Do you feed your kids hotdogs and deli lunchmeat?

I give the girls turkey hotdogs and deli turkey and ham. I was told I shouldn't give them these foods because of the nitrates. Is this true? Help!

 

I've always given it to my kids starting around 8-9 mo or so. It's never been a problem for us.

 

I gave them turkey ones...then the dr suggested the kosher 97% fat free ones...which they like too. My kids LOVE hotdogs and get them at least twice a week.

 

I do, but in very limited amounts. Hannah is not a fan of hotdogs, and Ben is not a fan of lunchmeat, so honestly that is a bigger factor than the nitrates. FWIW, my SIL does not feed her kids any processed meats and she is very adamant that we respect her wishes, which we do.

 

We do feed the girls both lunch meat and hot dogs on occasion...but we get them at Whole Foods and are nitrate free.

 

No, because I'm not allowed to eat them (reduced sodium diet, vertigo problems, etc). Those foods are very high in sodium and nitrates. If you search you can find many "prepared" meats without the nitrates, but they still have high sodium content.

If you do feed them, try to minimize it (1 x per week for example). most things in moderation are okay.

One of my Drs says not to eliminate anything permanently because then you just crave it. In his family, 1 hour per week the kids are allowed candy.

 

We do. Kevin is a bologna, hot dog and vienna sausage freak! I have never had trouble with my kids eating any of them, but we don't eat them everyday either.

 

Yes...my kids get them. Maybe I'm a bad mom, but I figure, I ate them and I think I'm relatively normal I'm a big fan of the luncheables with the ham, cheese, cracker, cookie combinations...its just an easy dinner on nights I get in late. But no, they don't get that everyday.

 

They get hotdogs or lunchmeat at most 2-3x a month, largely because they are generally also not that nutritious and loaded with salt -- and nitrates.

 

i started hot dogs and chicken corn dogs after 1 yr old. i do them about 1x per week, although i was going to try to avoid hot dogs at first. but when you come back from the store and don't have anything to eat quick, it's a nice solution. i rely on them more than i care to admit. no lunch meat here. but frozen pizza, which if we have a meat one then it's got the sodium and nitrate problems.

 

Yes, we do turkey dogs and ham and turkey for sandwiches ocassionally.

 

I just try to watch the nitrates. I actually just bought chicken, turkey and beef hot dogs earlier in the week from Whole Foods that are unprocessed, nitrate free. I do give them Boar's Head turkey breast sandwiches (also nitrate free).

I really don't think it makes that big of a deal one way or the other, but I'm trying to be more aware of the chemicals and preservatives we eat.

 

I buy ham or turkey breast from the deli not the pre packaged. It is not loaded with the salt and the turkey does not have the nitrates. They get it a few times a month. They have not had a hotdog but, we only eat kosher.

 

I buy nitrate, antibiotic, hormone free hot dogs in bulk at Costco (DH and I love them too) and I buy nitrate, antibiotic, hormone free lunch meats at Trader Joe or Whole Foods. Occasionally, they have the regular varieties when we are out, but at home I try to avoid the regular variety.

 

because my kids are so picky with food [the boys especially] If they accept a turkey hotdog then they can eat them.

 

nope but only cuz they don't like them

 

We normally don't feed the girls lunchmeat or hotdogs. I think they had their second hotdog in their lives the other day at a cookout. My DP is pretty fanatical about what the girls eat, he worries about the nitrates and msg from lunchmeat, and basically just where the meat comes from in general. Once in a while I will give the girls rolled up turkey with lunch or something, but not often.

 

I have given the girls Turkey, but its deli cut and not prepackaged. I also give them veggie dogs, I refuse to give them traditional hot dogs. I can't get past the crap they put in hot dogs and bologna. The veggie dogs are actually one of their favorite things to eat, thankfully there isn't any nitrates in it.

 

Not yet. Nitrates freak me out!

 

Only occasionally, maybe 1-2x/month.

 

I do pretty much what everyone else does although yesterday, I introduced them to rice and beans and it was a hit and will be their lunch today. Beans are such a great source of protein!! I buy the can of Goya beans that come ready in the sauce so all I have to do is make rice and heat the beans up and combine. I'm also going to put some chicken with it today that I have left over from a rotisserie chicken from dinner last night.

I also do a lot of cream cheese and jelly sandwiches. Sometimes I do it on toasted bread. I just put the sandwich together and then smoosh it as flat as I can get it and then cut it up into bite size pieces so they can feed themselves.

 

I very rarely feed these foods. The girls don't really seem to like them much, and since I know they aren't the healthiest choices in the world, I just figure I'll stick with other things. But if we have a hot dog or lunch meat around and not much else, I will give it to them here and there.

 

no, never

 

No, I never have. However, hearing that many of you do, maybe I will try it.

 

I've never given them hotdogs, although I found out the other day that they get them when they're at IL's house. I'm not too worried about it, once in awhile I don't think is a big deal. The main thing I worry about is choking, though - hot dogs are about #1 for choking hazards.


I do give them deli meat, although like a pp I try to get it from the deli when I can & not pre-packaged. Even the taste is SO much better. We don't do it very often, though....probably about 3-4 times a month.

 

QUOTE(naomi02 @ Aug 3 2007, 11:40 AM) [snapback]356330[/snapback]
I've never given them hotdogs, although I found out the other day that they get them when they're at IL's house. I'm not too worried about it, once in awhile I don't think is a big deal. The main thing I worry about is choking, though - hot dogs are about #1 for choking hazards.
I do give them deli meat, although like a pp I try to get it from the deli when I can & not pre-packaged. Even the taste is SO much better. We don't do it very often, though....probably about 3-4 times a month.


The thing that makes them a choking hazard is when you cut them into round peices...its the perfect fit to "stop up" their espophagus...just cut them into fourths and they are fine.

 

We do allow hot dogs and lunch meats in limited quantities although I agree that they are overloaded with salt and nitrates which is not part of a healthy diet. I have been buying some of the soy-based vegetarian lunch meats. DH and the kids like to eat the soy meats but I do not like them at all.

 

I would if they would eat it. Not all the time, though, because (as you said) of the nitrates. That doesn't apply to roast turkey -- only to things that are smoked.

 

I have always hated hot dogs, so no to them.

When the boys were small I did serve lunchmeat, but since reading about the listeria risks, not any more. We have PBJs. I found a great line of all-natural flavored peanut butters, and my girls love them.

I don't much care for the soy lunch meats, but the "ground beef" soy meats are great in sauces (tacos, burritos, sloppy joes, spaghetti). You don't even notice that it's not meat because of the sauce, and it cuts the calories AND the cooking time.

 

Mine don't eat deli meat, but we do feed them hotdogs every now and then.