Fish is the Dish want to talk to Mumsnetters to see how they, if at all, they incorporate fish into their child's diet.

Here's what Fish is the Dish have to say, "Our latest research has revealed that future good health is what we want more for our children than anything else. One of the best things we can do to help our children achieve good health now is to provide them with, and encourage them to eat, a healthy, balanced diet. Fish of all sorts provides great nutritional value to the diet of children. For example, all types of fish including white, oily and shellfish, are excellent sources of protein and vitamin B12. Plus, many varieties such as cod, haddock, coley, crab and mussels are also rich in iodine, which contributes to the normal growth of children."

So, do you like fish? Is fish something you like eat with your children? Are you aware of the health benefits that incorporating seafood into your diet brings? If you're not a fan of seafood are there other foods you deliberately try to include into your and your DCs diets to make sure that they get all the nutrients they need? If you are a fan, what's your favourite fish or seafood recipe?

Everyone who adds their thoughts to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £200 seafood voucher which can be spent on seafood from Wings of St Mawes which will be delivered to you. To read more about Fish is the Dish and Mumsnet click here.

Thanks
MNHQ

Fish is seen as a treat in our house, and we're lucky that we treat ourselves to it quite often.
My children even eat the fish that their peers sometimes sneer at: sardine sandwiches for example (we went through an 'Edin Blyton picnic' phase with sardines and ginger beer and honey sandwiches etc).
We eat tinned oily fish (sardines, mackerel, tuna etc) about once a week, white fish two or three times a month, and seafood (prawns or mussels from the freezer) once or twice a month.
I incorporate fish into lots of dishes but often it seems a shame to dress it up too much: a squeeze of lemon is more than enough.
Our favourite way to eat fish: standing around the chopping board while I crack the claws of a lobster or crab with the heavy handle of the carving knife, then we all dive in and eat with our fingers 'This is just heaven' according to ED.
My favourite way to cook fish: poach smoked haddock (a small fillet per person) in a little water with a sliced onion. When it's almost cooked crack in an egg per person and poach it in the smokey water. Take out the fish, onions and egg with a slotted spoon, add a tiny knob of butter and serve with brown bread.
I even use the leftover poaching water to make a fishy potato and sweetcorn soup.
Fish especially is so versatile, full of flavour and high in protein that you don't need much per person to make a really tasty nutritious meal, which means that, even though it is more pricey than some meats per pound, it is very cost effective per person.

I have never been keen on seafood or fish (ever since I had a bad experience with prawns as a child!). I don't like the smell of fish either. But I know for the kids it is important. So we try to make dishes that don't taste too fishy like a nice fishermans pie with lots of cheese on top.

The kids also love salmon steaks and smoked salmon. And so we try to incorporate lots of that into meals.

I buy frozen fish sometimes as I find it easier. A frozen hake steak can have herbs and butter added to it and popped in the oven to make a tasty fish dish.

I love seafood and grew up with a fair bit of it. We used to get a whole rainbow trout when in season and grill it with a ginger, tumeric, salt and garlic marinade. It's still my favourite fish dish! My dad always used to say that when he was growing up the best part was the eyes and he used to fight over them with his siblings but he could never convince us to eat them!
My son isn't such a fan of 'pink fish' (salmon) but likes white fish. He'll scoff down fish fingers and fish cakes and battered fish after picking off the batter. We often have noodle soup as a lunch dish with squid, prawns and whatever seafood I happen to have in it and of course smoked mackerel or kippers are a favourite breakfast!

I love fish and seafood, but dh hates it, so we tend to only eat bland, "safe" fish at home - fish pie made with white fillet and salmon, tuna pasta bake, mackerel pate. Fish fingers. Fishcakes made with tinned fish.
Anything that looks like a fish puts dh right off.

The fish dish I cook most is tuna and green olive gnocchi bake - gnocchi, tinned tuna, garlic, sliced green olives, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped herbs in an oven proof dish, carton of cream poured over, cheese on top, baked in the oven, served with salad. Easy to prepare and everyone will eat it.

I often order fish and seafood in restaurants and the DC are usually keen to try - they have eaten things like octopus, calamari, mussels, king prawns, and various varieties of fish that way, and enjoyed them. I'd like to take them to a sushi bar, I think that would be fun.

