I think we have developed 'a situation' with snacks, especially where ds2 (4yo) is concerned. He is driving me insane with his constant whine of 'I'm hungry,' and 'what can I have then?' It is not unusual for him to be snacking all day and not eating well at mealtimes. However, what makes me doubt myself is that even on days when he does eat well at mealtimes, he will still be asking for food not much later. So, I assume he is hungry and increase his portion sizes. Then the next day, this leads to even more wasted food.
His snacks are not junk food - mainly fruit, breadsticks, oatcakes, other plainish crackers with peanut butter or hummus. He is a little chubby in the face and arms but still in 3yo clothes and naked you can see his ribs.
To further complicate matters, if his elder brother (6) sees him getting a snack, he invariably asks for one too. This makes me think he's eating when he's not really hungry as he's not instigating it, but then he, after going through a slightly chubby time about 18 months ago, is very skinny and looks a if he's been stretched.
So, I'm feeling pretty clueless and very stressed with all the constant whinging for food. Is it normal to be constantly snacking? What portion sizes should dc of these ages be having? I have had a google, but can't find anything. All I can find is NHS stuff about not giving them too much, but no one seems to be quoting figures about how much they should be eating.
I am annoyed because about 2 years ago, ds1 was weighed and measured at school and declared to be just into the 'obese' category. At the time I posted on here about how useless the accompanying leaflet was as it was full of stuff about limiting sugary/fatty snacks, not having squash, not sitting on arses all day watching TV. We're not perfect but none of it applied to us. I basically worried for 6 months, had him re-weighed and he had grown taller and no heavier, so was out of the 'danger zone'.
However, now I feel like I have lost my way with feeding the dc and, looking for advice, there isn't any. I know snacks shouldn't be junk, but how much 'non-junk' is too much?
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AIBU?
To think there is not enough clear advice on feeding children well
61 replies
lecce · 14/07/2013 20:17
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