Hi there!

I'm posting this question because I'd like to help a friend get her kids to a lower carb lifestyle. Of course, asking 2nd hand is quite challenging to begin with...but I'm hoping to at least find someone with similar difficulties.

She has 4 kids, ages 7 to 12. The oldest CLEARLY has a wheat sensitivity (wheat belly). The 9 yr old (boy) is also overweight. The 7 and 8 yr old are quite thin.

Now, I personally follow Protein Power, so I know it recommends 60 to 100 grams of carbs per day for QUITE overweight children. For "normal" children, 120 to 150 grams of carbs per day.

I also know there's a Carbohydrate Addicted Kids book (which I will recommend the mom get). But I have never read it myself. (hmmm...checking my library...good...I can interloan it for myself)

Anyway, her biggest challenge is that she's coming from quite a non-meat background. She's not vegetarian. She just doesn't cook much meat.
So her kids don't like much meat (chicken, ham, turkey, beef, fish, etc.) or cheese or nuts OR eggs! Some tolerate meat more than others (chicken being the most liked of them all).
Clearly these kids are carb addicts. They show all the signs. She needs a lot of help. I'm just not sure what to tell her about a typical day's food when she lists all the things they DON'T like.

They do like fruit.
They like a decent number of low carb veggies (broccoli, green beans, salad, etc.)

Any suggestions?
Has anyone dealt with getting carb-addicted kids to eat lower carb when they don't like many of the low carb foods I can think of !?!?

Anyone?

I was worried this wouldn't get much viewership in here. I'm tempted to post this in the General Low Carb section eventhough I think this location is better-suited to the topic.

Anyone?

My kid (he'll be 6 at the end of summer) would basically eat cookies/cakes/crackers all day if I let him. Fortunately, he's not overweight...but I could see him heading that way if I didn't do the work I have. I just got the book "Little Sugar Addicts". It's a pretty good book, but it is geared towards kids that eat only junk food it seems. My son has never had a coke, nor is he allowed corn syrup...so we're not in the same place. BUT, it has great recommendations for protein. This may be the book for your friend though..if her kids eat like most kids. I've been doing the protein recommendations from the book, and my son does seem more balanced and calm. The book does allow more carbs than I'm personally comfortable with (it doesn't say how many kids should have...kinda heavy on the whole grains, and some of the recipes are higher carb). I'm not sure how much carbs kids need, but my son seems to do fine on the days he doesn't eat too much.

What worked for me is introducing protein slowly, and with rewards. Yes, I bribed my son to eat meat. I had a chart, and every time he ate a serving of meat, he got a star. At the end of the chart, he got something special (trip to zoo, new toy, etc.) The point is to make it a habit, and to feel good about it. Now he eats protein with every meal (with very little fighting on my part). Snacks are cheese sticks or turkey slices or hard boiled eggs. I make muffins with almond flour and/or whey protein powder added.

I think if you suggest to your friend to up the protein, the carbs will naturally get lower. Many kids will stop eating when full, so if they are filling up with protein (and hopefully fat too), then there will be less room left over for the high carb junk.

I hope this helps!

This does!
Thanks so much for your insight.
I'll be seeing her in the next week or so, and will be passing along any and all info I get together for her.
What you say makes a lot of simple sense.

I read the testimonials from the amazon page of "Little Sugar Addicts" and it's a good read in itself, as you learn how many children suffered physically and mostly mentally because of an high-sugar diet. It certainly shows that children should be eating low-carb too since they're weaned. Protein Power intake is spot on in my opinion:

Testimonials from Little Sugar Addicts

For what it's worth, I cook a basic low carb meal (meat or fish and vegetables). Occasionally I might also boil a few potatoes to go with it, and there is a fully loaded fruit bowl that children can help themselves to at any time.

At breakfast, I make porridge, bacon and eggs, they can have any combination. If I ever buy cereal in a box, it's always the most basic one possible, no added sugar or colours etc.

I never buy cakes or biscuits. If they want some, they can bake their own.

They still love junk, of course, but they do know that junk in an occasional treat, not a daily food item.

When we go to McDonalds, they get a burger and fruitbag and milk or water. No soda, no fries. They are happy with that, it's the fast food experience they love, not the actual food.

I rarely get out of my journal anymore as I have my hands full with a toddler and my elderly mother (who has dementia) but something brought me over here today and I'm glad I stopped by. I just wanted to add to this conversation. (Ipioch, so sorry I missed it back in the spring!)

I'm challenged with my toddler to feed him well as he seems to crave bread in all forms and of course loves anything sweet. He's had cakes/cookies in his lifetime (he's nearly 2) but not candy, except maybe in the form of chocolate (as in the kind I eat not a regular candy bar). And he's never had soda and I definitely don't plan on that.

I'm also challenged because he doesn't love veggies much, but I do celebrate all the good things. When I give him bread, it's often as french toast and I sweeten it with a little local honey only. He only drinks milk and water (no juice). He loves LC fruits like berries, though I offer him any kind of fruit he wants. He has eaten tiny bits of zucchini and broccoli lately and has dabbled with potato and other squashes as well as good old carrots. He eats yogurt and will often have eggs, inspired by mommy eating them (and off my plate of course, because they are yummier that way). And although he passes off my pork chops and won't touch steak, he's had chicken from time to time and adores hot dogs.

All that being said, I basically try to find a way to start with protein, which is what Karlin advised. I've also been known to give my son food in "shifts" so we can concentrate on the meatballs and veggies first and then if he's really feeling the kaiser roll, so be it.

As you can see, I'm really not strict about the foods, but rather I'm concentrating on the relationship. I want my son to appreciate better foods and not feel pushed one way or the other. And so far it seems to be working because he will eat things, but stop when he's full or has simply had enough of the taste. For example, we recently went out lunch and he had ice cream for dessert and enjoyed it tremendously, but only had about 5 bites. And then later that night dessert was blueberries and he was in his glory.

I know there are parents who do a much better job LCing with their children; however, my goal right now is simply to help my child avoid the pitfalls and keep a good balance nutritionally.

I consider learning to cook meat my biggest grown-up achievement. It's not common for young people my age (37) to really have learned it so me and my husband (capmikee) had to be very intensive about it. We started with just 1950's style meals (pork chop, potatoes, green beans) and felt immensely better immediately and our kids behavior improved. Eventually we lost the potatoes and rice. I suggest that this be her main focus to really put meat at the center of the meals. Then it gets easier and easier.