I love fish but my girls aren't too keen. I cooked salmon en croute the other day, and sea bass en papillote at the weekend. I always give them some of whatever we are eating and they can try it if they like with no pressure.

They will eat salmon or tuna sandwiches.

I love fish and seafood, but husband not so keen and DC only like white fish like cod and haddock, DS likes scampi and DD likes tuna pasta. I cook haddock about once a week, using breadcrumbs (gluten free for me) and serving with homemade chips, which is probably the favourite dish.

I like fish like salmon and mackerel with salad and baked potato, also,like prawn dishes with rice and crab pâté and oatcakes is lovely.

Without really consciously making an active decision to do so, our family seem to be eating more and more fish. The children love it and it's good value for money and fat-free. Love seafood too! Particularly mussels and prawns! Nothing beats a fantastic fish pie, seafood linguine or spaghetti vongole!

I confess that I am not a huge fish fan (though I eat much more than I used to), but ds(7) loves fish. His favourite thing is to be allowed a free choice from the fish counter - mussels, prawns (he prefers those with their heads and legs), salmon, trout, sardines, anything really! But letting him choose has been great as you can just get 3 prawns, or one herring and he'll try it as he chose it. The cook in bags the fish counter do now are a blessing to the non confident fish cooker too

We eat fish once or twice a week.
We're on a budget so last night we had frozen value white fillets oven baked with lemon and breadcrumbs.
Salmon is our favourite - got some half price frozen fillets so will be having those in foil parcels with herbs and white wine
. Kids eat a lot of fishfingers.
We had pasta salad with smoked mackerel/sweet corn/spinach and mayo last week.
Love mackerel pate -usually with cream cheese, but dm can't have dairy so we do it with grated apple for her.
Tuna with jacket potatoes.

I have done fancier things with fish for special occasions, but the above is what we normally like and it's great that all 3 kids like fish because it's a good source of protein.

We are not big fish eaters as none of us really like fish other than haddock, cod or similar. We have it once per fortnight/week at best. Usually dressed in a crumb or topped with pesto and baked. I always give DS some. He has had salmon and tuna despite my and DH dislike but similarly he has refused a second bite.

We all enjoy fish, DH eats fish but not meat so it's good for a family meal for us.
my 4yo often asks if there is any salmon when we eat at pubs and is usually disappointed by the children's menu Favourites are salmon en croute usually from Marks and Spencer or plain salmon with watercress sauce or creamed spinach. Plus the usual breaded fish and homemade fish fingers with cereal for the coating. I used to make salmon in the George Foreman grill with yogurt and coriander on too.

We eat as much fish as we can. Smoked salmon in bagels is a favourite. Cod always goes down a treat. Tuna steaks great. DD asked for baked salmon with mayonnaise yesterday. We also love sushi and make our own sometimes. seafood is very cherished - cockles, prawns, mussels, crab, lobster. Would eat it every day if I could and the DCs would follow me.

The cost of fish makes it a real treat item for us but we try to eat it weekly because of the health benefits for the children.

DS loves Salmon so we cook it simply so that we can also give a few bits to DD who is weaning.

I love kedgeree but that's a treat for DH and I as DS isn't a fan of spices. But to be honest it's been hard to find smoked white fish recently in our supermarket which is a shame.

Both dc (4.7 & 1.9) love fish, tend to cook simple things like fish pie, salmon steaks, trout fillets, prawn pasta etc. ds1 loves smoked salmon sandwiches in his packed lunch, ds2 likes tuna sandwiches. We probably have fish/seafood a couple of times a week. I like it for the dc as it's healthy and good source of protein. I wish I was better/braver with cooking it though as I tend to stick to known safe receipes/methods

We tend to buy mackerel, which Dd dislikes but Ds adores. After careful negotiations and promises of dessert she soon gulps it down.We also have mussels, scallops or clams as a Friday night treat.

