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AIBU?

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Original poster

is this too much food

89 replies

Bigmrsdragon · 05/04/2014 20:08

SIL came around today and conversation turned to the change reported this week that 7 a day is the recommended amount of fruit and veg a day.
She said that her DCs get at least 10 portions a day so it doesn't bother her. I said that all my DCs could do it except DS3 (5) who is very fussy, she asked what I feed him and when I told her she ranted for ages saying I over feed him and if I stopped giving him so much he would eat more fruit.
I don't know if I am or not because I don't know what everyone else feeds their 5 year olds. I think my others used to eat the same amount but it was awhile ago so I may be confused.

Okay so in a typical school day he has

Breakfast- a piece of toast (with nothing on) and a glass of milk
School snack - half an apple
Lunch- a piece of bread folded in half with ham, a babybel, a box of raisins and a glass of water
Dinner- in the winter it is something warm like spaghetti Bolognese or chilli and rice and pudding can be a mouse or yogurt or a homemade cake or crumble. It fits on a child plate/bowl with room to spare.

We have takeaway once every two weeks. They can also have fruit for a snack after school but DS3 doesn't like fruit very much so he doesn't tend to have any.

So is that too much, or not SIL was very upset with me because she thinks I will damage him.

OP posts:
LetTheRiverAnswer · 05/04/2014 20:33

Well in comparison, my 5 year old son is definitely overfed, but he has a ridiculous appetite and certainly eats a lot more than his friends who are somehow twice his size so I'd say you're well within the normal range and very unlikely to be doing any harm as your crazy sil worries

LetTheRiverAnswer · 05/04/2014 20:33

Well in comparison, my 5 year old son is definitely overfed, but he has a ridiculous appetite and certainly eats a lot more than his friends who are somehow twice his size so I'd say you're well within the normal range and very unlikely to be doing any harm as your crazy sil worries

Original poster
Bigmrsdragon · 05/04/2014 20:36

DS isn't very active really, he plays with his friends and he will run as part of a game but he prefers sitting and colouring and playing imaginative he's with dolls houses and playdoh.
In fact he would probably just sit for hours if we let him.

OP posts:
TheLadyMarion · 05/04/2014 20:36

Sounds Ok to me. Maybe a bit more protein at breakfast? Cheese on toast? Sausage sandwich?

Personally I think 10 portions of fruit is too much. It fills children up with no particular nutrients for growth.

If anything try and do more protein or dairy snacks.

(not a dietician or any kind of expert!.>

BlackholesAndRevelations · 05/04/2014 20:37

herecomesthesciencebint- my dd is just four and eats about the same as your 6 yo!! She's tall and skinny but I do sometimes worry she eats too much. I really shouldn't, should I?!

Op- tell your sil to go and do one. Or smile and nod. I don't think he eats too much AT ALL.

Lweji · 05/04/2014 20:37

For the record, I'd rather give him something with carbohydrates and protein for his mid morning snack, as well as fruit.

The adult portions of fruit and veg are bigger than for a small child, such as a 5 year old. And growing children need more carbohydrates, fat and protein than adults. Certainly more than the latest fads.

NoodleOodle · 05/04/2014 20:38

Looks fine to me, I wouldn't worry about getting obsessive over what your DC are eating as long as it's generally healthy, and they're generally healthy/healthy weight.

Discobugsacha · 05/04/2014 20:39

That diet is neat exactly what my 9 yo eats. It sounds normal to me. A sandwich for a primary age child should be one slice of bread, which is what we do but I know some people who send 4 slices and unsurprisingly their children are fat!

Janethegirl · 05/04/2014 20:39

If a 5 year old eats excessively, have you considered checking him/ her for worms. Seriously comment ( was 40% probability when my dcs were primary school age)........ Now retreats to corner :)

IdkickJilliansAss · 05/04/2014 20:40

SIL is probably giving hers too much fruit, much better to make most of the portions veg. No way is your 5 year old overfed

crazykat · 05/04/2014 20:40

My 5 year old ds eats way more than that.

Typically on a school day he'll have:
Breakfast - bowl of cereal

Snack - apple and milk

Lunch - two slices of bread and ham/turkey, pack of skips, yogurt tube, penguin type biscuit, small tub of strawberries or grapes

After school - piece of fruit or jam sandwich

Dinner - 2/3 adult portion shepherds pie with peas and carrots or three fish fingers with small portion chips and peas, carrots, broccoli, sweet corn. We rarely have pudding, if we do its when I've been baking and it'll be small slice of cake or bun.

