The constant feeding / snacking of children

This is why I think it’s really hard to judge other families based on what you see.
My eldest daughter has sensory differences, ASD, ADHD and food is a daily challenge. She rarely eats her packed lunch at school because the smell and noise of the dining hall overwhelm her. She often comes home starving and snacks to make up for the calories she’s missed. Even then, dinner is healthy and balanced. She will eat snacks after like salad, fruit and usually a treat.
If we’re out somewhere exciting, she often can’t focus on eating a meal at all and needs regular snacks instead. They’re healthy snacks, but they’re what help her meet her nutritional needs,

and will have junk food, really hard with a impulsive child who craves it.
we keep the snacks hidden.
My 4-year-old, on the other hand, happily eats three meals a day and a couple of snacks. Same parents, same home, completely different child.
Some children will eat whatever is put in front of them. Others have sensory needs, neurodivergence, anxiety, medical conditions or feeding difficulties that make eating much more complicated.
Most parents are doing their best. Many of us worry constantly that our children aren’t eating enough or eating the way we’d like. A little less judgement and a little more understanding would go a long way.

The judgement on here is insane. Never seen anything like it. Judging other people’s kids to make yourself feel superior is another level of batshit crazy

It's still sugar. It's something diabetics need to eat sparingly.

Difference between junk snacks and healthy ones though … carrot sticks v a bag of crisps

Well aren’t you the saintly saint. Concentrate on your own kids. Why on earth would you make a post like this. Up your own arse much?

😂

Why don’t you wind your judgemental neck in and concentrate on your own kids and life.

My kids are usually starving after swimming. Always take a snack for them.

to be honest swimming makes me hungry too! Exercise generally does.

kids eat lunch early at school. They’re busy and growing and nothing wrong with a snack.

agree that donuts, crisps and lots of unhealthy snacks aren’t great. But that’s hardly news.

but healthy snacks with balanced meals and exercise are fine.

My dad had OP’s thinking when I was young…it got to the point that my mum packed me secret snacks in my bag when I went to
his house for the weekend because ‘no you can’t have a morsel of food, it’s only 2 hours until dinner’ 😱
He would serve portions for lunch and dinner that I physically couldn’t finish and then say…’see, there’s no way you’d have wanted dinner if you’d had a snack earlier’…kids generally like to eat little and often!
I’d come home and eat my mum out of house and home for the next 2 days. Thankfully I only stayed at his every 3rd weekend and I stopped it at 14.

It's out of hand and it's become a part of the culture so much that snacks are pushed at you everywhere you go. Even going for a walk in the forest, there is a cafe and food trucks with sweets and hot chocolate along the way. Don't get me started on the theatre, when people apparently cannot make it through a 2 hour show without opening multiple noisy bags of sweets and crisps.

I took my daughter to the park last week and saw a little girl of around 6, so obese that she couldn't walk very fast, carrying a bag of crisps that she was tucking into. She didn't attempt any of the climbing equipment and her Dad lifted her into one of those basket type swings, pushed her for a while whilst she laid motionless in the swing, then got her down and they went home.

It seemed very sad that her movement and ability to play was already so limited at such a young age.

Absolutely, the UK snack culture is horrific! Applies to adults as well, people are just chewing like cows all day

It sounds like maybe you need to find posher swimming lessons? I think you're a bit too snobby for the current ones.

No, but when I was at school it was entirely optional to have a snack or not at break.

Several PPs have said they've been advised by school or HV that the children 'need' it. That's what seems to have changed, not the opportunity but the encouragement to snack, like it's a necessity. I don't think it is.

I know when I snack on poor quality carb heavy foods I get hungrier and need to snack more, because they don't fill you up. I didn't believe this until I changed my diet for health reasons. For the first time in my life I didn't feel the need to snack. I was astounded at the difference the choice of food made. That's why I'm skeptical about the 'every child needs empty carbs at break' message.

Yes but once they’re older, out on their own, own money from part-time job etc you start having less and less control.

I too think children do need a snack between school and other activities.

I'm 37, my friend is 59. She worries that DS (nearly 2) isn't getting enough to eat because I don't give him snacks! Occasionally he'll get something on the way home for the shops (I buy him baby snacks for him to have with his lunch) but I don't do it the rest of the time. He has three good sized meals a day and I try to make sure he's getting enough fruit and veg, protein and carbs (and a bag of melty buttons or similar isn't going to hurt.)

When she looks after him she gives him snacks and then he doesn't want to eat his dinner!

Mine are 14 and 10 and I certainly don’t allow that behaviour! Eat the dinner you are given, eat fruit and veg, regular exercise / sports and a healthy breakfast.

Literally full of shite? 😂

We don’t have regular timed snacks like you do (rarely snack at all). But, we also don’t always all sit together and eat. We also don’t have set times for lunch and dinner, especially on weekends. I think you just need to find what works for you and your family.

Anything to shut the kids up so they don’t actually have to speak to them or entertain them.

Oh, I’ve lost count of the number of kids that are given a sausage roll for breakfast from the local shop before going in school … they stand outside the school gates scoffing it down before they walk in. That’s primary age kids!!

This is true, we used to walk loads and ‘play out’ non stop after school and on weekend. Lots of kids nowadays are ferried round in suvs everywhere and don’t ’play out’ anymore which is a real shame. I think lack of activity is a big factor in obesity rates.

Have you or your children ever done a lot of sport/ physical activity? My children are all very sporty and active- without an after school snack they’d struggle to maintain their strength and physical activity levels. They still also eat 3 meals a day

Me too
but was also fond of salt n vinegar squares and a mint club

Same in our house. A healthy snack mid morning and mid afternoon and some days something else before bed. I thought this was standard in households with young children. Our nursery follows the same routine and prides itself on healthy eating.