We don't eat a lot of fish really. Salmon baked maybe twice a month, sometimes tuna mayo sandwiches, fish and chips from the chippy once a month at the most. I've never liked fish much, but I would like to encourage my daughter to eat more, but sadly if it's not fish fingers she's not keen

I'm a vegetarian

But I do cook fish for everyone else, and they all love fish. My favourite speedy supper for the children is salmon and pasta - I use tiny pasta like stellini, or orzo which cooks in a few minutes, throw in a handful of peas or spinach leaves at the end and meanwhile steam the salmon in the microwave (Lakeland microwave fish steamer). Vary it a bit with the veg, or add pesto and/or creme fraiche etc.
Mackerel - they love mackerel pate with pitta bread/carrot sticks. Flake smoked mackerel into a bowl and mix roughly with a bit of mayo and natural or Greek yoghurt. Add pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Health benefits, nutritious and quick to cook.

Oh and kedgeree - I always make this for breakfast for birthdays and Christmas, with a veggie version for me!

We love fish and seafood. We have fish pie, oven baked salmon steaks, breaded fish (including fish fingers as an easy option). We tend to choose haddock rather then cod.

I'm aware of the health benefits and am trying to pass these onto my son. I keep white fish fillets (basa at the moment) in the freezer to make fish in white sauce for him.

My husband occasionally has tinned sild and we get smoked mackerel to have in a salad. I also like tuna in sandwiches or as a jacket potato filling.

I don't do mussels anymore after a couple of bad experiences. Its a shame as I used to love them.

Oh I nearly forgot my husband's salmon pasta recipe!

Chopped up salmon and smoked salmon poached in a cream/white wine/wholegrain mustard sauce, then add cooked pasta and mix it all up. He makes it for my birthday most years and its so tasty.

We eat quite a lot of fish, as my partner and I don't eat meat. Our toddler gets extra doses of fish via those very very easy oven bags. Just pick up one or two from the fish counter and choose your portion size. We have always found they are more than happy to put a little portion in a posh bag with some butter. Also ideal for people who sin't like handling raw fish.
Fish pie a favourite in our house - it was even the main course at our wedding, as it had sentimental value, being the only thing my partner could cook when we met!

So, do you like fish?

Is fish something you like eat with your children? Are you aware of the health benefits that incorporating seafood into your diet brings? I like fish and eating it with my children but I'm aware of the fact that we don't eat enough of the right fish in this country (ie with enough omega 3) so I try to do that too.

If you?re not a fan of seafood are there other foods you deliberately try to include into your and your DCs diets to make sure that they get all the nutrients they need? If you are a fan, what?s your favourite fish or seafood recipe? Favourite dish is simple old fish pie. Filling and well loved at this time of year. Made with white fish (whiting or haddock).

I've always loved fish, & have managed to get DH to eat more variety (he went from being deeply suspicious of anything that wasn't battered, to loving sashimi), & DD, who is 19m has always enjoyed seafood as well. I'm aware of the health benefits & found it rather hard to keep to 'only' a couple of portions of oily fish a week while I was pregnant, as it was one of the things I craved.

Favourite recipes are:

For us all, fish pie, made with mixture of white fish, smoked fish, maybe some salmon, some prawns. Mashed potato on top, parsley in the white sauce, serve with peas & broccoli.

Family meal: fish korma with broccoli & red peppers. I used to make an ultra mild version for DD from the age of 12m, but she now eats the normal korma with us.

When we go to the seaside, we sometimes bring back a fresh crab, & make crab noodle salad. Add spring onions, shredded crispy lettuce, beansprouts, finely sliced peppers, & dress with soy sauce, a dash of fish sauce, toasted sesame oil, sweet chilli sauce, & chopped fresh coriander leaves. You can use any cooked, cooled Chinese style noodles for this salad, & add any other salad veg you want as well. Have napkins on standby - it's not the tidiest meal you'll ever eat!

One easy standby for DD from early on, which she still loves, is pasta, tossed in either white sauce/cheese sauce/cream cheese, as available, served with a small piece of salmon, & some peas or other green veg, which are cooked in with the pasta. I bulk buy salmon for her when it's on offer, remove the bones & cut it into 3cm pieces, & freeze it carefully so it stays separate. When it's frozen I transfer it to a freezer bag/box & seal.

Fishcakes, using tinned tuna or salmon, or fresh if it's on offer. good for using up leftover mashed potato. Add spring onions, an egg to bind, seasoning. Fry in a little oil, or oven bake. Serve with salad.