Questions about yogurt

amother

Beige

Sun, Apr 25 2021, 10:33 pm

amother [ Lawngreen ] wrote:

I didn’t say it’s worse. It’s just not a good group we eat. Maybe some sliced turkey but never ever hot dogs. I just think they’re gross and it’s disgusting to me how they’re made. I let my family eat them if we’re at an event and it’s served but not something I eat or buy.

I let my family eat whatever they want. I hope we're clear on that - this discussion is about what we serve in our homes, the food we offer our kids so that they are nourished, satiated, and healthy.

seems like you don't serve hot dogs because you have a personal dislike for them, similarly to the way my dh's bff doesn't eat chicken bottoms - because he is grossed out by them. Doesn't sound like you have any health concern. if that's the case, my question isn't to you.

I have many friends and family who don't care much what their kids eat, as long as the kid isn't hungry so I am familiar with that mentality. It was the "this is no problem, but that no way" that I was trying to understand.

amother

Beige

Sun, Apr 25 2021, 10:38 pm

amother [ Blush ] wrote:

It's pure fat, ground up bones and gristle, all the odds and ends that would otherwise be thrown out etc. All the little flecks of white in salami are congealed fat. Lots of salt, too. A hot dog is the same stuff, just ground up very smoothly.

so if I understand you correctly, fat is a greater offender to you than sugar? I hear that. Very reminiscent of the late 1900's when the sugar industry paid scientists to shift the blame to fat. A quick google search will tell you more if you care to know.

since then we know better.

Teomima

Mon, Apr 26 2021, 2:19 am

I'm another mother who will let my kids have sweetened yogurt but I never buy deli or hotdogs.

For the most part, I try to avoid highly processed foods. Does that mean I never buy or serve them? No. But I prefer to focus on well balanced, homemade food, rather than worrying about precise sugar or fat content.

I've of the best books I've read was Michael Pollen's Food Rules. I think it's an amazing guide for a healthy dietary lifestyle. Among the many "rules" mentioned are:

"Avoid food products that have more than 5 ingredients" -the sweetened vanilla yogurt my daughter are for breakfast has exactly 5 ingredients. The packaged turkey deli slices I just looked up online at my local supermarket has 11 ingredients.

"Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself" -I never buy packaged cakes or cookies. But that doesn't mean I don't ever feed my kids cakes or cookies. We just makes it ourselves. And we make small batches that last just for that day when we want cookies or a cake, never enough to leave around. That also deters eating too much because it means you have to go through the bother of baking every time you want something sweet. It's a lot easier to grab a dried date if you're craving a little sugar.

"Make water your beverage of choice" -Water is all we drink (except for coffee for dh and I). My kids don't really like juice and don't like sodas or sugary drinks at all. I don't know how I ended up so lucky but I'm not arguing.

"If you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you're probably not hungry" -One thing I always keep on hand is a variety of apples. Amazingly enough, we really go through them. Whenever a kid wants a snack and they have the choice if fixing something themselves or grabbing an apple, more often than not they'll go for the latter.

These are just a few examples. So in the big picture, a yogurt with a bit of added sugar (but also healthy probiotics, protein, and an easy, filling breakfast) is not something that I'm going to waste time worrying about. Same goes with our other breakfasts: oatmeal (always made from scratch, never the packets, so yes my kids add sweetener but a bit of brown sugar, pure maple syrup or pure silan is a lot less added sugar than the packets contain), toast with jam (homemade. Yes there's sugar but I know exactly what's in it and how much. So again, not something I lose sleep over), and cereal (we have 4 kinda of cereal at home: cornflakes, plain original Cheerios, Special K, and Grape Nuts. Another food rule: "Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk").

amother

Coffee

Mon, Apr 26 2021, 9:13 am

mizle10 wrote:

I’m getting the impression that those who have a problem with yogurt are generally super health conscious and selective about what foods are being eaten in their homes.
In that case, yogurt is probably not the biggest question you would have for me regarding my children’s diets.

Yeah, and some of those kids are probably the ones who make a beeline to my fridge and pantry when they come play in my house, or are the ones begging my daughter for a share in her snacks.

My policy - take the middle route in everything. Imo, that's the healthiest way. I don't sit and measure calories and sugar/salt intake, unless there will be a health concern that requires me to to do it. My kids are all B"H healthy, tall, skinny and thriving. And my teens and young adults make healthy choices with so much of their foods. A lot of eating disorders arise from this micro-focus on every bite that the kids take.

If you go through nutrition history, there's always another culprit - fat, sugar, eggs, butter, etc..... Just eat in moderation - whatever you eat, and with Siyata Dishmaya, you and your kids will be just fine.

amother

Yellow

Mon, Apr 26 2021, 9:16 am

amother [ Beige ] wrote:

We know better about HEALTHY fats. The high amount of saturated fat in hot dogs is definitely not good for you.

(I do serve on occasion. But, just pointing out that not all fats are equal.)