Feeding my children too much

I think children are generally quite good at self regulating appetite and I always encourage DD to listen to her body so her intake fluctuates wildly.
If you're giving this much headspace to two weetabix and some toast, I suggest you look at your own relationship with food and maybe feed your kids breakfast yourself

It depends, of course.

Are all their meals carb-heavy and short on protein and fruit and veg like this, or do they otherwise have a balanced diet? Are they active and slim (can you see their ribs?) or are they already over weight?

It doesn't seem too much in quantity, but as others I've said it's a lot of the same thing. I would give them 1 Weetabix or 1-2 toasts, and if they are still hungry something else like yogurt and fruits.

You wait till they’re 15 and washing down 4 weetabix with 2 slices of toast.

when going through a growth spurt my daughter 3.5yo will eat 2 weetabix with fruit and yoghurt. Then she’ll also go through times where she’ll not finish 1 if her appetite is smaller. If we’re having porridge she has the same size portion as me, again with fruit and yoghurt. I feel that she needs the energy as she is very active all day and will sometimes be pickier at other meals and not eat if much, so I like her to eat well at breakfast.

My just-turned 5 year old daughter eats 3 Weetabix and two slices of toast, or, she has porridge and one slice.

There is no exact portion size, if the chikd eats it all then that's the right size. If they constantly leave alot then it's too big. It sounds like they eat it and children are constantly constantly on the go so need plenty of fuel.

My 9 month old granddaughter eats 1 Weetabix with fruit for breakfast - this is after having a bottle of formula when she first gets up. This is often followed by a crust of bread to chew on while her parents get ready for the day. I expect that she will eat more for breakfast when she is now longer having so many bottles of formula in a few months time.

So no, I don’t think 2 Weetabix with a piece of toast is too much for an active 5 year old but I would also add some fruit with it.

My almost 2 year old will eat 2 weetabix. My 6 year old will eat 1. Eldest has never been a big breakfast eater whereas breakfast is my youngest favourite meal. If they are hungry let them eat at mealtimes and reduce snacks if needed. Kids are good at managing how much they need themselves so unless there are weight issues then this is a you issue not them.

It’s important to follow their lead and hunger cues - your job to offer healthy food, their job to decide how much they need. Look up division of responsibility - Ellen satter. FWIW, one of mine could eat more and one a lot less and both are healthy and in correct proportion to their height!

Mine would eat a weetabix and some fruit at around 9 months old. I would try to swap the toast for something more nutritional but I don't think it's a lot of food.

Where’s the fruit, yogurt or egg? Will make them feel full longer

You couldn't eat 2 weetabix and 1 slice of toast?? Really??? I bet you're a waste of money at a hotel breakfast.

My now 8 year old boy has always eaten a huge breakfast (normally 2 Weetabix, fruit and maybe toast). He takes huge growth spurts. Some kids are bigger eaters. If he is at nursery or school he will definitely need a big breakfast as children who don't eat proper breakfasts struggle far more to learn.

It's so annoying that some women feel the desperate need to insert what they say they eat into a post-of-concern about what a child is eating. It makes me roll my eyes very hard every time I see it.

It's irrelevant and attention-seeking. Every time.

I thought food rationing was over decades ago?

Do you historically have issues with food OP? Are you restrictive with your own diet? It strikes me as peculiar that you would find issue with this as as you can see it’s a fairly standard breakfast for most children.

Does the food given get eaten? Or is it wasted? If it’s continuously wasted then I’d say lower the amount but if the kids are eating it, they must be hungry enough to do so.

Every child is different and appetites change. When my son was 2 he'd eat toast, cereal, fruit and a yogert and sometimes ask for more. He's six now and rarely has more than three bites of anything at breakfast. Put out the food and let the children decide how much they want to eat.

I don’t think that’s too much at all. My 2.5 year old has a big appetite and I’m conscious of what he’s eating as he just wouldn’t stop if he had his own way!

He generally has a 30g bowl of porridge or 1 weetabix with honey, banana and a smoothie. He would also happily eat a piece of toast or crumpet on top of that and then try to have some of my breakfast! Some mornings if Dads in charge he’s had a bowl of porridge and then weetabix!

He loves egg and fruit at lunch or dinner time and I would rather he had one of those than if still hungry of a morning but refuses.

an egg on toast

The bread for the toast is probably more highly processed than the Weetabix.
Unless you make your own bread from scratch.

Busy families should not get too hung up about avoiding UPFs. It is wise to always try to have an evening meal from fresh ingredients and fresh vegetables, but it is not practical to always avoid all UPF for breakfast and lunch.

Thats absolutely fine. My four year old (tall, slim, active) will happily put away 3 weetabix, toast and fruit at breakfast. He has never been overweight in his life. The portions you describe sound normal for children of their ages.

Children are generally good at regulating their appetites, and your own appetite is no indication of what theirs should be. They are fuelling bodily growth, which you aren’t, and children are usually more active than adults. What you can or can’t manage for breakfast is completely irrelevant.

All you need to do is offer healthy, balanced meals and snacks and let your children be in charge of how much they eat at every meal. The absolute best thing they can learn is to eat intuitively and according to their own appetites.

Mine used to eat lots in the morning, 2 weatabix, fruit or toast later.

Lunch and dinner to more encouraging so i was happy for them to eat well in the morning.

Assuming they are active and no weight concern i dont see any issue.

This.
What an adult female eats is just not relevant to what an active boy eats.

Active children need carbs.
And tend to eat bigger breakfasts than adults.

For context my 5yo had 2 weetabix, a banana and a yoghurt before school. I think that’s fine, she will also be starving come play time 🤣