Can you feed your toddler too much cheese?

[msmichellemille]

My 2 year old wants to eat cheese ALL DAY LONG!!!! Kraft singles, mozzerella sticks, and he likes me to put shredded cheddar on a small plate for him to pinch between his fingers and eat.
Now this is very low carb and I'm glad that I don't have to worry about that but literally eating cheese like 5 times a day just *can't* be good for him, can it?
I do try to limit it but he whines for it until I give in. Shoot; I already feel bad enough with what else I have to limit. :(
Gosh I wish they made more foods low-carb!!!!!!!

[princesslinda]

I find if I eat too much cheese, I have difficulty with constipation. I love cheese, as its low carb and filling, but I do limit the amount I eat. Maybe you can find some carb-friendly substitutions he'll like as well.

Would he eat pork rinds? They are crunchy and very low carb. Also does he like the goldfish crackers? I like them as a snack (I just have to be careful with portion control;) ) Would he eat celery perhaps dipped in ranch dressing? My neices and nephews always liked "dipping" veggies when they were little.

[volleyball]

I love cheese myself. But Kraft is not the best. Kids like what they know. Their world is changing so fast, they need a constant. And for your kid, cheese may be their security blanket. For one of my kids, it was bologna. Once they grew out of it, they never eat it again. You might be scraping cheese off of food for them in the future.
Maybe giving them things like swiss or guda or limberg instead would diminish the habit? I would hate to see them hate cheese in the future and there are worse things than cheese for them to desire

[msmichellemille]

Pork rinds...goldfish (those are low carb, really?), got it. Thanks.
Yeah...I guess there are worse things he could want but I'm worried that his cholesterol will rival Tony Soprano's before he hits the age of 3!
Can you tell me why Kraft is not best for them? He likes all cheese but sometimes he just wants a cheese single like Kraft.
Oh and I'd have thought he'd be constipated for sure, too, but trust me he's not!!!!

[volleyball]

While Kraft is not an imitation cheese, it is processed which has stuff in it. I would not be concerned if it was small amounts but if they are eating a lot, then the quality is more important. I don't believe that cheese will raise you cholesterol. Their cheerios is more likely to. But I would not worry about it in an active toddler.
I get deli cheese ends, cut them into pieces. That way I get deli quality for packaged prices. But the kraft sealed snack packs would seem smart for your trips outside the home

[princesslinda]

Goldfish really aren't "low-carb" but you can by the individual serving packs that are usually equal to a serving of carbs....and might help him "kick the cheese habit."

I'm curious about Kraft cheese, as I enjoy it myself.

Also, I buy the sliced sandwich meats and eat them with a salad or even by themselves as a snack...0 carbs, something he could pickup like he does the cheese...or even try slicing some turkey franks or turkey pepperoni (those these have quite a bit of sodium).

I

[msmichellemille]

Oh yeah...I do give him the deli ham and turkey. Hot dogs, too. Now I promise I'm not trying to be negative at everything yall suggest, really! It's just that deli meats and hot dogs don't sound all that great for him, either!
Can't you get gout from eating too much of that? Seems I heard that before.
Oy...I really can't wait to finally meet with a nutritionist. I'm really counting on her to give me this wonderfully long list of healthy foods that have no carbs and he will LOVE.
That's not getting my hopes up too high, is it?!? :D

[volleyball]

I think toddlers will want what their bodies need, that is except for sweets. I love turkey but stray away from turkey products that are trying to be something else. To much sodium and chemicals. And low end deli meats can also have lots of sodium.
I had gout and I am glad it's gone. I don't think a toddler could get it but I understand your concern.
You should question everything that we say. You're the parent. that's your job.
Here's a thought. If the toddler is not so fond of green leafy veggies, then things like broccoli in cheese sauce may double fill his desire for calcium.

[princesslinda]

Michelle, its great that you're asking questions.....we all question everything we read and hear. If I were in your shoes, i'd be the same way. I'm sure its doubly hard dealing with a young child and his likes and dislikes.

I do hope your nutrition class will provide some good suggestions...and that you'll share them here, because there are and will continue to be others with your same situation coming here looking for help.

