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AIBU?

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Original poster

Is my toddler over-eating

63 replies

Sparkleandglitter · 31/01/2025 09:43

DS is nearly 3 and ALWAYS hungry. He’s constantly looking for snacks or sitting up to the table to wait for his food (even if it’s not actually a mealtime).

He eats so much and I honestly have no idea if I’m over-feeding him or not.
I try to make sure his diet is fairly balanced and healthy but he has a massive appetite.
If we go to a party he makes a beeline for the snack table, and at the park he’s always there when his friend’s snacks come out.
I do make a lot of his snacks myself because it was costing a fortune and I also wanted to reduce how much salt and sugar he was having.

He’s very, very active (Walks/bikes/scoots everywhere. Does football, swimming and riding lessons every week. Spends a lot of time at the park running around with his friends and climbing).
He’s 98th percentile for height and 65th for weight so he isn’t overweight.

But he just eats so much and I don’t know whether to keep giving it to him or whether we need to cut back.

As an example, yesterday he ate:

Breakfast (7am): 1 slice of brown toast, 2 scrambled eggs. Pot of Greek yogurt with blueberries and a banana. Small cup of orange juice.

Snack (10am): 4 oatcakes with cream cheese, apple slices with peanut butter.

Lunch (12.30): Wholemeal pasta with bolognaise sauce.
Avocado, tomato, cucumber and mozzarella salad.
Satsuma.

Snack (3.30pm): Homemade banana, walnut and date cake.

Dinner (6pm): Salmon fillet, sweet potato wedges, broccolini, baby corn and mange tout.
Coconut milk chia pudding with mango and pineapple.

He drinks plenty of water throughout the day so I don’t think he’s thirsty.
He won’t drink any milk at all, so the only thing he has other than water is one small glass of juice/smoothie with breakfast.

It’s obviously hard to describe portion size, but it’s about enough to cover the bottom of child’s plastic plate from IKEA.

So AIBU to give him this much (and sometimes more if he wants it). I’m very aware that this is a lot of food for such a small child.

OP posts:
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babasaclover · 01/02/2025 08:21

I couldn't fit all this in as an adult but it is all healthy food so maybe not a problem?

verycloakanddaggers · 01/02/2025 07:36

Hyperquiet · 01/02/2025 00:01

I was sad enough to post the meal plan into chat gpt 🤣

Show quote history

But it has no weights/portion sizes.
So chatGPT is basing it on nothing.

MyPearlCrow · 01/02/2025 07:32

The juice… 🙄

I remember in a mag (2000s possibly?) there was a section where a reader posted their diet and got feedback from an ‘expert’. On the odd occasion the food was as healthy as the OPs, the advice would plummet to niggles about things like a small glass of juice or a suggestion to eat cucumber instead of tomatoes to ‘reduce sugar’. It always made me laugh but I guess its role was to provide advice on healthier eating even if your starting position is a no sugar no carbs no UPFs vegan teetotaller.

If the only dietary advice OP is to remove a glass of fresh fruit juice then you are truly winning at life. I am in awe.

ArmyBarbie · 01/02/2025 04:32

My DD eats less than that now and she's 9! But DS woild have eaten similar at 3. He has always had a huge appetite and I do keep an eye on him but he's never been overweight. Always between 50th & 75th for weight and between 75th & 91st for height. He's very active and sporty.

He's now almost 12 and clears a fiull adult plate and often asks for seconds. I feel like he's always eating! Just to reassure you, he's 5'3", 6st 6lb and an athletic build with defined abs and biceps.

HappyWhenItsSnowing · 01/02/2025 04:14

I would include cucumber sticks and chunks of carrot too
Increase vegetables if he likes them

Winamy192 · 01/02/2025 04:05

CB2611 · 31/01/2025 23:51

I'm reading this and feeling like it's a humble brag..... but I'm actually just jealous that I can only get my child to eat chicken nuggets 😂

Mine won't touch chicken nuggets 😭😭 I thought that was meant to be all toddlers go to. I feel let down 😂

Winamy192 · 01/02/2025 04:04

Isthisexpected · 01/02/2025 01:48

Why does he need juice at all? He's already getting his vitamins so cut the sugar. Our paed dentist says to give water and milk only until 5 but if you must give juice there is something about rinsing afterwards then waiting an hour to brush teeth.

Maybe he likes it?! Don't you ever eat anything that you don't NEED? Never have a treat? He clearly eats very healthy what is some juice going to do?

Winamy192 · 01/02/2025 04:02

Sparkleandglitter · 31/01/2025 14:13

@VivaVivaa @RabbitsEatPancakes @Onlyvisiting @TheCosyOpalFox @ServantsGonnaServe @BarnacleBeasley @flippertygibbet4

Thank you, that’s really reassuring. He eats so much more than most of his friends that it’s helpful to hear that other kids eat similar amounts and that it evens out as they get older. I was fairly confident what I’m giving him is healthy but it’s the quantity!

Edited

Honestly you're living the dream!! My 2 year old is overweight according to NHS BMI in the 99th centile but some days he will eat a like a horse and others he survives on milk and fresh air! Don't worry you'd know if he was unhealthy and overweight but you clearly put a lot of effort into a healthy diet, much more than I do I'm ashamed to say

Brooomhilda · 01/02/2025 03:25

No advice but deeply jealous. My 3yo child is the "thriving off a handful of strawberries (if I'm lucky) and air" a day type. Sounds like this might be expensive for you though!

coxesorangepippin · 01/02/2025 02:04

God can we move on from the juice

He sounds fine op

Isthisexpected · 01/02/2025 01:48

Why does he need juice at all? He's already getting his vitamins so cut the sugar. Our paed dentist says to give water and milk only until 5 but if you must give juice there is something about rinsing afterwards then waiting an hour to brush teeth.

