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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think there's no way he can be hungry

257 replies

SlapACatFuckADuck · 25/05/2016 11:04

Ds is 4 everyday we have the same discussions regarding food today for example he woke at 9:30 (didn't have nursery) we go downstairs i give him breakfast.

He eats all his breakfast puts the bowl in the kitchen and immediately wants lunch I of course say no. He then goes on continuously about how he "wants to eat" "I want lunch" "I'm hungry" "I want my sandwich" this has gone on for an hour and a half! when he gets lunch at lunch time the cycle repeats itself apart from it's not dinner because he doesn't like dinner Hmm he wants lunch as soon as he's finished his dinner the "he wants to eat" chorus pipes up again until bedtime where he will continue to go on about lunch until he falls asleep with the occasional check in that "you will give me lunch tomorrow right mum?"

I have no idea what his obsession is about lunch but inbu right? The kid can't possibly be hungry all the time especially after he's just eaten Angry

OP posts:
Ivegotyourgoat · 25/05/2016 20:00

Meant to say it's like fried bread so he wouldn't really know it was egg.

makingmiracles · 25/05/2016 20:15

Humous is crushed down chickpeas, into a paste. Mine love it either with breadsticks to dip in or in a tortilla wrap with cheese!

iLikeBoringThings · 25/05/2016 20:16

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2029/homemade-houmous

StormyBlue · 25/05/2016 20:19

Genuine question for the pps saying he is not getting enough protein - really? OP said she is giving him beef, gammon, other meat based main meals for dinner. According to Dr. Google, at his age he should be getting up to 25 grams of protein per day, which is equivalent to a small portion of meat. Does he really need to be eating processed meat products like bacon and sausages (carcinogenic, according to WHO) for breakfast on top of that in order to be healthy? Wouldn't it be better to have something like porridge? My son usually has porridge and I've noticed he is always much more alert and in a good mood compared to if he has cereal or toast. Smile

Whatacuriousplan · 25/05/2016 20:26

I've just read a few more pages and to be a bit more helpful than my last reply, I actually went through the same with my DS. His appetite suddenly spiked when he started school anf obviously he just wanted junk food a the time. I would let him know that there is only a set time he could have chocolate/sweets (in your case crisps) i.e we only have them with a sandwich at lunch or once a week or whatever you think is acceptible.
Then I made a big deal out of introducing quite a lot of new snack choices. Really make like it's super exciting and maybe present them in a new way (like giving him a lunchbox for in the house or serving cucumber sticks in a cup or old jam jar full of rice cakes or whatever)
It was really exciting and he started to say "tomorrow can I have my tray of snacks again?!" It almost didn't matter that they were healthier things, it was more the novelty iyswim. Anyway good luck with it.
If it doesn't work, try eggs Wink

mrsc118 · 25/05/2016 20:58

My almost 3 year old grazes all day. He rarely eats dinner as he likes little and often. At this stage I just monitor his choices. My younger son prefers big meals opposed to snacks.

gunsandbanjos · 25/05/2016 21:03

I'm really not a fan of cereal for breakfast as I just don't like it.

I take a bagel with ham and Swiss cheese or roast chicken, cheese and mango chutney on it to work.

Or I'll make a wrap with hummus, falafel and salad.

Lunch stuff for breakfast is absolutely fine - people get weirdly hung up on breakfast having to be cereal and toast, I find it bizarre!

Original poster
SlapACatFuckADuck · 25/05/2016 21:28

He loves a wrap! Okay will get on it tomorrow! Not sure I'll try that houmus we're not really a dip family!

Thank you to all you who helped

OP posts:
Artandco · 25/05/2016 21:29

You could try houmous sandwiches with him!

gunsandbanjos · 25/05/2016 21:45

Could you put leftovers from dinner the night before in the wrap? I do that too, cold chicken, rice, veg etc.

Breakfast burrito type thing?

FoggyMorn · 25/05/2016 22:34

Stormyblue, post of 20.19 this evening.

Re protein, 25g of protein (per day for a child age 4 or 5), is NOT one small portion of meat (or meat alternative). It's 25g of actual protein! Different protein sources contain different amounts of protein, so a 100g of steak, chicken or fish has about 25g (it varies a bit), but lots of cooked sliced meats, have a lot less. Some cheap deli meats, nuggets, burgers etc can have about half the protein content of real meat as they are bulked up with so many fillers.

Baileysagain · 26/05/2016 00:33

He may be having a growth spurt so needs to eat more than usual. If he is hungry let him eat more and encourage healthy eating. If he wants crisps, biscuits etc hide them or don't replace them when they gone. He may also be comfort eating, is he missing his dad or maybe is upset that he was away from you. Is he warm enough? Does he feel well and happy? Don't be afraid to juggle his meals a bit, if he has s big breakfast he may want a smaller lunch. Also does he has enough focus in his day? Once breakfast is over is lunch the next thing to look forward to or do you do anything with him, parks, shops, play dates etc or even just playing with him at home.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 26/05/2016 12:22

Oatcakes and crunchy peanut butter [the organic type not Sunpat which is full of sugar] are a handy filling snack and it's a sweet flavour.

