If your child was eating their eighth apple today..

[hibbledibble]

When would you tell them to stop?

It's just fresh apple, cut into pieces. They are a big fruit lover.

@HollowTalk

Why on earth have you cut up eight apples for a three year old? After the first or second, surely you knew that was enough?

What happens when you say, "No more today, you've had enough?"

I wondered the same thing. Presumably OP was the one cutting up the apples, unless her 3yr old is so advanced that he can be safely left to use a sharp knife. The whole thing is bizarre and smacks of a stealth boast.

Op, the issue you have is today, for your child p, was a very bad food day, and it’s not funny, this is a small child. Quite frankly they would have been better with a small portion of kfc rather than eight apples. And it does make people wonder about your understanding of nutrition and nutrition for children.

Laughing and finding it light hearted that a small child was allowed to eat to an extent that was not healthy for them like this, isn’t something people will react to well.

What’s made it worse, is your lack of nutritional knowledge which has led you to think a bad thing was a good thing and also has led you to feed a child in this manner.

Small children should ideally have five portions a day, two of fruit, three of veg, yes they can have more, but their diet needs to be nutritionally balanced for their health, with other food groups, which is why five a day is ideal, as the other foods added in shojld mean these children are eating in sufficient quantities, understand portions and have a balanced healthy diet.

Five a day is not your starting point. Stuffing them with the same food all day is not good for them.

That’s why people have reacted badly. It’s been a terrible food day for your child and you’ve enabled it, found it funny and even thought it was good due to your lack of nutrional understanding.

I love apples but couldn't manage 8 a day. I don't think that would do her any good.

@hibbledibble

One of my children would choose a punnet of tomatoes, peppers and cucumber over crisps and biscuits and that isn't something to be pleased with? Really? My other doesn't eat like that so I have to say no to him. He always wants more crap snacks. But I don't put a limit on fruit and veg.

This is my policy too, unlimited fruit and veg. Other things are limited. The 5 a day campaign is a minimum, not a maximum, there is good evidence that consumption over 5 a day has health benefits.

For some here that's akin to chaining them to a tree and feeding them KFC (which my children have never eaten..)

No food should be unlimited to anybody, let alone a child. You have to limit their intake, as their bodies are capable of doing so themselves right now. Whilst it's just apples you're feeding them, on top of their meals (depending on the size of the apples) that can be anywhere between 400-800 extra calories, on top of their daily allowance. Even if you're just having that much extra once or twice a week it adds up! Your child will start gaining weight eventually if you don't learn to limit and control the amount of food they're consuming.

8 apples is a lot, especially at 3, but it’s preferable to a lot of other foods. My children eat a lot of fruit too and will empty a fruit bowl pretty rapidly if left to their own devices. I do put a limit on their consumption though as they would cost me a fortune otherwise. I didn’t limit them for a while during lockdown an ended up spending a ridiculous amount on fruit!

The op appears insufferably smug

@gindreams

The op appears insufferably smug

I think she was just excited and thought great he’s eating lots of fruit, I don’t think she understood. There’s a small minority of others who also are in the same situation and don’t understand basic nutrition.

Apples actually can cause constipation so be prepared for that, although after 8 I would be more concerned of a tummy ache and rotten teeth ☹️

@Rosebuud if that's aimed at me duck you couldn't be more wrong.

Hey, no it wasn’t, it wasn’t aimed at any one in particular.

@Rosebuud the irony of your long essay telling OP that she doesn’t understand nutrition is that lots of the stuff you have said is incorrect. Five a day is the ‘minimum’ for a child according to the NHS. The suggested amount to stave off illness is actually ten.

Also, my toddlers qualified dietician promotes letting children eat as much as they want of one food on occasion, as do many other leading dieticians that specialise in weaning and early eating. Yes, they might feel full and get tummy ache but they will learn to regulate their eating this way. Tightly controlling their food intake doesn’t set children up with the skills they need later in life.

@elbea OP isn't saying she occasionally allows unlimited fruit and veg - she said she does it as standard

Oh this thread is hilarious. OP, your child is going to become obese eating too many apples don't you know? 😂 would have been better off with a kfc 😂 amazing.

Oh well, as long as you're happy and your kid has the cast-iron digestion you claim!

there is good evidence that consumption over 5 a day has health benefits.

If you're going to get nitpicky then more than half should be veg not fruit and anyway the biggest benefits come from having some fruit and veg rather than none, eating more than five is (boom-tish!) icing on the cake.

You’ve kinda missed the point though. @SpamIAm kfc can be eaten as part of a healthy diet, you don’t see parents giving it for every meal of the day though? or let kids overindulge on it.
You wouldn’t let them eat an 8piece chicken bucket would you?

Over eating apples isn’t any better, just because they’re apples.

Oh dear, many here taking life far too seriously! Including a strange belief that apples are akin to KFC, or perhaps crack?!

The toddler is fine, no poo incident or upset tummy. The day started with an apple today (a single one to begin with).

Yes. Everything in moderation.

"Op, the issue you have is today, for your child p, was a very bad food day, and it’s not funny, this is a small child. Quite frankly they would have been better with a small portion of kfc rather than eight apples. And it does make people wonder about your understanding of nutrition and nutrition for children."

Please tell me you're joking! No wonder so many kids are obese in the UK if you'd rather feed your child with KFC than with apple. Or the other stupid post about that OP could as well feed her child with mars bar, cake and pepsi or whatever. How come people are this stupid? Yes, 8 apples is a lot, but maybe it was one-time thing or maybe this kid really likes fruit? My mum never limited me the amount of fruit I ate. I wouldn't choose 8 apples, but we could snack on plums, peaches, nectarines etc. whenever we fancied. Thank god, McDonald's wasn't popular back then, otherwise my mum would forbid me eating fruit and would force me to eat Happy Meal instead :-D

FFS. It's apples. It's one day. It's fine.

I can't believe Mumsnet sometimes

@Ivyonafence

FFS. It's apples. It's one day. It's fine.

I can't believe Mumsnet sometimes

Depends if the apples are dipped in maple syrup and rolled in cocaine, first. In which case, no.

@Ivyonafence

FFS. It's apples. It's one day. It's fine.

I can't believe Mumsnet sometimes

Agreed! The comments are insane. It's apples..

Depends if the apples are dipped in maple syrup and rolled in cocaine, first. In which case, no

Maybe I need to wrap them in kfc and mars bars, and then they will be ok by Mumsnet standards!

MN is so odd about food.

Obviously eight apples is not ideal, but I'd really be bracing myself for an upset tummy more than anything else. Still, at least you know now that you might as well be giving your DC arsenic. Next time, save his teeth and head straight for the Big Mac.

Thank God this thread now has sensible posters. I was starting to worry!

Maybe I need to wrap them in kfc and mars bars, and then they will be ok by Mumsnet standards!

So much for the kid's apple scoffing not being a humble brag.

You're proud as punch.