Panorama - What's Really in Our Kids' Food?

[Tacey]

Did anyone see this last night?

I was really surprised that the Annabel Karmel ready meals contain so much added sugar and salt! I'd better start reading my cookery books again...

 

[leighbaby]

I couldn't believe her comments, what a stupid elitist witch! Shaking off any responsibility.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Yeah I think it's stupid there's added sugar in food made for babies/children, I mean why? If you really need to sweeten, there are plenty of fruit and veg that taste sweet.

 

[rosyfeathers]

i love these types of programmes - they really give me an insight on how u cud unknowingly feed ure LOs junk! they just lie on all those packagings - cant trust any of them! & i bet AKarmel doesnt feed any of her pdts to her grand kids! jeez!!

 

[ellismum]

I was more shocked at the part where one woman said she gave a mum a potato and a peeler and she did not know what to do and that mums had blended Pizza and Chicken Nuggets!

There will be no Follow on Milk in my house either!

 

[Tacey]

I was shocked that the adverts make out that you NEED follow-on milk! I had no idea they were allowed to do that.

 

[bubbles]

I saw part of this. Annabel Karmel went right down in my estimation, thankfully i make all of Edwards food and although I have done some of her recipes I never add the salt or sugar she suggests and Edward has never complained. I found her really patronising, I would say I am quite well educated in what Edward can and cannot eat but I honestly did not know children over 1yr could have 2g of salt per day?? (I actually didn't think they were allowed any). Having looked on her sight just now she is claiming it was a very one sided programme and released a statement as follows

Annabel Karmel response to the BBC Panorama Investigation into Child Nutrition

Annabel Karmel welcomes the BBC Panorama investigation into child nutrition

As a leading provider of foods to children under 5, Annabel Karmel Group Holdings Limited welcome the BBC Panorama investigation into child nutrition for the under-5’s shown on 25th January 2010 . The issues raised in the programme are important as many parents are confused about the dietary requirements for toddlers and pre-school children.



However, the allegations made by the BBC programme regarding the nutritional elements of Eat Fussy Lasagne were misleading. The Lasagne does contain more fat and salt due to the cheese content which is a nutritious food providing much needed protein and calcium to children. However, this is just one meal in a range of eight, the majority of which are low in saturated fat and salt. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, “toddlers should be encouraged to consume milk and dairy products such as cheese as these are particularly good source of bio-available calcium, which is important for bone development, as well as providing a range of other nutrients. A diet which is low in fat and high in fibre may not supply enough energy for a young child.” The Lasagne also provides iron and the commonest nutritional deficiency in young children is iron deficiency.

I understand that they need fat but surely if using a cheese that is quite salty you would reduce or better still eliminate salt from the rest of the recipe??

 

[leighbaby]

I saw part of this. Annabel Karmel went right down in my estimation, thankfully i make all of Edwards food and although I have done some of her recipes I never add the salt or sugar she suggests and Edward has never complained. I found her really patronising, I would say I am quite well educated in what Edward can and cannot eat but I honestly did not know children over 1yr could have 2g of salt per day?? (I actually didn't think they were allowed any). Having looked on her sight just now she is claiming it was a very one sided programme and released a statement as follows

Annabel Karmel response to the BBC Panorama Investigation into Child Nutrition

Annabel Karmel welcomes the BBC Panorama investigation into child nutrition

As a leading provider of foods to children under 5, Annabel Karmel Group Holdings Limited welcome the BBC Panorama investigation into child nutrition for the under-5’s shown on 25th January 2010 . The issues raised in the programme are important as many parents are confused about the dietary requirements for toddlers and pre-school children.



However, the allegations made by the BBC programme regarding the nutritional elements of Eat Fussy Lasagne were misleading. The Lasagne does contain more fat and salt due to the cheese content which is a nutritious food providing much needed protein and calcium to children. However, this is just one meal in a range of eight, the majority of which are low in saturated fat and salt. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, “toddlers should be encouraged to consume milk and dairy products such as cheese as these are particularly good source of bio-available calcium, which is important for bone development, as well as providing a range of other nutrients. A diet which is low in fat and high in fibre may not supply enough energy for a young child.” The Lasagne also provides iron and the commonest nutritional deficiency in young children is iron deficiency.

I understand that they need fat but surely if using a cheese that is quite salty you would reduce or better still eliminate salt from the rest of the recipe??

i thought she came across as very clueless about what was in 'her' food stuffs. you'd think she'd have done her homework - knowing what the programme was about - she could have easily said that it was down to the cheese...or have apologised for being so misleading.

i am soooooo pissed off about her 'educated mothers' comment. many 'uneducated' people will be buying her products based on her reputation, believing that they are buying the most nutritional food possible for their LO.

i make all my own food for LO because i'm so skeptical anyway, but after her elitist comments, i'll never buy anything annabel karmel, because i am an educated mother - wonder how she likes them apples!

 

[Lisa1302]

I saw part of this. Annabel Karmel went right down in my estimation, thankfully i make all of Edwards food and although I have done some of her recipes I never add the salt or sugar she suggests and Edward has never complained. I found her really patronising, I would say I am quite well educated in what Edward can and cannot eat but I honestly did not know children over 1yr could have 2g of salt per day?? (I actually didn't think they were allowed any). Having looked on her sight just now she is claiming it was a very one sided programme and released a statement as follows

Annabel Karmel response to the BBC Panorama Investigation into Child Nutrition

Annabel Karmel welcomes the BBC Panorama investigation into child nutrition

As a leading provider of foods to children under 5, Annabel Karmel Group Holdings Limited welcome the BBC Panorama investigation into child nutrition for the under-5’s shown on 25th January 2010 . The issues raised in the programme are important as many parents are confused about the dietary requirements for toddlers and pre-school children.



