May I know.........

........when did you stop packing homecooked food for your child when you dine out?

Joshie is exactly 17 months today and I plan to pack homecooked food for him till he is 24 months old. When we travelled to Hong Kong and Penang recently, he did eat outside food but I requested the chef to specifically cook his food without salt and seasoning. I tasted his food and it was really bland!

The Contented Little Baby book by Gina Ford advises its readers to avoid adding sugar during the first year and salt during the first two years. This is because toddlers will get all the salt they need from natural sources such as vegetables. Adding salt to a young child's food can be very dangerous, as it may put a strain on his immature kidneys.

Well, during the recent CNY when we dined out with relatives, I have received comments that I shouldn't pack his food and he should just be allowed to eat whatever we are eating. I know there are a lot of kids who start having added salt and seasoning to their meals as soon as they start solids. And they still grow up too. However, since I have been advised by our paediatrician not to add salt into his food till he is 2 years old, I am still sticking to it. Moreover, books and the internet have also advised against adding salt. Occassionally, I have given him fresh, unprocessed food such as fish, vege or tofu but I would rinse them with hot water if they are too salty. Processed food such as sausages, hams, fishballs, porkballs etc are a "no-no" as I do not know what are the "raw materials" used. Call me fussy or pernickety but I feel I have the responsibility to instill good eating habits and to make sure my son eats healthily.

So please let me know your view on this issue. Do email me at jeffrey.shirlin@gmail.com as I do not want my comments box to end up being a debate table. Tqvm =P