Homemade flapjacks - mix jumbo and milled half and half so they are slower to digest and less dense.

My kids are that sort of age and eat ALL the time. Get him used to breakfasts that will fill him up. Porridge with sugar or honey on top, a wholemeal bagel, a cooked breakfast if there is time. Plenty of suggestions here.

The difficulty is going to be to break the cycle he is now in where he is craving the crap that your DH fed him with.

NeedACleverNN · 26/05/2016 12:34

What about eggy bread?

Just given this to ds who seems to be a bottomless pit at the moment

loumom · 26/05/2016 20:47

If he is hungry feed him! He wants more food.

masterchef98 · 26/05/2016 20:48

Hi, I haven't read the whole thread but want to try to summarise based on my opinion. In my mind there are a couple of things here, first that he has got into unhealthy eating habits and second that a young child's need for certain foods doesn't always fit with our traditional approach. I have a 7 year old, who eats more or less anything and everything and now eats adult portions of meals plus snacks and a 3 year old who is a junk food junkie. I think first, forget your stereotypical cereal for breakfast, sandwich for lunch and cooked meal in evening. He seems to be hungrier in the morning and I can say for both of mine it is true that they will eat much more at lunch than at dinner. So follow the suggestions of a bigger, balanced breakfast - cheese sandwich and fruit / smoothie if that is what he likes, try and give a big lunch (maybe your leftovers from night before) and a snack for tea. I also think that fruit and veg are very hyped up these days and protein is underrated so try and get more protein (in any form) into breakfast and snacks, obviously fruit and veg important too but to my mind not a satisfactory snack and should include protein too. Ds1 at this age always used to do well on a big, varied breakfast (he also won't eat eggs or bacon, but loved eggy bread with yogurt and berries) and then two lunches (probably one cooked - or reheated) at about 12 and 3 then just a little bit of something to keep him going before bed. Secondly ditch the junk, in my experience it only takes a few days to ditch this habit (we always fall off the snack wagon when we have visitors and it always surprises me how few times I have to remind them we don't do that during the week before they stop asking) just be firm that cake and crisps are not on offer if he is hungry he has a choice of say, fruit, yogurt or ricecake (or all 3) and after telling him a couple of times state that you have finished the conversation, given him his choices and he should go and think about which of those he wants then come and tell you.

I think it is extremely rare for children to have a condition where they will not stop eating even when not hungry and from what you say of the build of your son it seems unlikely that this is it, but of course if you are worried that he doesn't have an 'off' switch it would be best to see your doctor.

usernamealreadytaken · 26/05/2016 21:28

Hope you've got some useful ideas OP, it can be hard when they just want to eat all the time. I know you've said DS won't eat eggs, but I'd second goat's eggy bread/French toast - doesn't taste of egg at all and really good as a hot breakfast. I'd maybe change the Asda 'treat' breakfast if he's eating yogurt and jelly for breakfast, but the sandwich is good if he likes that. Good luck Flowers

medbourne · 26/05/2016 22:26

Your 4 year old DS wakes up at 9.30??! Sorry I couldn't ready anything after that. Mine got up at 5.30. For a year and a half.

medbourne · 26/05/2016 22:31

But also, my DS eats constantly and is stick-thin. He will eat a proper meal for dinner and then want a round of oatcakes and cheese and crudités later, plus fruit, yoghurt... It doesn't seem to end but nor is he food-obsessed I think. TBH I wouldn't ever want to put a child off foods unless they were eating junk. Involve them in the preparation and talk to them about provenance etc, it always helps.

florencebabyjo · 26/05/2016 22:46

Sounds like he's having more than enough. Will he go for food on his own without asking. If he's refusing fruit and wanting crisps he sounds like he's trying it on. Try increasing water with meals and in be ween. It's easy for small ones to confuse thirst with hunger.

CasanovaFrankenstein · 26/05/2016 22:53

I know you said he doesn't eat porridge but could you try it with a tiny bit of cocoa mixed in and banana slices on top? You only need the tiniest amount to give flavour and colour (to make it look different) and it's not sugary like honey or syrup.

CasanovaFrankenstein · 26/05/2016 22:54

Also some one may have said this but pancakes or savoury muffins?

RequestInUse · 26/05/2016 23:25

Jeeze, gave up RTT on page 3....

Your seem to be getting a bit of a hard time OP.

Sounds like he could prob do with bigger portions. I remember having this realisation around when DS was 3 1/2. Although some of the lists of food some day their kids have I think are pretty vast! Shock

Give him more water, give him more filling snacks. Don't not feed him for fear he will get fat .

Hmmm right so how do kids get over weight then? With the exception of medical, It's either food/exercise or a combination that causes it. I don think OP is doing a bad thing by not allowing her child to become over weight.

Alasalas2 · 26/05/2016 23:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Liiinooo · 27/05/2016 00:17

Treadsoftly

I read your comment about Sunpat being full of sugar. So horrified I went to check the label. Phew!
Bog standard smooth Sunpat is 7% sugar and some of that is the sugar that naturally occurs in peanuts. As a comparison Whole Earth Organic No Added Sugar PB is 5.2% sugar.