To serve this portion size to my children (pic inc)

[Blondeandinept]

My son is on the 75 centile for height , 20 for weight. My daughter is 50 for height, 25 for weight.
As a family we are very very slim (in 5'7 and weigh just under 8 stone). We're very fit, gym, sport etc

My mil saw this and was appalled. Said it was way way too much. My children would be peckish an hour later if they didn't have this kind of lunch (it's the weekend, hence all the breaded items!).

My son is 6, my daughter 3.5

up on fb now under take a break magazine.

Is your mil actually a sparrow??!!

Melassa I think there have always been Nonna with huge plates of pasta etc.

The problem seems to be the kids are eating more processed and junk foods and leading more sedentary lives, just like other countries with high obesity rates.

Interesting link here

It doesn't look enough to me! Add some potatoes, beans or pasta. They must have been starving!

Really? A 3.5 year old starving after that?

Yes, I agree that the crap has arrived here big time, all the advertising pushes Kinder as a healthy, nutritious snack, because it's got milk in it (yet they handily forget to mention the sugar). Ferrero is hailed as the God of children's childhood and now breakfast time too with the crappy individually packaged cakes. Sometimes it's the nonni, who grew up themselves when advertising first appeared on TV and was an event to look forward to, who fall for the hype of the brands and keep plying the kids while the parents are out at work.

There is a backlash though, state schools generally have stopped allowing sugary snacks or crisps at break time and the school meals have never had pudding. Slow Food is trying to educate and promote the healthy local food and customs from nursery upwards with a series of events. When DD was in preschool they had an olive tasting session and learned how to make cheese, they had a vegetable garden and learned to identify herbs.

It is an uphill struggle, plus these initiatives only scratch the surface. Also kids tend to get driven everywhere nowadays in case they catch a draught, you're not allowed to run in case you get sweaty (and catch your death from the inevitable draught that follows). Sports in primary schools is dire though and often kids aren't allowed out from November to March as the supervising teacher feels the cold and so would prefer to keep them inside the classroom instead of standing in the playgrounds (oh the arguments I used to have about that!).

Gone are the days of local, open-air markets and rustic delicatessens and bakers.

Every Town and city in Italy has it's market day. Even Rome.

As for the rest of the article it echoed what I wrote before.

Melassa

I don't know what ages your DC are but have you been to a park recently? Giovanni don't run, you'll sweat
Alessia don't run, you'll get a cold
Maria don't run, come here and play on my phone

It's mad. I am a firm believer of fresh air and play and that a bit of rain never killed anyone. Are we at the park? Ok off you pop and play, run, fall and have fun.

amalfi yes, I mentioned it below. Don't run or you'll get sweaty. Don't play outside as c'è aria (just as well i think, or they'd all die of asphyxiation). Schoolkids not being allowed out to play in the winter because the teacher is freddolosa. Crazy! Luckily we're past primary age now so lots of outdoor time and no more grief with the teachers.

I also noticed DM were running this story. This continual pinching of threads and publishing them puts me off posting.

Sorry, no intention to derail.

And I agree about the markets, even in Milan there is one every day in a different part of town. But then most working people tend not to have time to pop out to one unless it happens to be downstairs.

And the artisan bakery is a big thing here. But then they tend to be in naice areas and not in the grotty outskirts.

Coop supermarkets do a lot of local produce - km0 veg, local cheeses and hams. But again, the the lower income areas Gigante is king, with the huge multipacks of industrial crap.

But then most working people tend not to have time to pop out Not if you're a statale 😁😂

I remember Milan and the shopping well. Luckily I had the time to go to the market in the citta studi area and made a point of going to get fresh produce. Here I don't need to as I grow my own, and therefore only go once a month to stock up on flours. plus bread in milan as I remember was fucking Expensive! Here in the bakery it's about 1.70 a kg. And that's classed as Expensive!

The teachers....as one I do look forward to when DC go to school. I've already told DH to either buy xanax or a baseball bat. Either or will be used as deemed fit 😁

My 3.5 yr old would probably eat about three quarters of this and my 6 yr old would demolish it and probably eat the remainder of her brothers! Neither of mine are overweight, nor are they super skinny.

Looks like a great meal and a decent portion size. Your MIL has food issues.

We are a thin healthy family with huge appetites, and both my kids would be starving with those portions. Horses for courses though, if your kids are satisfied, then that's what matters! My MIL also has food issues..doesn't eat very much, and was very controlling with her kids diets growing up. All still struggle with weight issues...wonder why?!

Not too much at all, if they're active they'll just burn it off.

So long as their centles are steady there is nothing to worry about.

Sudden spikes are what to watch, not comparing with other kids.

Remember we all come in different shapes and sizes!

My 2.5yr old would eat that quite happily.

a 3 yr old still won't over eat... their body will eat if its hungry and won't if it's not. Go by that and politely tell her to MHOB.

You know you're kids best op. If they're not obese or skeletal trust your own judgement! Tell Mil to mind her own! Every kid is different, what my 5 yr old dgd will eat daily may differ hugely from her class mates.
😊

My son has eaten very well since day one and is always hungry even at 3.5 years he would have eaten that and asked where pudding is. My other 3 kids have all eaten well and large portion sizes otherwise 30 mins later they are hungry again. Because they burn it off so quickly. None of my kids are large..all slender frames and healthy. Infact my now 18 year old son is 5ft 7 slender and muscular in build..eats a lot. Never gets poorly either. Tell Mil to butt out.

Looks fine to me. I'd say you could always go a bit more given (a) the weight to height ratio and (b) their general sportiness.
Personally I'm always looking to push a little sneaky protein... since at a push protein can be burned instead of carbs. But hey..I'm no expert!
Perhaps MIL wasn't really thinking when she made the original comment.