Kids on keto?

(anonymous54) #1

I’d like to convert my kids (children, I don’t have any hoats!) to keto, but they are hard-core carb addicts and being 7 and 9, have no appreciation for the long-term effects even though I have tried to explain without totally freaking them out. Has anyone had success converting their kids? If so, how’d you do it?

(jketoscribe) #2

Our kids were older and not buying this keto stuff. We refer to them as the “pastatarians”. However, over time we have converted all of our food to real food, organic, grass fed, etc and we cook all meals. So they are getting mostly good food. Sometimes we have a carb at dinner (e.g. Pasta, rice, potato–I don’t eat it) and sometimes we don’t. I don’t feel my kids need to be keto, but a healthful diet of real food for sure.

At the ages your kids are you can do it gradually and without discussion. Simply start serving more real food and less crap. You are the one cooking and shopping. We have a rule in our house called “this is what’s on the menu tonight”. Kids get a choice of eating it or not, but no “short order cooking”. We always have several veggie sides so there’s usually something in the table that every person will eat. Nobody goes hungry.

(Angela Przybylski) #3

My daughter is 4 and I have the same rule. If she doesn’t want to eat what I’ve cooked then I tell her she doesn’t have to (literally no fighting or bribing or bargaining, just “ok don’t eat it”), but there is nothing else to eat for the rest of the night. Dinner time in the time to eat dinner and that’s it. Instinctively, they will not let themselves starve. They’ll catch on quick and start eating what you’re making.

(Lori Calhoun) #4

This has been the rule in our house too, but his last year it has backfired. My girls are 13 & 16, and will just go in the kitchen an cook for themselves. I wish I knew a better way around this. I am still trying to get all the non-keto food out of the house, but it has been a slow go.

(Jennifer) #5

Instead of worrying about carbs, I have tried to raise the fat content in meals. But my 14 yo is skinny as a rail and takes after his father. Most likely does not have insulin issues. I did stop buying protein shakes for him and he now just goes without breakfast. He isn’t hungry in the morning, I was just trying to force food on him (bad mom). If I make him mac and cheese, it gets a half a stick of butter, extra cheese and a can of chicken or beef in it. Lol. I am cooking keto for the family so whatever I make he eats. I have tons of cheese in the fridge so that helps for snacking.

I am about to start clearing out some of the carb remnants. Stuff is just sitting around…

#6

Dr. Adam Nally of Keto Talk with Jimmy Moore says that kids seem to be able to tolerate many more carbs and still stay in ketosis, and doing it your way avoids completely changing up their routine, and makes the transition less noticeable.

#7

The buyer of the groceries has the power.

(Wenchie) #8

I have 3 kids and one of them (11 years old) went on keto on January 1st this year… amazing, no keto flue, nothing. My other kids love the keto food but also can not stay away from regular carbs when they are out. :roll_eyes: sad i know but I don`t want to totaly make keto a red flag for them by getting on their nerves all the time about it… I decided to teach by example and I think its working in some ways…

I want all of them keto… at least at home. We hardly have carbs in the house anyhow but here is what I am worried about…

Having a lot of fat at home but eating carby in School (School lunches leave hardly any other options) or even snacking when they are out with friends, do I risk them gaining weight and getting worse?

You know what I am trying to say? Basically is the aditional fat going to make things worse because they can not be/ don`t want to be as strict as we are … ?

#9

This is the same l’m afraid of. My son is 15 and he loves my food. But when he is in school or visiting his grandmother or father things are different. I don’t want to insist. He never wants to look like his very unhealthy father , so I hope , when he starts feeling uncomfortabel he will make his own choice. But nether the less I am a concerned mother and have the same question.

#10

Following this thread… I feel your pain: 11, 8, and 7. I don’t really plan to get them full on keto but trying to work them down on carbs to get out the junk. Unfortunately, I’m divorced and the other side of their family feeds them unlimited junk food and soft drinks on every visit. Fortunately I have custody so I can feed them pretty well when they’re home, but it’s a struggle. When they come home it’s like going through detox they’ve had so much sugar and carbs.
So far I’ve managed to get them way down on bread, which is huge: my compromise on that is sprouted grain bread. Yes, it’s garbage but it’s a slight step up plus they have to take the time to toast it or heat it up as it’s frozen so now the go-to snack for them is a spoon full of peanut butter instead of toast and bread consumption has gone way down.
As for my 8 yo super picky eater (carb junkie), he loves hash browns so as a compromise I cook them in bacon nectar with pieces of bacon mixed in.
It’s taking time but I think they notice how much better they feel eating here than eating there. I mentioned to my 11 yo after the last visit away how puffy he looked when he got home from eating so much junk. The boys were pretty miserable… but, they’re going there this weekend and will binge on crap all weekend and we start over when they get home.
Just taking it slowly and showing them how much better I feel not eating crap and cooking for them as best as I can without forcing it.

