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Behaviour/development

3 year old constantly hungry, what can I feed her?

44 replies

CbeebiesIsMyLife · 21/01/2014 10:42

I just put this in Food, but thought some people over here might have some ideas too?

I don't know what else to try. Since starting nursery in the afternoons a few weeks back dd1 just seems constantly hungry.

This morning she's eaten, a banana, a handful of raisins, a handful of grapes, 2 bowls of cereal, a cereal bar and 3 digestive biscuits. She's also finished off her sisters bowl of cereal and her sister breakfast bar

She's not bored and is happily playing, but keeps telling me she's hungry. I've started giving her her water bottle when she says she's hungry, I was thinking she may be thirsty but its made little difference. She's begging me for lunch already with tears and I'm finding I'm making her lunch earlier and earlier every day. At the moment lunch time is around 11am.

She wakes up between 5 and 6 am and has snack time at 9/10 ish.

What can I give her to fill her up in the morning? she doesn't like porridge or weatabix or anything 'sloppy'

When she gets home from nursery its the same, I give her a snack at 4, we have dinner at 5 and she's still telling me she's hungry as I'm putting her to bed.

She's not over eating as she's very slim and putting on very little weight (the health visitor was concerned about her lack of weight last time we saw her, but her dietitian, who we no longer see, was happy so no further action was taken), so I genuinely think she's hungry.

I need some new quick and easy ideas for a filling breakfast (I'm 24 weeks pregnant with a 2 year old and a 3 year old, I really cant do fussy!) Please help!

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ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 21/01/2014 10:43

Thats all carbs.

Will she eat eggs? The protein will keep her fuller longer, and if you cook them in lots of butter the fat will help with that too..

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PoshPaula · 21/01/2014 10:45

Could you give her more protein? Eggs, cooked in a non-sloppy way, cheese (for breakfast - why not?), beans on wholemeal toast with grated cheese... Maybe it's a growth spurt. As long as you are giving her healthy food that's not too processed, there shouldn't be a problem.

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PoshPaula · 21/01/2014 10:46

Cross post there! Great minds, and all that.

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Tiredemma · 21/01/2014 10:47

Both my boys were like this at that age. I used to cut up a few chunks of cheese for them and put into a bowl.

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ouryve · 21/01/2014 10:48

That's a hell of a lot of sugar and very little protein. She's never going to be satisfied and is simply going to be craving more of it, all day.

Drop the biscuits for a start. Higher protein things that my boys eat include eggs, occasionally bacon or sausages, peanut butter on toast, yoghurt (sweet, but also nutritious and full of protein, unlike biscuits). DS1 went through a phase of having a few fish fingers for breakfast.

If you do give cereals, stick with low sugar options like weetabix, ready brek or even proper porridge.

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MrsCosmopilite · 21/01/2014 10:48

Mine's the same.

So far she's had a pancake, malt loaf with butter, a cereal bar, a large cup of milk and a yogurt.

Might cut up a little bit of cheese and offer her that.

This can go on all day... until tea time when she's not hungry!

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AndiMac · 21/01/2014 10:49

Yep, more protein and fat. Peanut butter on toast with jam, honey or sliced banana is another idea.

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AndiMac · 21/01/2014 10:51

And by the way, if I woke up at 5:30, I'd feel lunchtime should be around 10:30am too! That's 4 hours later, a long time even with a snack in between.

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AndiMac · 21/01/2014 10:51

5 hours even. Gah

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CbeebiesIsMyLife · 21/01/2014 10:54

You're right, we are quite carb heavy, but it seems to be the easiest option Sad beans on toast is easy enough though and can put some cheese with it. Maybe if I gave her a yoghurt and fruit after it might fill her up a little more?

It seems so simple but you get stuck in a routine and dont quite know what to do next! thank you for your ideas Smile

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Parliamo · 21/01/2014 10:54

Toast, peanut butter, crumpets, full fat yoghurt, milk shake, croissant, pain au lait, crackers and cheese. More fat, bit less sugar? Fat is what makes you feel full, and fat intake should not be restricted for under 5s, I'm sure I read somewhere it should be a higher proportion of little ones' diet than adults.

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Parliamo · 21/01/2014 10:56

Lots of people quicker than me!

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CbeebiesIsMyLife · 21/01/2014 10:56

I didn't think of it in terms of hours Andi! your right that is a long time to go.

