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

Amalfi I'm not saying this to have a dig, but I wish my mother had given more thought to the portion sizes she gave me (as well as the advice that we had to clean our plates ). Even with the best of intentions you are setting your child up for difficulties later. Don't you see that? I had no idea that what I considered normal portions were absolutely massive. I still struggle with portion control now.

It looks like a small portion to me.

I don't really understand the official advice about small portions. My toddler eats absolutely tonnes of food, probably has nearly as many calories as I do, but he stays on the 25th centile for weight and 50th for height. If I restricted his portions wouldn't he drop further down on the centile chart?

I don't think I could make him fat even if I tried - surely toddlers just stop eating when they're full? I think it's more about the type of food offered. Namely sugar... My son is allowed a kinder egg now and then, but other than that he doesn't eat biscuits, cake, squash, sweets etc. Unless it's offered at someone else's house as a treat.

Some kids must feed their kids sugary shit all day long, I don't quite understand how we have so many overweight kids in this country otherwise.

Having said that, I suppose portion sizes do play a part, an obese 10 year old I know will eat a large cod and chips from the chippie by himself, whereas my husband and I, grown adults, would share a large one between us... And I've seen him eating 2-4 slices of toast just as a snack between lunch and dinner...

sailawaywithme

Organic, homemade food is not calorie-free I didn't say it was. As for obese children, Italy has the highest cases of child obesity in the world. Especially with children who don't follow the Mediterranean diet. My child does. To the letter. She's happy, the pediatrican is happy, she's in the 25% for her weight and has recovered from her birth weight (she was 4lbs)

OP, is it possible you're MIL was perhaps criticizing the chicken and the cheese sticks but rather than say that doesn't look like proper food she said it doesn't look like enough instead?

Sail

No no I don't take it as a dig! I do weight all the portions and it is the weaning / early years diet given to every parent here by their doctors. Of my group of friends (about 20 of us all had DC together) I'm the only one who follows it to the letter. The others feed their child complete and utter shite and then wonder why they are hyperactive and don't sleep.

I've said this already, but I just don't really get the obsession with portion size for healthy children. If your kids are the right weight, let them eat however much they ask for of the healthy food you've cooked them. Some days my two older kids will eat a massive adult portion for dinner, other days they'll nibble and eat almost nothing. They follow their appetites and are slim and healthy. I get much more exercised by the tendency (which is very english I think) to say things like 'ok three more bites then you can get down from the table' - which imo teaches kids to ignore their inner 'full' signals and sets them up for trouble later on.

And my toddler DD will also easily eat what amalfi's DD eats in a day. She's in no way overweight.

Amalfi, I can just imagine your wee one tucking into her meals. She sounds like one of my boys who was once so happy at the sight of a plateful of apple pie and custard that he stuck his face righ in it whilst making noises that made it clear how happy he was to see it. He was 20 months old. He's now 38 and has never had a weight problem in his life.

Also, I think at times people forget cultural variations in the way children are fed etc. I have my own little United Nations going on here and it's really interesting to see the way things differ each time a baby is being weaned. The end result is always the same though - a happy and healthy baby.

the problem is when the portions keep getting bigger, cos so do the kids...

it's fine when they are literally on the go constantly, but sedentary 8 year old stuck in front of screens, being driven to and from school, maybe doing half an hour of swimming lessons once a week (so, swimming for 10 mins in total) is going to pile it on. big time. Every September I am amazed at the number of fat kids in the playground compared to the end of summer term, over that six weeks holiday they must pile it on...

Amal, maybe those Italian paediatricians gave something wrong. After all as you say they have the highest rate of childhood obesity in the world...

I have a 2 year old who wouldn't manage half of that. She was also low birth weight and had done catching up to do.

eurochick

The kids here unfortunately eat a lot of processed foods sweets and chocolates (Nutella for breakfast Anyone? ) and that helps cause obesity. Plus they don't do people at school, many spend their afternoons in front of the TV or playing video games etc.

This is the meal plan for kids at preschool where I am, snack is always fresh fruit, always a plate of pasta, meat or fish and veg and bread. It is quite a healthy diet, if you don't sit on your arse all day as it seems kids do here.

tiny portions though going off that- i am assuming that's cooked weights?

Hod

Precooked weights.

Unless your MIL is very active, your 6 year old probably burns as many calories as she does.

My Italian is a bit sketchy but I don't see e.g. Blueberry muffins or risks in milk on that list.

Looks good to start.... no add some carbs especially if you are a 'sporty' family....

BTW.... my very active and skinny 7 year old would be looking for much more than that.... especially during a growth spurt... easily eats 1500 calories a day... skinny prem who is now tall but think for his age...

Sorry the two stick things on right bottom looked like chips

agree needs some carbs - pasta potato rice etc

Do they eat it all and not be hungry /want snacks till next meal ?

If yes then enough for them

All children eat different amounts

Well looks fine to me. You didn't ask for comments or criticism on carbs or on whether it was homemade or not. Mine sometimes eat less, sometimes they eat more, sometimes its homemade and sometimes it's not. They're alive, well and not overweight. Don't stress

eurochick

That's be a useful it's the school Lunch menu. It was to show portion sizes for main meals.

I think it looks OK.
Most of us give too much to children that age and then end up scraping half of it into the bin.

My 5 year old would look at that and ask where the rest was :o She is whippet thin but very active.

My sisters MIL is like this, she serves portions to my 6' 5" very fit and active BIL that would leave one of my kids still hungry. Think 1 thin slice of chicken, one potato and a spoonful each of carrots and peas. They have long since planned visits around when the local McD's is open so they can get something to eat on the way home!

I think its one of the few things that gives DSis comfort about the fact she cant have children, if they did then her MIL would be the food police.

eurochick that's fine if your 2 year old "wouldn't manage half of that". But different children have different needs! Surely you can see that if amalfi's 2 year old isn't overweight, she is getting the correct amount of calories? Are you suggesting that she restrict her toddler's intake to meet your idea of how much she 'should' be eating, even if that leaves her losing weight?!

i fail to see how she can be slim on that amount of food.

It's perfectly fine.