[DarthDiabetes]

They make lower fat cheese, so I would say let the kid have at it. Kids are smarter than we are, they will stop eating it if it is doing them harm. Heck, they tell you to give kids milk all the time, cheese is just solid milk if you ask me.

[sprzepiora]

If you are worried about all the cheese he eats try to figure out how often he wants it and offer something else before he asks for cheese.

But to be honest with you, if your kid has a healthy weight and the foods he is craving aren't unhealthy let him eat it. Generally speaking kids like to graze all day long and are either bored or hungry when they ask for food.

I find it funny when I am home and I watch her and the kids munch on things all day long. Of course she is always pregnant or nursing so she has the same habits as the kids. She will give them hunks of cheese, apples or oranges. Some of them love tomatoes and she will give them that. Others like my jalapeno, or cherry peppers from the garden (I know, my kids are weird :) )

Good luck!

[cyberus]

Its not just Kraft, most of the sliced cheeses quietly went from "processed american cheese" to "processed american cheese food/product" which are two different animals as far as carb counts go, regular process is <1g per slice, food/product runs from 1.5g to 2+g, and imitation can run from 2-5g per slice depending on brand. Velveeta for instance is 3g per oz and 2 of them are sugar!

[notme]

It must be very hard trying to keep a kid happy while limiting their food. Cheese five times a day really can't be good for your son and I would limit it severely. I know he likes it and whines for what he wants, but what kid doesn't?

Try a few different things for snacks like jello with cool whip, sugar free pudding cups, celery and peanut butter, or deviled eggs.

Starting now and teaching your son good eating habits might be easier to do now, rather than trying to fix them later.

[cyberus]

Another random thought related to a previous post, make your own cheese spread and use that to top celery boats and whatever other munchies you would prefer he eats.

[Penny]

Kids get hooked on different foods, and just as quick want something else. My son begged for oranges for about a year, then would not touch them for a long time...but in the meantime, he wanted Mac and cheese for every meal. Because I didn't know any better, I would tell him he could have the thing he wanted after he took 2 bites of something else.....meat ot veggies. It worked with him. My daughter wanted plain, uncooked hotdogs, and I did the same with her....but she whined about it. The granddaughter liked eating spoons full of plain peanut butter.....I let her have all she wanted, because she is the granddaughter..... and it was my job to spoil her. :D The thing is this pattern always changed and they all grew up strong and healthy and seem to like most foods. The granddaughter is 12, loves veggies and fruit and still likes to have a spoonful of peanut butter sometimes.

[HollyB]

I agree with Penny, food jags are so, so, so common in two-year-olds and they generally just pass on their own, to be replaced with something else. If he's still whining for cheese all day in six months, then I'd maybe be a little concerned. But I bet he'll have moved on!

[augoldminer]

Do you have a family history of gout.
If not don't worry about gout.

Gout: Risk factors - MayoClinic.com (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gout/DS00090/DSECTION=risk-factors)

[BigcityRich]

Once they grew out of it, they never eat it again. You might be scraping cheese off of food for them in the future....


My mother often tells me when I was little, all I wanted was pickles. I cannot stand pickles on anything now. Yuck!

[Real4]

Now this is very low carb and I'm glad that I don't have to worry about that but literally eating cheese like 5 times a day just *can't* be good for him, can it?
Why not. Cheese is milk (naturally processed) and that's out initial food.

[matingara]

Yeah...I guess there are worse things he could want but I'm worried that his cholesterol will rival Tony Soprano's before he hits the age of 3!

i do not know who Tony Soprano is - but i assume he has bad cholesterol?

i do not think that cheese has a direct effect on anyone's cholesterol level does it?

for a lot of people eating fat does not make them fat or make their cholesterol go up.

cheese is a self limiting food. you can only eat so much before you do not want anymore...

i clearly remembering eating so much (like 4-5 pieces) that i literally became sick of cheese (until 24 hours later!!!).

i think kids should be allowed to eat as much REAL food as they like. i.e. only restrict candy and sweet things.

my mother had a cool trick. she used to withhold artichokes! she made them a treat! to this day i still adore a treat of a globe artichoke with vinaigrette.