Hyperquiet · 01/02/2025 00:01

verycloakanddaggers · 31/01/2025 12:28

How can you say it is double? The only portion size given is '4 oatcakes'.

Show quote history

I was sad enough to post the meal plan into chat gpt 🤣

Notgivenuphope · 01/02/2025 00:00

Kiddo was clearly a labrador in a past life!

As long as he is healthy, active and not overweight he sounds fine! And how great he is eating a wide variety of foods rather than beige crap. No fussy eating in your house ehh?

CB2611 · 31/01/2025 23:51

I'm reading this and feeling like it's a humble brag..... but I'm actually just jealous that I can only get my child to eat chicken nuggets 😂

MyPearlCrow · 31/01/2025 22:47

LivelyHare · 31/01/2025 12:35

He is eating far too much sugar, which is fueling his hunger. That’s way too much fruit in one day on top of cake and pudding.

Are you joking? It’s 3 pieces. We eat way more than that in our house along with loads of veg too. Fgs so many kids are eating packets of crap and a gazillion UPFs daily, this child’s diet is super healthy and varied.

Op, you’re doing fine, more than fine, his diet sounds brilliant. He’s a healthy weight, growing like a weed and enjoys his food. Crack on.

Bigfellabamboo · 31/01/2025 22:35

My daughter is the Same, eats and eats and eats but is very active. She's actually 0.4 centile for height and weight so we just let her eat but sounds like your son is healthy weight and height so wouldn't worry.

LivelyHare · 31/01/2025 22:32

DinosaurMunch · 31/01/2025 16:19

It's categorically impossible to eat too much whole fruit. Whole fruit does not equal sugar

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Oh dear.

momofonex · 31/01/2025 22:24

My 4 year old is the same! Feels like a never ending pit 😁as long as he's a healthy weight then I wouldn't worry at all

Apileofballyhoo · 31/01/2025 18:01

@Sparkleandglitter "worthy waffle" 😁😁😁 yes, DS will eat anything, often thought a he'd eat a piece of old leather if it had a bit of sauce or something on it

fanaticalfairy · 31/01/2025 17:46

Daisyblue2 · 31/01/2025 17:41

I dont know why you think this but you are wrong

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Show me someone who got obese by eating too much fruit... I'll wait.

Daisyblue2 · 31/01/2025 17:41

DinosaurMunch · 31/01/2025 16:42

On a constituent basis there's a lot of sugar. But
it's not free sugar and therefore is not harmful. Sugar in whole fruit isn't bad for teeth, doesn't cause blood glucose spikes, doesn't lead to obesity.

Show quote history

I dont know why you think this but you are wrong

MarshMallowHeather · 31/01/2025 17:39

If he's high centile for height and lower for weight doesn't that mean he's on the slim side for his height?

My 3yo is also constantly hungry. What has helped a bit is having set snack times and meal times so everyone knows when the next food is coming up so they don't need to ask all the time.

Original poster
Sparkleandglitter · 31/01/2025 17:39

Apileofballyhoo · 31/01/2025 17:14

It's completely fine to have snacks when others are. Nothing has to be a hard and fast rule. It's easier for you at home if he has bigger meals and you're not providing a lot of snacks, and it's probably a better habit for him too. Some good suggestions here. My DS used to eat lots of pancakes, good for protein and milk. Still make them sometimes and throw in some milled seeds (easy on these as they can make the batter a bit weird) and ground almonds for some of the flour (more protein and fibre). A dash of vanilla extract covers up any unusual taste but DS would eat anything anyway really. French toast was another one we did a lot and it's quicker than pancakes. Avocado and tomato on toast was another. Always add seeds to porridge. I always use some ground almonds when baking too, DS can't eat gluten anyway, but they up the nutritional content nicely.

Show quote history

That’s a good reminder, I was batch making pancakes and waffles and keeping them in the freezer (then I had baby 2 and got a bit lazy). He’d absolutely love them, and so would his baby sister. He won’t be bothered if I put some weird stuff in there to increase the protein. I accidentally took him to a fancy cafe the other day and everything was vegan, sugar, gluten and dairy free. He happily ate some very worthy waffle made out of quinoa flour and topped with ‘healthy Nutella’ (which is more than can be said for me 😂).
Maybe I’ll get him to help me make a batch next week to put in the freezer.
French toast is also a good idea.

OP posts:
greglet · 31/01/2025 17:17

God I wish DS (2.8) would eat that variety of food. The only undisguised veg he'll touch is cucumber.

Apileofballyhoo · 31/01/2025 17:14

Sparkleandglitter · 31/01/2025 16:17

@Apileofballyhoo you’re probably right about the snacks, especially when he’s on
his own with me (if there are other children around and they have snacks then he asks to share or gets quite distressed if he doesn’t have one too).

It's completely fine to have snacks when others are. Nothing has to be a hard and fast rule. It's easier for you at home if he has bigger meals and you're not providing a lot of snacks, and it's probably a better habit for him too. Some good suggestions here. My DS used to eat lots of pancakes, good for protein and milk. Still make them sometimes and throw in some milled seeds (easy on these as they can make the batter a bit weird) and ground almonds for some of the flour (more protein and fibre). A dash of vanilla extract covers up any unusual taste but DS would eat anything anyway really. French toast was another one we did a lot and it's quicker than pancakes. Avocado and tomato on toast was another. Always add seeds to porridge. I always use some ground almonds when baking too, DS can't eat gluten anyway, but they up the nutritional content nicely.