Do you allow your toddler to eat hot-dogs?

Question

I am not big on processed meats, so I was hesitant to give my daughter a hot dog. She LOVED it! She has eaten about 3 in the past 4 months. Is it okay to give an 18 month old a hot dog because of all the nitrates? I feel guilty letting her eat that garbage, but figure that one a month won't kill her.

Answer 1

Yes it is fine. My girls eat hotdogs and love them!

Answer 2

Once a month shouldn't hurt her.

I am with you though, our son (also 18 months) has only had one hot dog in his entire life :) And that was at our 4th of July BBQ!

We really try to stay away from anything prepackaged or processed (not just hot dogs)

If your main concern is the nitrates, the next time you are at the grocery store check out Oscar Myer's selection. At our store (Albertsons) they carry "all natural" Oscar Myer hot dogs that don't contain any nitrates :) They're a little bit more expensive, but I think it's worth the cost.

Answer 3

That is what my sister's two kids would eat all the time. You can get all beef ones, it is still processed meat but it is all the same animal. But hot dogs are good for kids that age because they are at the age where they are still learning what a spoon and fork are for and tend to get a little frustrated and just want to use their hands to eat. I would say that if you just give it to them at lunch time because it is quick and easy and very cheap and then give them a fork and encourage them to use the fork instead of their fingers it gives her what she likes to eat on top of teaching her to use her utensils. Also at that age they tend to be picky eaters (or at least my sisters kids....I helped raise them...were and still are) so what I recommend doing would be try making her something she hasn't had before and if she doesn't like it then give her a hot dog or something else that she does like. Eventually she grow out of the hot dog stage, I promise.

Answer 4

My two only discovered hotdogs on holiday this year as they would nener try them before. I too was a little worried about the ingredients, but then I discovered ASDA do a range of foods called 'great stuff' and they do mini hot dogs with hidden vegetables in them!! I never though tmy kids would fall for it, but they did big time, so now I don't feel so bad. Just make sure your little one is eating as balanced a diet as you can. It won't do her any harm for a treat!!

Answer 5

If you do, just go for the better ones as the above post said, like Turkey, Veggie, No salt, etc. I think there are also no or low nitrate ones in the health food case. Although watch the texture, some of those give tough if they are more Natural.

Answer 6

Uh? One a month? Yeah that won't hurt her. My toddler eats healthy most all of the time, she eats her veggies & pretty much whatever else I put on her plate so I get her some french fries once a week for a reward.

Answer 7

I personally think hot dogs are nasty! But my kids love them. I rarely buy them but when i do I get turkey dogs.
You should be slicing them in half until about the age of 4 to prevent choking.
I dont think there is anything wrong with it as long as it is occasional.

Answer 8

My 18m/o and 3y/o love hotdogs and have one hot dog once a fortnight.
It's not garbage and this is coming from someone who refuses candy and soda!
On a side note, i absaloutly hate hot dogs. I don't see how my girls like them but i boil them in a shape of an octapus and make noodles with green food coloring, they love it.

Answer 9

If you really knew what was in a hot dog, you wouldn't even let your kids LOOK at one. You couldn't pick a worse processed meat to eat or feed to anyone.

Answer 10

yes my daughter eats hot dogs

Answer 11

1] buy quality hot dogs [ like Hebrew National - my favorite! ]
2] cut into slices, then quarters to avoid choking - until over four years old.