:)

-- Joel.

[davef]

I think you need to look at your Son and ask yourself, is he healthy, if the answer is yes, then let him have the cheese. Perhaps (only perhaps) see if he will go for the "good stuff" rather than kraft slices. If not, don't worry about it.

It's a great source of calcium, great for his growing bones.

We have a fussy eater in our house and have learned that we only limit things like candy, chocolate etc but let him eat his other staples (cornflakes, cheese, bread rolls, grapes, tuc crackers). We spoke to our Doctor who advised that he is one of his healthiest patients, so just watch the "sweet things".

When my son (the fussy one) was 2, he used to love a mix of potato and carrot that my wife made for him, he wouldn't eat anything else, but we had to cut out the carrots because his skin was turning orange - I'm not kidding - the Doctor said it was down to the carrots.

The thing about kids is, with food and most everthing they go through phases - what they eat today they may hate next week. Go with the flow.

[Mrs.Type 1]

Gosh I wish they made more foods low-carb!!!!!!!


I have a few questions for you...but i will start by saying that my husband and i have thought so much about how we could get companies to make more diabetic friendly kids snacks. Like lunchables,goldfish things like that...just seems unfair that when the kids get older and start school that they wont be able to have the same things the other kids will.

[volleyball]

I have a few questions for you...but i will start by saying that my husband and i have thought so much about how we could get companies to make more diabetic friendly kids snacks. Like lunchables,goldfish things like that...just seems unfair that when the kids get older and start school that they wont be able to have the same things the other kids will.

We all know life is unfair. We try to protect our children from it. But kid snacks? This is a good life lesson. No kid is being deprived if they don't get lunchables, it is actually a good thing. Being vocal to other parents that you think those things are just bad for your child, then maybe they will have the courage to say no to their kids. And it will SPREAD to many more.
Things like that started with parents trying to give their kids more. so both parents work long hours. They don't have time for their kids so they buy stuff. And spend more money, so they work more.
This is the same cycle that some drug users go through.
Not saying anyone here is guilty but you probably know someone like this

[slipperyelm]

Davef's comment about too many carrot's turning his child's skin orange made me laugh because that happened to my child too, only mine liked to eat carrots, sweet potatoes, & butternut squash, all of which are very high in Vitamin A.

I would not worry about too much cheese, but I would always make other foods available. I had food allergies as a child and so did my siblings, so we always had some weird meals and snacks. If you cannot think of something low-carb to snack on, it is probably because you are not used to thinking of certain foods as "snack" appropriate. But what about things like tuna, mackerel, canned salmon? All these are easy to have on hand, easy to portion, easy to refrigerate. They have the saltiness of that process cheese, and also the protein. Mackerel even has a lot of calcium. If you don't happen to like those foods yourself, try not to influence your child negatively about them....My child would happily sit down to a mounded plate of crawdads (crayfish), even if I would not touch it with a ten foot pole....Oh, yeah crawdads would be low carb, too. :D

How about shrimp? Little kabobs made a couple times a week and held in the fridge? Tiny sauceless meatballs? Cucumber sticks? Spinach omelets? Sunflower seeds? Peanuts, walnuts, pecans, etc (sometimes little ones do not chew these well ? Zucchini marinated in Italian dressing and grilled? Deep fried tofu, which has sort of a skin on it so that it can be handled as a finger food? Gluten patties, homemade or purchased. Mushrooms, sauteed or cooked on those kabob sticks? Bacon? Jerky (homemade so you can control what goes in it)? Olives?

Really, just go through a list of zero/low carb foods. There is not reason any of them could not be a snack, and many would be convenient when prepared a head of time. I also think it might be a good idea if not all snacks were zero carb. That way you could introduce more variety, a greater range of nutrition, and flexibility in your child's palate. For instance, maybe you could give him two little meat balls along with a small strip of grilled zuchini or two strawberries.