(Ron Sharp) #11

I’m in exactly the same boat. I only have them part time, though. I’m worried if I feed them high fat but they eat carbs everywhere else, that I might create a fat storage situation for them.

(Tara) #12

I’ve shared the same struggle with my 3 girls, ages 10, 8, and 5. But now with the addition of our son who is allergic to eggs and wheat, we’ve gained some control over their wheat consumption at home. They understand that eating crackers, cookies, muffins or other garbage will likely leave crumbs and that could result in a severe allergic reaction in their little brother who is a hungry, curious toddler.
I have found that when the girls help with the preparation of the food, they seem to take ownership over the meal or have a sense of pride that they made something delicious and they will eat more of it. I think its so valuable for us to teach our kids how to cook. Also, with 4 kids and both my husband and I working full time, we will always take all the help we can get.

#13

P.O.‘d at the schools. My son told me his teacher said he shouldn’t eat sausage because it has fat in it (3rd grade). My daughter (2nd) has had similar garbage from her teacher. Meanwhile both teachers are… amply sized. Kids are fed high carb, low fat foods, then expected to sit down all day and pay attention when they are sugar rushed from the food and also when the inevitable sugar crash hits. I wonder how many ADD or ADHD kids, or whatever the hell it’s called this week, could be fixed by feeding the kids real food, letting them have recess, and not passing out candy all the frickin’ time.

(Tara) #14

Hi Bob, That’s really awful to hear the teacher’s comments about your kids’ snacks. I’m going to send summer sausage and cheese with my girls for snack next week and see if they get any comments. I’m kind of proud of our school district implementing this new thing where the kids are given a list of options to celebrate their birthday instead of bringing treats. The options are something like extra recess, free time, computer time, dance party, make a craft, or have a parent join you for lunch.
Now if they could just do something about the breakfast options, cereal, toast, yogurt, milk and juice. :disappointed:

(She had one feck to give and that feck is gone.) #15

Wow! I wish our schools would do this!!! I’m so sick of my 7 yo coming out the door with a blow pop already in her mouth :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:. Blow Pops are on the “safe” snack list. :woman_facepalming:

Topic for next H&S meeting.

(Tara) #16

Blow pops are safe? Yikes… Luckily that’s an easy one to tackle, its “common wisdom” that candy is not good for dental health so it should be discouraged at school. No one is going to stand up and say, yes I do want my kid’s teeth to rot. lol

(She had one feck to give and that feck is gone.) #17

The “safe” list is for allergies.

#18

I cook breakfast and supper most days. The kids have heard me refer to cereal as dog food with sugar so many times I hope they get it.

#19

“Safe” for allergies but ok if your teeth rot and you end up on insulin in middle school… :triumph:

I keep telling my kids that yes, we had candy and drinks growing up but it was a “treat” not an expectation or requirement.

(Rob) #20

Being Keto I now eat copious amounts of fat in front our our two children, 10 and 11. The 10 year old said that she didn’t want the fat from the roast pork because she’s been told at school that fat is bad for you and while I’ll happily take the fat from her plate, I am angry that our next generation is growing up with poor dietary guidance. My wife and children can all see the copious amounts of fat I eat and how much weight I’m losing.

I find myself being judgmental about what they are eating out of frustration that I know they are doing themselves harm, but I feel it’s not a good approach for change. We have had some Keto successes like Brussels Sprouts with bacon, cooked in butter, but one cupboard is still stuffed with cereals which they scoff down in excess every morning and only when that is gone I will feel that I’ve won the battle!

I wonder whether a “no brainer” approach of “you can have a limited amount of X (carbage) OR an unlimited amount of Y (fatty food)” may win them over. That might mean having more ready cooked bacon in the fridge, sticks of cheese, pork scratchings, nuts etc. I say unlimited fatty food because I’d take that in preference to carbs and they should soon fill up on that anyway. Their current tendency is to come through the door from school and head straight for the snack drawer (not my creation). They’re lazy in their eating habits so I sense that an alternative path which offers better rewards with the same or less resistance may win the day.

My wife won’t go Keto because she won’t cook separate meals for us and the kids, and I see that, but I do feel a little marginalised at times for standing up for my food choices.