However, the allegations made by the BBC programme regarding the nutritional elements of Eat Fussy Lasagne were misleading. The Lasagne does contain more fat and salt due to the cheese content which is a nutritious food providing much needed protein and calcium to children. However, this is just one meal in a range of eight, the majority of which are low in saturated fat and salt. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, “toddlers should be encouraged to consume milk and dairy products such as cheese as these are particularly good source of bio-available calcium, which is important for bone development, as well as providing a range of other nutrients. A diet which is low in fat and high in fibre may not supply enough energy for a young child.” The Lasagne also provides iron and the commonest nutritional deficiency in young children is iron deficiency.

I understand that they need fat but surely if using a cheese that is quite salty you would reduce or better still eliminate salt from the rest of the recipe??

That particular lasagne, on her site it says
Nutritional information:

(Typical values)
Per 100g
per meal

Sodium

0.2g
0.4g

Salt Equivalent

0.4g
1.0g

So a meal of 220g contains half what a baby is allowed per day after 12 months.

I can't really see the problem with that - these meals are for convenience not for everyday use!

 

[ellismum]

I saw part of this. Annabel Karmel went right down in my estimation, thankfully i make all of Edwards food and although I have done some of her recipes I never add the salt or sugar she suggests and Edward has never complained. I found her really patronising, I would say I am quite well educated in what Edward can and cannot eat but I honestly did not know children over 1yr could have 2g of salt per day?? (I actually didn't think they were allowed any). Having looked on her sight just now she is claiming it was a very one sided programme and released a statement as follows

Annabel Karmel response to the BBC Panorama Investigation into Child Nutrition

Annabel Karmel welcomes the BBC Panorama investigation into child nutrition

As a leading provider of foods to children under 5, Annabel Karmel Group Holdings Limited welcome the BBC Panorama investigation into child nutrition for the under-5’s shown on 25th January 2010 . The issues raised in the programme are important as many parents are confused about the dietary requirements for toddlers and pre-school children.



However, the allegations made by the BBC programme regarding the nutritional elements of Eat Fussy Lasagne were misleading. The Lasagne does contain more fat and salt due to the cheese content which is a nutritious food providing much needed protein and calcium to children. However, this is just one meal in a range of eight, the majority of which are low in saturated fat and salt. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, “toddlers should be encouraged to consume milk and dairy products such as cheese as these are particularly good source of bio-available calcium, which is important for bone development, as well as providing a range of other nutrients. A diet which is low in fat and high in fibre may not supply enough energy for a young child.” The Lasagne also provides iron and the commonest nutritional deficiency in young children is iron deficiency.

I understand that they need fat but surely if using a cheese that is quite salty you would reduce or better still eliminate salt from the rest of the recipe??

That particular lasagne, on her site it says
Nutritional information:

(Typical values)
Per 100g
per meal

Sodium

0.2g
0.4g

Salt Equivalent

0.4g
1.0g

So a meal of 220g contains half what a baby is allowed per day after 12 months.

I can't really see the problem with that - these meals are for convenience not for everyday use!

I agree. Also they are big portions too, no way would a 1 year old eat a whole one!

I think the point about uneducated mothers is proven with the blended pizza/nuggets and the woman who didn't know how to peel a potato I did not get the impression that she meant all mother

 

[LaDY]

Ooo iv only just seen this thread...is there anywhere i can watch this online?...found it!...il watch this later xx

 

[Tacey]

BBC iPlayer still has it on I think.

 

[Sovereign]

I didn't know this was on. Might have a gander if I find time! x

 

[Dizzy321]

What is it they said about follow on milks ?? x

 

[lauren-kate]

What is it they said about follow on milks ?? x

I think it was that they were quite high in sugar, and were not really needed if the child was already eating a reasonably balanced diet. It criticised the adverts which suggested that follow on milks were needed, when most of the time, they are not.

 

[ChloesMummy]

Im gonna watch this later!

 

[RedRose]

Just watched this on iPlayer. I liked it.

I was shocked at how bad a spokesperson Annabel Karmel is for her own brand. I'd never heard of the brand before, and I don't necessarily think the products are bad (although not good value), but I don't think I could buy them simply because of how badly Annabel represents her brand. Maybe she was having an off day, but she came across as impatient, aloof and ill-informed.

I thought the manufacturers of the Fruit Flakes made a very valid point.

I guess overall the programme didn't teach me that much, as convenience foods, snacks, drinks and ready meals are bound to be lacking in nutrition. I didn't realise how different a toddler's dietry requirements are from an adults though, so that was really interesting. They need more fats and proteins in order to grow quickly, whereas adults need more fruit and veg.

 

[lauren-kate]

I guess overall the programme didn't teach me that much, as convenience foods, snacks, drinks and ready meals are bound to be lacking in nutrition. I didn't realise how different a toddler's dietry requirements are from an adults though, so that was really interesting. They need more fats and proteins in order to grow quickly, whereas adults need more fruit and veg.

I agree. I think with me, it just made me really sure that what I'm doing is right. I like to make everything from scratch, so to speak. We don't really buy ready meals any more.

 

[Scally]

I went into tescos last night to look at the annabel karmel ready meals- never knew they existed and there was only one sort on the shelf- i wonder if that is a result of the programme? I thought she was appalling!
Also i thought the fruit flake people were very honest and good.

 

[lauren-kate]

The thing with Annabel Karmel is.. I think that she's kind of sold-out to just making money. She's gone the same kind of way as some other popular chefs, in that companies will use her name on anything to get it to sell better. She's become more of a brand than an expert I think. Her books on purees and toddler food are good, but I think that is where it should have stopped.