[Janlaton]

Hey, I'm 63 and still eat the occasional spoonful of peanut butter! Don't forget to include any fruit your son can eat in his diet. Many toddlers really eat lots of mac and cheese so if you are worried over carbs at least he is only eating the cheese...

Hate to tell someone but once you have gout it may go into remission but you never get it completely out of your body. You just have to keep the uric acid levels down. Good luck.

[volleyball]

Hate to tell someone but once you have gout it may go into remission but you never get it completely out of your body. You just have to keep the uric acid levels down. Good luck.

I had gout a couple of times, long gone. Since gout is a build up of salt in the joint, once it has been cleared, the gout is gone. While you may be more likely to get it again, just like some people may re sprain their ankle, it doesn't mean you always have a sprain in remission.
So I don't believe it is something you can be cured from as it is not a disease

[Penny]

The grandkids liked "ham sticks" when they were little....we would just roll up a slice of ham and they ate it that way. They also liked salad cucumbers, peel and all, they ate them like apples. Also cherry tomatoes, I know they have a few carbs, but they don't seem to bother my BS.

[Janlaton]

a two fisted snack for my grandsons is salmon patties! Easy to fix and good for them. They also love macrel and tuna in patties. Mix with oatmeal and an egg sometimes an onion and a dash of salt whatever spice you prefer with fish. Cook in pan lightly covered in olive oil and it is great.

Regular ham cut into strips is also good and better than deli ham slices.

[Neuromancer]

About the only thing I would think you'd really have to consider is the saturated fat content of full milk cheese...you might want to consider buying low-fat cheese...

[Mich]

Jan, you made me smile. Our whole family can demolish a plate of salmon patties as finger food. I make them small and use the same ingredients you do.

When the girls were little, I put out a little bit of everything in kid-sized bites. I was surprised at how they ate just about everything eventually.

Michelle, how is your little guy doing? How are you doing?

Mich

[davef]

The grandkids liked "ham sticks" when they were little....we would just roll up a slice of ham and they ate it that way. .

I still love ham sticks!

Also if you roll the ham around a stick/chunk of cheddar cheese, then zap them for about 20 seconds in microwave, all cool for a few minutes - yum, yum.

[Janlaton]

I said two fisted because they want one or more in each hand. By the way the older is 15 and fish cakes have to be cooked while he is out of the house if anyone else is to get any! The 10 year old is almost as bad.

[Mrs.Type 1]

We all know life is unfair. We try to protect our children from it. But kid snacks? This is a good life lesson. No kid is being deprived if they don't get lunchables, it is actually a good thing. Being vocal to other parents that you think those things are just bad for your child, then maybe they will have the courage to say no to their kids. And it will SPREAD to many more.
Things like that started with parents trying to give their kids more. so both parents work long hours. They don't have time for their kids so they buy stuff. And spend more money, so they work more.
This is the same cycle that some drug users go through.
Not saying anyone here is guilty but you probably know someone like this

I understand that life is not fair and i agree completly with not giving your kids everything they want but it gets really hard to continously tell your kids that the reason they cannot have certain things is not that mommy and daddy cant afford to give them to you...its because you have diabetes and your not allowed to eat that. It becomes very discouraging for the child. I think it would be a great thing to allow children with this disease to be able to feel more like "normal" kids even if its just by being able to take a lunchable to school.

[volleyball]

If you are constantly being asked about lunchables, then you are not conveying the message strongly enough. If your kid had a strong allergy to lunchables, you would not feel guilty about saying no. If a lunchable is such a big deal, having one on a Saturday and seeing their reaction and what you have to do to deal with it may be easier to either decide it's doable or why it's not. Does extra testing and insulin become an acceptable compromise?
The lunchable is a generic term for all those products out there. Maybe lunchable is not worth it but chucky cheese is. We all have to make occasional compromises. Even as adults. But the more you give now, the even more you will give in future.
Maybe giving the kid some other reward such as a coveted toy or clothing as an alternative? A months worth of lunchables could pay for some nice stuff. And teaches a valuable leason

[lillywilliam]

I love cheese but i dont have much just weekly once like that... it puts more weight...