(the biscuits are teamed with some of the fruit and was for snack time, not first thing in the morning)

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Solo · 21/01/2014 11:00

I was going to say that about the early waking too. What time do you give her breakfast OP?
Cereal bars are the work of the devil IMO. They are a poor substitute for a proper meal/breakfast. Egg (boiled, poached, scrambled or even an omelette with cheese and ham) and toast or peanut butter on toast. Cheese and fruit for snacks.

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Aldwick · 21/01/2014 11:00

I bet she's going through a growth spurt. Definitely try putting cheese on the toast or offering a yogurt but to be honest I'd be guided by her and I'm sure it will calm down again soon.

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Solo · 21/01/2014 11:02

Dried fruit is also high in sugar btw.

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Flowerpup · 21/01/2014 11:06

How about letting her make some wraps and giving her options in little bowls, chicken or turkey, grated cheese, salad etc - Fill her right up in say an hour then if she asks say you've had your breakfast, remember you made wraps or whatever, then let her have a two / three hour gap then a big lunch, more of a cooked dinner to keep her going. Also big cups of water and juice between as she may just be thirsty but saying she's hungry.

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Flowerpup · 21/01/2014 11:08

Sorry just reread that you gave her a water bottle! Was distracted!

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CbeebiesIsMyLife · 21/01/2014 11:17

when she wakes up at 5/6 Dh gives her a cereal bar. then around 6.30 I give them cereal and fruit. At 9/10 I give them a snack wich is fruit with something else, this morning it was biscuits but can be dairlee dunkers, crackers and cheese, a yogurt, fruit bread or toast with p-nut butter.

another snack at nursery which is always fruit and then at 4 pm its usually something like a biscuit to stop them whining while I finish dinner.

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AndiMac · 21/01/2014 11:36

I've just looked through some of my Pinterest recipes and have found some protein loaded ones. You have to take the time to make them, but once they are made, are as quick and as easy as any quick carby recipe.

Veggie Frittata Fingers
A bunch of ideas for lunch/snacks
Egg muffins
Peanut Butter Banana Oat Breakfast Cookies
Skinny Meatloaf Muffins
Carb-Free Cloud Bread

I've made nearly all these recipes (not the cloud bread, but now that I've been reminded, will make it today) and all have gone down with varying degrees of success with my kids, depending on which one, time of day, placement of moon in the heavens, etc. Certainly all worth a try. Another one would be to make an eggy milkshake, if you aren't worried about raw eggs. One cup of milk, one egg, one tsp vanilla extract, half to 1 tbsp of sugar and whip it up in the blender.

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RawCoconutMacaroon · 21/01/2014 11:47

Omelette with cheese, a bit of tomato and herbs is fast and nutritious, if the DC will eat it... Almost as fast as pouring cereal... Buy decent sausages (the ones with actual meat in!), easy to cook ahead in the oven, keep in fridge and microwave when needed (about 30 seconds each!).

Boiled egg is a fantastic snack or breakfast food that can be cooked ahead (although I have yet to convince my 3yo to eat one Sad, he views them with great suspicion). Eggs have an amazingly good nutritional profile, complete protein and lots of natural unprocessed fats.

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QuintessentialShadows · 21/01/2014 11:51

Your dd is getting a lot of sugary, processed, carbohydrates. No wonder she is constantly hungry, nothing of what you give her is really filling her up, or giving much nutrition. She needs more protein.
Based on all the sugar you are already giving her, I would not give her biscuits, cereal bars and youghurts to try fill her up.

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funnyossity · 21/01/2014 12:08

My kids will eat chopped avocado for snack and it's more satisfying than fruit.

You could keep back leftover meat/sausages from the day before for snacking. I also boil eggs and keep some in the fridge for snacking over the next 24 hours.

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Solo · 21/01/2014 12:38

Yes to an egg and milk drink. Filling and good for you!

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CbeebiesIsMyLife · 21/01/2014 17:18

Quint I wouldn't say she's having a lot of sugary processes carbs... Is she? I thought I was doing ok in the nutritional stakes. I thought it was balanced out over the day. Up until around a year ago she was seeing a dietitian because of an allergy she's grown out of. Her sister was seeing the same dietitian until about 4 months ago, I kept strict food diaries and she saw everything I gave them (even the odd sweet and chocolate) she saw the bad days where I had 2 under 2 to look after and was very very ill and gave them toast 3 times a day spaced with fruit and the good days where I gave them proper food and she thought their diet was fine. It hasn't changed since. I really didn't think I was doing that bad a job Sad

Thanks for the recipes Andi I'll take a look later and try some out (I know what you mean about the moon placement!)

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