Is this enough food?

[karinothing]

So, DS normally eats school lunch. However, tomorrow they are having fish sticks and I don't really want him to eat that. I have nothing against him eating fish, but they are fried and I figure he doesn't need that.

Anyway, so he is getting all the stuff that comes with the fishsticks, which includes a whole wheat roll, broccoli and cauliflower, and fruit. I was thinking of sending some cheese with him so he can have some protein. Is the cheese enough or should I make something else?

[drloretta]

Make him something else, like sandwich or a wrap

[bunch]

I'm sure it's fine, but I might reconsider the fish sticks. I don't think he'll start eating only fried foods from now on or anything. I guess I got over my "never, ever" list very quickly

[Ashley&Scott]

I'm not against skipping fried foods, but I thought fish sticks were baked?

[cjeanette]

Sept 17, 2012 18:40:16 GMT -5 Ashley&Scott said:

I'm not against skipping fried foods, but I thought fish sticks were baked?

This

[karinothing]

I asked and they said fried! I don't know. Maybe they don't know what they are talking about? Ha ha. I am not against fried foods, just against them until he turns one (one more month!).

Sandwiches and wraps are kind of hard because he doesn't really pick stuff up a sandwich and eat it. I can make it him little sandwich bites but only out of sticky stuff so the pieces stick together (banana, avocado, or hummus) none of which I have. Hmm.

I could do a Quesadilla triangle so it will stick together. I need to go shopping.

ETA: I think the fish sticks are fried originally and then baked when they get to the center.

[bunch]

Would it be a big deal to ask them to just remove the breading?

[karinothing]

Probably not. I could do that. Good point. What would I do without you ladies

[atouchofklasse]

It's just one meal. I'd let him have the fish sticks.

[satama]

I would send a yogurt. But I am allergic to fish, so my kids don't eat it at all.

[karinothing]

I could do yogurt too. That kid loves yogurt. He has had fish and crab before and had no reaction, so I think we are safe there.

Oh, and I know it is just one meal. I just feel odd about giving an under one month old fried food. I guess I should loosen up and let him have the chicken nuggets too?

I do draw the line at caramel rice cakes though . . . (the snack today, he got cheerios and cheese)

[DarcyLongfellow]

I'm pretty laid back about food compared to most Nesties, and I wouldn't have let my DD have fried fish sticks at that age. Why start exposing a baby to fried food???

I'd send a sandwich so there's something else that's very obviously a "main dish." Not that an 11 month old will care, but it might help his teachers not make a comment about him not having a main dish to substitute for the fish??? A cheese sandwich is pretty easy -- and if you microwave it or grill it, then it will stick together well and be easy for little hands to pick up.

[satama]

I dont think it is weird not to give a baby fried foods. DS had his first fried food sometime after turning two, and even then it was a bite of something, not his own meal of it. He started eating chicken nuggets a couple of months ago. He will be 3 in December. I honestly tried to hold out longer, but I gave up with having two kids and needing easy stuff sometimes, it is hard to get healthy carryout. Lol.

I also think it is fine if parents do give that stuff, but agree that under one seems so little to start junk food.

[Deleted]

I actually think my baby has more need for fried food than I do. Kid needs more fat. I don't.

The fat does not concern me, but the salt content might.

[satama]

Sept 17, 2012 20:33:56 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

I actually think my baby has more need for fried food than I do. Kid needs more fat. I don't.

The fat does not concern me, but the salt content might.

To me it was more that I didn't want him to know this stuff existed and start refusing healthy foods and begging for crap. Kwim? Maybe I just wanted to make my life easier. The theory was my kid wont cry for French fries or ice cream if he has no clue what they are. LOL.

[niki]

I thought fish sticks were fried, then you bake them to heat them back up. Either way, yuck. We have an ongoing battle with our daycare. When we signed up they had a great program and we could order a vegetarian meal when ever they served something with red meat (we don't eat red meat), but got rid of that program right when he hit solids and now they only serve crap like fish sticks and Lunchables. I wish Michelle Obama would come rip them a new one.

[karinothing]

The food has no added salt. It is specially catered, not like Tyson's fishsticks. It is pretty bland ha ha.

The overall daycare menu is good. They do red meat once a week, but most of the meals are turkey, chicken, or vegetarian. There are no lunchables. They just do a "fun" meal once a month. Last month it was chicken nuggets. This month fish sticks.

[h]

No salt added fish sticks wouldn't concern me at all. They have a bunch of protein and omega-3s. Sure they have some fat, but that won't hurt a healthy kid. And they probably don't have any more fat than a similar sized serving of cheese.

[Deleted]

My Ds still eats baby food for lunch, but if the fish stockades catered special low salt & a once a month thing I would cave & let him have them. I don't think having a fried treat one a month at daycare will make him reject healthier foods at home since you don't serve the fish sticks at home.

[Deleted]

Sept 18, 2012 5:23:24 GMT -5 h said:

No salt added fish sticks wouldn't concern me at all. They have a bunch of protein and omega-3s. Sure they have some fat, but that won't hurt a healthy kid. And they probably don't have any more fat than a similar sized serving of cheese.

This is what I was thinking.

I don't know, I guess I'd be concerned if they had fried food on the menu once a week or more but if it's just a one off I wouldn't worry too much about it. One meal is not going to hurt him or make him addicted to fried food

[karinothing]

Thanks everyone! I feel like it is hard to know the proper balance sometimes.

[anna7602]

DD has never liked fish sticks. The ratio of crunchy breadedness to actual fish bothers her and she'd rather just have a big piece of regular old fish. I have honestly never gotten the appeal of fish sticks myself. It takes 20 minutes to bake a piece of fresh fish in the oven.

[karinothing]

Yeah, I mean I was never going to ban anything for his childhood or anything. But at 11 months I am not too worried about making certain food off-limits. For example, he won't get cake until his first birthday.

[Deleted]

Oh yeah I am totally with you on the cake thing. It just makes the birthday more special cause it is the first time. My DS MSPI so lots of things are off limits. It sucks when he is crying for a bite of my food & I can't give it too him.

[hannamaren]

I am with you on the cake thing.
But she does eat pancakes (they have sugar) breaded chicken strips that are fried in olive oil. (homemade) and one day I made the mistake of letting her taste my ice cream cone. (mistake because she wanted the rest not just a taste)

[starlily]

Sept 18, 2012 5:18:15 GMT -5 karinothing said:

The food has no added salt. It is specially catered, not like Tyson's fishsticks. It is pretty bland ha ha.

The overall daycare menu is good. They do red meat once a week, but most of the meals are turkey, chicken, or vegetarian. There are no lunchables. They just do a "fun" meal once a month. Last month it was chicken nuggets. This month fish sticks.

So it's the monthly fun meal? And I presume.you don't serve this type of stuff at home?

Just let the kid have a fish stick. I seriously doubt an 11mo old is going to abandon all non-fried food after one fish stick.