Am I being too precious about salt?

[HensMum]

DS is 11 months old. He's a great eater and I make all his food. I want to get him eating more of what we eat but I always freak out about salt. For example, I made a dish with gnocchi, mushrooms, spinach and cheese which I intended to give him some off, then I read the gnocchi packet and thought they might be too salty. I made a pie using ready made pastry but didn't give him any because I thought there might be too much salt.

I overheard a mum at clinic saying she gave her twins, who looked about 8 months, pesto. The HV said "oh that's great, just give them what you have and you'll be surprised what they'll eat" and I was sat there thinking "pesto is too salty, surely"

So, am I freaking out too much?

They do seem to crave salty foods as they get older which makes me wonder whether it can really be all that bad, in moderation of course! Aren't you supprosed to crave foods that your body needs?

I have relaxed quite a bit. Don't put much in cooking but let them eat crisps, salty popcorn etc without worrying about it too much.

I too am a bit neurotic about salt and certainly was when ds was 11mo - I think at that age it's still wise to be v careful about salt and I wouldn't have given pesto.

Ds is now 2.3 and I have relaxed alot but now if he is eating something salty I say to him - not too much it's salty. So if he has a couple of normal crisps he says to me - "too salty"!!

Ok so some people probably think this is over the top but I am trying to bring him up to understand why some foods are restricted and that too much salt is bad for you.

Table salt I just say is only for adults and is bad for you (we don't use it but his grandad literally pours it on his food - I have no problem with telling ds this is bad for him!)

Salt is only bad for you if a) you have kidney function problems or immature kidneys - b) you have raised blood pressure or c) you use FAR too much of it.

The only reason the FSA can give for EVERONE to cut back on salt is that your blood pressure raises as you get older.

Well, you know what? I don't care. I have LOW blood pressure, it's going to have to raise a LOT before it gets remotely bad for me.

Plus, by eating healthily and living healthily, you have a better longer life, but eating and living neurotically will give you a very long, very dull life. YOu don't get any more youth than anyone else, you get a great big dollop of being old at the end of it.

I don't think you are being too precious.
Lots of ready made food such as pastry and pesto has a high salt content as it is a natural preservative.
For peace of mind best to make your own of stock, pesto etc
I also try to give them completely salt free days when poss.

Yes, you are being too precious.

Apart from babies, who's kidneys aren't developed enough to process salt, we all need salt in our diets, and you can die from a lack of salt.

I do think you have to be careful with a baby that age, because as well as processed foods, you have to think about all the naturally occurring salt - my 13 month old LOVES cheese, the stronger the better, but I do worry about the salt content of it.

However, one does need salt in one's diet, and I think getting stressed about it is pointless. I tend to try and balance my daughters meals by having one where she's allowed salty things (but not added salt - only where its naturally occurring or occasionally processed stuff, like your gnocchi). So for example, she might have a cheesy pasta dish for lunch, but I'll give her fruit and yoghurt and a baby biscuit for her supper, or similar.

Anyway, stop worrying, certainly.

gnocchi is really easy to make, and you can make too much and freeze the dough in small portions, it's ace.
Having said that I wouldn't have any problem giving shop bought gnocchi.