Hello!

My children and I have always had a high carb diet with pastas and rice as my children are extremly fussy so I always just gave what I knew they’d eat. Some veg and salad and fruit as well…. but recently we’ve all been given a health scare being told we are all verging on type 2 diabetes… changing their diet has been hard and I feel like I’m starving them because I can’t give them what they love to eat and refuse to eat anything else. What can I do? Should I just let it go till they’re hungry enough that they’ll eat anything? They are not fat or skinny by any means, but I’m worried it could be seen as child abuse if I don’t feed them what I know they’ll eat or make them go hungry if they don’t eat what I serve.


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  • Variety is a good thing so encourage that when you can. To make meals go further and be more satisfying try adding beans ie chick peas or lentils to meals. I have a 2.5 year old daughter and she loves any type of beans


  • Try and give them a bit of everything. You can still give them what they like but maybe a smaller portion with more protein and veggies and try yummy fruits for dessert.


  • there is a diabetes magazine that you could buy from any shops, I see them at woollies, coles and newagents or you could borrow a bunch of magazines from the library. your kids could even have a look at the recipe and give some cooking fun a try. it will also give your children choices too.
    your kids wont starve and your helping them health wise for a reason.


  • I’ve really enjoyed reading the comments on this thread.


  • I’m sure your children will not starve and it sounds to me that you are doing an great job looking after your family. I can only suggest you provide a variety of appropriate foods and they will find new favourites


  • It’s a definite balancing act. Sometimes you insist on eating what’s in front of them. Other times you let it go and let them eat what they like. Just don’t let them get their own way all the time


  • Kids won’t let themselves starve. It is our job as parents to provide our children with a variety of healthy nutritious food, it is up to the kids what they eat. We can’t force them to eat. In time your children will adjust! No-one will accuse you of abusing your children if you are providing plenty of healthy food, regardless of how much or how little the children choose to eat.


  • I think experimenting with new foods that are nutritious and beneficial until you find things that your children love to eat.


  • I can imagine it would be pretty challenging and will continue to be for awhile until they adjust but in time they WILL adjust. Maybe start with smaller changes one at a time and adjust recipes they love to make them a bit healthier but overall remember you are doing a great job and never feel guilty about it because your helping them to have a healthier life.


  • I am so pleased you have been made aware before serious issues arose. I am diabetic on low/no carb diet. Eat more Eat less. Eat alot more often, every 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Eat a lot less, watch the quantities. After three to four days your body will register that you are giving it frequent fuel so the hunger pains will disappear. They will only appear when it is time to refuel 2 1/2 to 3 hours after eating something. Change the size of your plate. People tend to think that they need to put enough food on a plate to fill it up. Use a bread and butter plate instead of a dinner plate for your main meal.


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