chicken nuggets

[Daniel'sMom]

hi

my son is 2 yrs old and i've always tried to make him used to eatin healthy.
he eats fiber low fat yogurts and vegtables ...the only thing he'll eat for luch is chicket nuggets and ketchup everyday... Is that bad for him?

thanks

[anna*]

Are they processed food or do you make them yourself? If they're processed then I would say definitely that they should be a treat rather than every day. Shop bought nuggets are full of fat and salt.

[Mum-of-Two]

Try shake n bake for an easy alternative with the same taste.  Still not 100% home made but you know what sort of chicken is going in there.

[Daniel'sMom]

thanks everyone! what is shake and bake? im not from the uk:)

[mamatolevi]

I have a niece going through the exact same thing, and it's not an easy fight! But, I agree with pp's. If you make your own, you're much better off. Shake n bake is a seasoning/coating you'd put on chicken before you bake it. There is most likely a similar product where you are.

[Mum-of-Two]

its probably high in sodium but low in fat ready made crumbs.  just throw chicken in the bag with the crumbs, they stick, take out and bake.  you can totally make your own at home.  my kids will eat it better then nuggets    (thats saying a lot)

[Daniel'sMom]

thanks everyone!! he wouldnt eat any side sishes no pasta, rice, potatos... can i make him eat it in any way or just leave it at that?

[Mashi]

FWIW I have bever seen anything similar to shake&bake outside of North America!  

You can make good crunchy chicken nuggets with various coatings, corn flake type cereals can make crunchy nuggets if you want.  We like these ones -
http://www.parentsconnect.com/recipes/homemade_chicken_nuggets.jhtml

although I can't find cornmeal here, and so instead I smash corn flakes into crumbs as small as possible and use that instead.

[shivi]

I smash the cornflakes too....or at least I used to have to when Oscar was going thro the "TWO's".

Emma thankfully eats anything given to her with the slight exception of beans...

[Daniel'sMom]

i sometimes make fried chicked with crumbs... obviously baked is better but do u think home made fried ones are that much better than processed ones or no?

[Mum-of-Two]

oddly enough I found DS likes spinich and DS likes broccoli -- that is all though, just those.  see if you can find a green he'll eat and you have yourself a meal  

[Daniel'sMom]

he actually is willing to eat fresh vegs like cherry tomatoes and cucambers... but not steamed ones... does it make a difference?

[anna*]

I think fresh veggies are fine. I would just try not to get into the habit of giving him the same thing every day, because the less exposure he has to other foods, the less likely he is to taste them. Remember it can take 20 exposures to a food before kids will accept into their list of foods that they will eat!

[15milner]

When I make my own,
I always dip first in flour, then egg and then in breadcrumbs.  To improve the nuggets nutritional value - I use wholegrain bread or the multigrain for added fibre, sometimes I'll mix in some grated cheese or some herbs. 

If you can do this method with chicken nuggets, could you then extend the idea (following from a suggestion in another thread), to  perhaps trying different fish - a firm white fish or salmon works well.  I've even bought a small piece of monkfish (expensive) and the boys loved it. 

I'm very wary of the salt content of ready bought.

Alex

[Mom to M&M]

Agree with everyone above. And like PP, when making my own I do flour (half whole wheat, half regular), then egg, then breadcrumbs - for which I use whole wheat mixed with wheat germ and a bit of grated parmesan. You can also dip the floured nuggets into pureed carrots and/or butternut squash before putting on breadcrumbs.

Cod works really well as fish fingers/sticks!