That's an average school days food for him and he's on 98th centile for height and between 75th and 91st centile for weight. Looking at him he's skinny as a rake.

If I only gave him what your ds has he'd be constantly moaning that he's starving so I can't see how you could be over feeding your ds.

Lweji · 05/04/2014 20:40

And raisins are mostly sugar, BTW. No vit C in there, so not much point in giving them. I'd rather send a full sandwich with two slices of bread, with protein in it (egg, cheese or ham).
Would he eat carrot sticks or cherry tomatos?

IdkickJilliansAss · 05/04/2014 20:40

4 slices!

Original poster
Bigmrsdragon · 05/04/2014 20:42

He won't have anything on his toast because then it is 'wet' the only other thing he will eat for breakfast is a chocolate pop tart but I don't want him having one every day of the week.

He also doesn't want anything after school I have offered him cereal bars and different things but he doesn't want any of it.......unless it is an ice cream on the way home in the summer.

OP posts:
WhoNickedMyName · 05/04/2014 20:43

If he likes raisins then I'd try and get him to eat his raisins at breakfast, either mixed into ready brek, porridge or weetabix. Use his breakfast-time glass of milk to make the cereal, and give him a glass of fruit juice to drink instead.

For lunch I'd ditch the bread and if he likes ham and cheese, then cheese spread on a few slices of ham, rolled up. Then, would he eat cheery tomatoes or carrot sticks, or cucumber? How about a hard-boiled egg? And a yoghurt.

After school snack I'd offer him banana loaf or banana muffins, you can put some chopped nuts into them when you make them.

BlackholesAndRevelations · 05/04/2014 20:43

My dd sometimes has up to 4 slices of bread for lunch!! Usually two though as I try to give her other stuff if she's still hungry instead of more sandwiches.

overmydeadbody · 05/04/2014 20:44

What did your SIL suggest you feed your DS? What in particular was she complaining about?

IdkickJilliansAss · 05/04/2014 20:44

No you shouldn't worry Blackholes Thanks trust your instincts. My four year old eats more than the six year old and she is a healthy weight (I have the school check letter to prove it, I'm not in denial Grin)

BlackholesAndRevelations · 05/04/2014 20:44

I say sometimes, I mean on occasion she has, ie because I've let her eat her brother's sandwich too as he eats like a bird!

IdkickJilliansAss · 05/04/2014 20:46

Sounds like she is growing upwards rather than out wards Blackholes that takes up a lot of calories/energy

Original poster
Bigmrsdragon · 05/04/2014 20:47

The snack is provided by the school and that is all they are allowed though they do sometimes have a carton of milk with it.

He won't eat whole tomatoes or carrot sticks (because the carrots are hard)

OP posts:
Jinty64 · 05/04/2014 20:47

Ds3 (7) eats a similar amount. He has two slices of bread or a large wrap for his sandwiches but wouldn't have a baby bel or raisins. He normally has cucumber and strawberries or grapes.

EverySoddingNameIsTaken · 05/04/2014 20:47

Your SIL would think my DS is over fed.
Breakfast - multigrain cereal then yoghurt with berries
School snack - whole piece of fruit and a smoothie
Lunch box - whole sandwich, ready salted crisps, kiwi, banana
After school - rice cakes, grapes, kiwi or
Strawberries
Dinner - usually Fish or chicken with veg.

He honestly costs me a feking fortune in food.
I really have to limit him he asks every five minutes for food.
All I would do extra is chop up some sweet fruit in a container for lunch and change the pudding to something with one of his five a day, like yoghurt with hunny and fruit or crumble, etc.

BlackholesAndRevelations · 05/04/2014 20:49

Thanks idkick, she definitely is! I've always tried to trust her to self regulate although she has developed a keenness for things like ketchup (thanks dp) and I'm starting to teach her that some things are only to be eaten in moderation (it's never been an issue before)

This whole diet and nutrition thin via a bloody minefield... You think you're doing ok... Then someone on here tells you to "ditch the bread"- really?! Grin

TheListingAttic · 05/04/2014 20:56

OP, I'd agree with the general consensus that it definitely isn't too much! It sounds like mostly decent food, that he's eating in line with his appetite, and you're offering plenty of good stuff but not creating ishoos by trying to force him to eat more or stuff he doesn't like. Don't know why your SIL has such a bee in her bonnet but it doesn't sound like you have anything to worry about!