Snacks

[torontokids]

I feel I am being eaten out of house and home these last few weeks. I provide 2 snacks 8:30 and 3 and lunch (supposed to be 11:30 but we have been having it sometimes at 11 as they can't last).

My snacks are definitely becoming more substantial as well.

For example, today:

AM Snack- english muffins with peanut butter or margarine, yogurt, apples and grapes and the babies are also eating a bowl of rice krispies. (most ate half an english muffin, a whole yogurt and tons of fruit)

Lunch- Roasted chicken with potatoes and cooked carrots, cucumber and carrots with hummus, apple and pear slices (everyone tried lunch and most ate fairly well). I also gave one of the babies some cottage cheese after she was done everything else.

PM Snack- Each kid ate half a banana, pretzels, cheese and apple slices.

I guess it's all the running around we are doing but it sometimes seems excessive. I always try to have protein (yogurt, hummus, cheese) and we eats lot's of fruit. None of my dc kids are milk drinkers so I don't have that as another protein.

[Judy Trickett]

I find that these days a lot of kids will literally eat until you stop feeding them. I think it is a sign of our culture and how over the top we have become with food. We eat alllll the time when we are not hungry....stops through Timmie's, a snack every freaking time a kid gets in the car to occupy them, popcorn at the movies etc etc etc. I don't think most people, kids included even KNOW what it is to feel full anymore.

I serve one good-sized portion of everything I am serving for each snack and lunch and that's IT. I don't offer seconds. Seriously, the amounts I give them are probably 3/4 the size of what I would eat so I think that is plenty for someone who is over a hundred pounds less than I am.

[2cuteboys]

That sounds like a lot of food and a lot of work!

I think that variety is great, but when it comes to food, I know that I always gorge myself when there is a greater variety (think buffets or thanksgiving dinner). Kids do the same thing.

I offer something from 2 of the food groups for snacks, and all 4 for meals, and with the exception of fruit or Greek salad, it's 1 thing from each. It doesn't mean you can't have variety, it's just variety over the day/week instead of the meal. I find it also helps entice them to try new foods - why would they try something new, like mango, when there is also bananas on ther plate?

I'm a bt of a stickler when it comes to food though. I serve nutritious food, and I'll give as much as they'll eat (within reason - I actually had a DCM tell me that their child will literally keep eating eggs until they puke), but if they refuse to eat what I've made, they go hungry until the next snack/meal. I also hold off on seconds of any particular thing until they've eaten at least part of all the options.

[torontokids]

2cuteboys
Yeah I was thinking about cutting down on my variety. I feel I am always chopping something! I also do not give seconds until they have tried/finished everything and if they choose not to eat the meal they wait until next snack.

Judy
I had been thinking the same thing about allowing them too much that your post is timely (aka reassuring). I actually cut them off today from having more snack when I felt they had had plenty. There of course were protests from the 3 yo's but I simply said that this is a snack and they will have supper soon.

I do however feel that part of this is due to how much we are running around outside these days.

[mamaof4]

First- geez when can I come eat at your house?? :)

Second, I feel like some days are eating days where the kids are bottomless pits and others when they subsist on air and sunshine and it is cyclical. Can you try keeping track for a month or so and see what happens?

[playfelt]

I go by the food guide as well for serving size and then cut them off - when their plate is done they are done. They have the option of a cookie when done if they want. Kids will eat whatever they get used to eating and if it isn't offered rarely ask. With so much obesity in kids even too much nutritious food becomes part of the problem. There are serving amounts per food category for a reason and we also have to consider the food the child is eating at home.