Sodium Sources for Kids?
Dragonwolf
Posts: 5,600 Member
Alright, this isn't entirely low carb, since my (6 year old) son isn't really low carb, but it deals with the same sodium issue. My son has a congenital trait where he's prone to sodium deficiency, regardless of diet. If we don't specifically watch his salt intake and make sure he's getting enough, he will get to the point where his sleep is disrupted and it affects his mood and ability to cope with the day's events.
However, he's not keen on the taste of salt, in general. Salty foods have to be flavored (Barbecue Pop Chips, for example), and he doesn't like things like broth or pickles at all, nor does he add salt to food. The solution we have for the moment is a serving of chips and a small bottle of Gatorade each day or at least most days, in addition to his usual food (which includes a fair bit of things like ham and cheese, plus school lunches).
I'd prefer to bring his intake of things like chips and crackers back down, but I'm at a loss about how to get sodium into him otherwise and would appreciate some ideas. He's a bit of a picky eater, but I can generally get him to at least try most things (the trick is getting him to like/eat things more regularly, he tends to fixate on one thing for a while and I can't keep up, but then drop it off of his menu for an unknown amount of time).
However, he's not keen on the taste of salt, in general. Salty foods have to be flavored (Barbecue Pop Chips, for example), and he doesn't like things like broth or pickles at all, nor does he add salt to food. The solution we have for the moment is a serving of chips and a small bottle of Gatorade each day or at least most days, in addition to his usual food (which includes a fair bit of things like ham and cheese, plus school lunches).
I'd prefer to bring his intake of things like chips and crackers back down, but I'm at a loss about how to get sodium into him otherwise and would appreciate some ideas. He's a bit of a picky eater, but I can generally get him to at least try most things (the trick is getting him to like/eat things more regularly, he tends to fixate on one thing for a while and I can't keep up, but then drop it off of his menu for an unknown amount of time).
0
Replies
-
Might a 6 year old like shrimp? Loaded with sodium.1
-
He might; My grandson is totally passionate about salmon sashimi! My daughter gives it to him regularly. He calls it 'salmon in a pot' because he has a special little Japanese china pot, with a lid, she makes it in....Prawns are but a bagatelle to him.
At the age of 6, he's a gourmet foodie!1 -
He might like beef jerky or dry pepperoni sticks. If the salt taste isnt too strong maybe roasted and salted nuts of some sort.0
-
When I was a kid that age, I loved Vienna sausages. I think part of it was at that age, you don't yet have all your molars, so a lot of meat is tough to chew, but these were easy. Anyway 290 mg of sodium per serving, and they call 1/2 of one of those little cans a serving.0
-
Can he do pills yet? Salt tablets would be conveient if he can handle them.
Chicken noodle soup, light on the noodles, is an option.0 -
The soup was my thought too.
I don't know if he likes sour stuff. As a kid I loved all things sour! My mom had lemons around a lot because she loved them in iced tea and I would eat a whole lemon slices up and salted. I like limes like that too.0 -
Mine like soy sauce/tamari on just about anything. Salted Mellon is a fav too. Cantaloupe and watermelon are great!
Picky Teen likes pre made seasonings like "Cajun" or "Greek" most of those have lots of salt. Maybe you can find one he likes and sprinkle it on all the things.0 -
That does sound tricky! My boys (8) adore pickles. They also get sodium from lunch meat. Chips and Gatorade (G2?) sound reasonable if the ham, cheese, school lunches, etc., aren't providing enough. Does he like bacon and sausage? Eggs that you could salt without him noticing it? Roasted veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper?
Also, my boys have the same tendency you described in your last sentence. I feel your pain!
0 -
Unrinsed feta cheese on pizza with mild pepperoni slices? Also you may be able to find a higher sodium pizza/tomato sauce to use on that.
Also there's an average of 400g of sodium in a 1/2 c of creamed cottage cheese...WITHOUT a salty taste. Maybe you can top his pasta and call it 'lazy lasagna'?0 -
I blame my in-laws for a lot of the pickiness. My husband's father is very vocal about his disdain for various foods, and it seems like my drops more things off his menu every time he goes up there.
I apologize in advance, since this will sound like excuses or stubbornness or something.canadjineh wrote: »Unrinsed feta cheese on pizza with mild pepperoni slices? Also you may be able to find a higher sodium pizza/tomato sauce to use on that.
Also there's an average of 400g of sodium in a 1/2 c of creamed cottage cheese...WITHOUT a salty taste. Maybe you can top his pasta and call it 'lazy lasagna'?
I'll have to try the sauce thing when we do homemade pizzas. I specifically avoid the "low sodium!" stuff, so that helps. He doesn't do lasagna, pepperoni of any kind, or cottage cheese, though.
kimberwolf71 wrote: »He might like beef jerky or dry pepperoni sticks. If the salt taste isnt too strong maybe roasted and salted nuts of some sort.
I was able to do beef sticks for a while (Vermont Smoke and Cure's "Real Sticks"), but those were one of the things that I couldn't keep around the house for any length of time and then suddenly nothing. Nuts were largely the same way, cashews in particular.
Can he do pills yet? Salt tablets would be conveient if he can handle them.
Chicken noodle soup, light on the noodles, is an option.
He can do pills, so salt tablets might be an option, especially if I can find gel caps (or have the gumption to just make them), as I suspect that the tablets with sharp corners would turn him off to them.
Unfortunately, he's not a soup person that I've ever seen and have never been able to get him to eat any.AlexandraCarlyle wrote: »He might; My grandson is totally passionate about salmon sashimi! My daughter gives it to him regularly. He calls it 'salmon in a pot' because he has a special little Japanese china pot, with a lid, she makes it in....Prawns are but a bagatelle to him.
At the age of 6, he's a gourmet foodie!
He's done fried fish at both my mom's (bass, of all things) and my in-laws' (tilapia or whitefish, or whatever a rural restaurant serves on fish night), but it's been hit or miss at home, and I usually resort to fish sticks (ick).cstehansen wrote: »When I was a kid that age, I loved Vienna sausages. I think part of it was at that age, you don't yet have all your molars, so a lot of meat is tough to chew, but these were easy. Anyway 290 mg of sodium per serving, and they call 1/2 of one of those little cans a serving.
I might try that. I've got these frozen bagel bite things right now that are "made with Vienna beef," so he might like the Vienna sausages.Mine like soy sauce/tamari on just about anything. Salted Mellon is a fav too. Cantaloupe and watermelon are great!
Picky Teen likes pre made seasonings like "Cajun" or "Greek" most of those have lots of salt. Maybe you can find one he likes and sprinkle it on all the things.
I'll have to see if I can find a Ranch or Ranch-like seasoning that he'd do on other stuff (and find stuff to sprinkle it on!). He's a big fan of Ranch Honchos, so that's definitely a potential "in."0
This discussion has been closed.