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Original poster

Breakfast size for 5yo

32 replies

shouldistop · 31/01/2022 07:36

What does your 5yo have for breakfast / how much?

5yo ds usually has 1 slice of toast made with seeded batch loaf and a portion of mixed berries but he's been saying he's still hungry after this so today I've given him 2 slices of toast.

Just out of interest, how much does your 5yo eat at breakfast?

OP posts:
ChocolateMassacre · 31/01/2022 07:43

My DS has a small bowl of oatmeal made with full milk, a slice of toast with peanut butter and some fruit.

Is he having a protein source with his breakfast? I load my DS up on protein in the morning to prevent him being hungry later on.

steppemum · 31/01/2022 07:43

I think this is a really hard question to answer because it varies so much from child to child.

ds has always eaten HUGE breakfasts. I can't remember at 5 but while at primary school 4 weetabix or 2 huge bowls of shreddies were normal.
He has been like this since tiny. He then eats pretty much no lunch and huge dinner. He has always been as skinny as a rake.

dd1 doesn't do breakfast, it was always a struggle to get her to eat anything, she doesn't eat until she has been up for a couple of hours, as soon as she could get away with it she stopped eating breakfast, but too something to eat at break time. She eats loads later in the day.

I would look at his diet overall and his general wieght. Normal weight, healthy diet, then feed him as much as he wants. I never managed to get ds to eat a more heathly breakfast (I could occasionally get a banana mixed in to the cereal) he ate his fruit and veg at other times.

Flangeosaurus · 31/01/2022 07:47

My 5yo has a lot at breakfast - scrambled egg with a slice of toast and a piece of fruit, or toast and a big bowl of cereal and fruit, yoghurt with berries sprinkled on top. He just mopes around moaning he’s starving until he’s had enough Grin

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reluctantbrit · 31/01/2022 07:50

DD had between 1 to 2 pieces of weetabix in the morning, most with fruit puree.

Every now and then any other kind of cereals in the recommended amount, so 30g?

When does he have dinner? If he eats before 7pm and has breakfast at 7am or later than it's over 12 hours and I would assume he is very hungry. What does he drink? A large glass of milk or similar also helps with hunger. A full fat greek yoghurt gives protein and helps to stay full longer.

Hedonism · 31/01/2022 07:50

Exactly what @steppemum has just said! At 5, ds was eating pretty much the same as me for breakfast - e.g. I'd make a pan of porridge and we'd have half each. He's skinny like a stick insect!

DD would skip breakfast altogether if I let her and prefers to eat later on in the morning. I guess their metabolisms are just very different.

Iamanicepersonreally · 31/01/2022 07:51

My 5 yo would have a boiled egg, slice of bread and butter and a banana

DropYourSword · 31/01/2022 07:51

WAY more than that for my DS5. He'd often eat 2 slices of toast with peanut butter, jam or vegemite, a piece of fruit and a bowl of porridge or Rice Krispies. And a Yakult milk.

He is a big breakfast fan though, and eats like a church mouse during our evening meal.

Original poster
shouldistop · 31/01/2022 07:55

He has a glass of milk with it and butter on his toast.

Sometimes he has porridge or bran flakes instead of toast but toast is his favourite.

OP posts:
Original poster
shouldistop · 31/01/2022 07:58

He's 60th centile for height and 50th for weight, gets plenty of exercise, pretty good diet -could eat more veg but usually has 2 portions a day.

It's more breakfast than I'd have but I suppose he's growing and expending more energy than I am Grin

OP posts:
Whinge · 31/01/2022 08:01

It's more breakfast than I'd have but I suppose he's growing and expending more energy than I am

Really? One piece of toast with butter and some mixed berries.

Is there any chance he'd have something different on his toast, like peanut butter, scrambled eggs etc?

Lampshading · 31/01/2022 08:01

Cripes mine would be ravenous if that's all he had! I agree with trying to add some protein:

Peanut butter on toast
Egg on toast
Toast with natural yoghurt and berries on the side
Beans on toast

If he's hungry I wouldn't hesitate to give more.

DropYourSword · 31/01/2022 08:01

Feed him to his appetite. If he's hungry he's hungry.
I don't make DS clear his plate for any meal, so there's no chance of forcing him to have too much. Kids are pretty good at only eating as much as they need if given the chance.

Original poster
shouldistop · 31/01/2022 08:03

@Whinge I've given him 2 slices today.
He doesn't like peanut butter or eggs. I'm sure he'll be full with 2 slices of toast, milk and fruit.
I'm not convinced they get very long to eat lunch at school so maybe he's making up for it at breakfast.
He doesn't seem to need more dinner than before.

OP posts:
Original poster
shouldistop · 31/01/2022 08:05

If he's hungry I wouldn't hesitate to give more.

No issue with feeding him more, he can always have seconds of any meal.

Other school mums say they struggle to get their kids to eat any breakfast so I was just wondering if ds1 was unusual. Seems not.

OP posts:
OnlyFoolsnMothers · 31/01/2022 08:05

5 year old has a croissant and a mix of berries and a cut up apple
I think if she asked tor more, especially on a school day where no morning snack I’d give it.

DropYourSword · 31/01/2022 08:05

Was there a particular reason you might have been reluctant or worried to give him more when he's hungry?

Original poster
shouldistop · 31/01/2022 08:06

@DropYourSword

Was there a particular reason you might have been reluctant or worried to give him more when he's hungry?
I didn't say I was reluctant Confused
OP posts:
ImFree2doasiwant · 31/01/2022 08:08

Really depends, ds1 (6) has just had a portion of sainsbury honey hoops. Ds2 has just had 2 weetabix and ate the lot (last week he didnt finish 1.5weetabix). Full fat milk.

They go through phases of eating more or less, I'm assuming dependant on growth spurts!

Saturday they have pancakes, ds1 usually the bugger eater had 1 with half a banana, ds2 ate 2 (large, dinner plate sized!)

DropYourSword · 31/01/2022 08:08

Sorry, cross posted with your last update!!

DropYourSword · 31/01/2022 08:09

That's why I said "might" - I didn't know if you were or not, so I was just asking in case there was anything. And then your next post stated there wasn't any issues!

Camomila · 31/01/2022 08:10

Mine either has a slice of buttered toast and some juice or a bowl of rice krispies which I have to remind him 10 times to eat.

Then just as we are leaving the house he realises he is still hungry and gets an apple or a banana or a biscuit if we are in a rush.

winterowl · 31/01/2022 08:12

DS (5yrs old) is eating more at the moment than usual for breakfast. He's just demolished a bowl of shreddies, and asked for a brioche and a yoghurt pot, plus a bottle of squash.

If he has toast it varies between one or two slices of bread. At the weekend he'll eat a whole sausage sandwich (two sausages), or bacon (two rashers), or two slices of eggy bread (and last time after that he asked if there was any more).

He eats well at meals though and snacks less than his brother who nibbles throughout the day. He's 90th centile for height and weight.

runningoutofnewnames · 31/01/2022 08:13

Would he eat something other than more toast? Perhaps a banana, or a yoghurt?

LazyYogi · 31/01/2022 08:13

Definitely add protein as per suggestions above. It makes a huge difference to my 2 year old who just loves carbs carbs carbs but will ask incessantly for more food half an hour after saying he's full unless, I balance breakfast with fat and protein. Doing this gets us to snack time! 😅

runningoutofnewnames · 31/01/2022 08:13

Just to add variety, I mean.

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