To think.. there is a weird obsession with snacking?

[helpmeplease2045]

I have two DC age 6 and 3.

My 6yo has a pretty big breakfast (bowl of porridge with fruit and often second bowl of muesli or cereal for e.g.), we then provide them with a morning snack (maybe piece of fruit) for school, then two hours later they have school lunch then after school parents are handing over more snacks (ranging from fruit to biscuits, cakes, crisps, sandwiches etc), then a snack at home / at a playdate / children's party. There are snacks after activities / on the way to activities.. all this before dinner.

Sometimes I feel like it's a constant battle to stop kids from constantly eating all day! When I was younger we had bkfast, morning snack maybe on a school day and school dinners then we waited till the evening meal. I don't think little children need a constant supply of (often sugary) treats throughout the day.

AIBU to not want my small children to be eating something every two hours!?

[Galdos]

Plenty of adults snack. Sometimes the press call it 'grazing'. My kids snack: they are pretty self sufficient in that respect, and short of standing in the kitchen with a rolling pin I can't really stop them. Their choice of snacks is limited though (basically bread & butter). I don't mind them snacking, but encourage them not to within 2 hours of a scheduled meal, otherwise they won't always clear their plate.

The eldest eats everything (not always willingly, but she sees the point: aged 16). The twins are getting there slowly ...

[morningconstitutional2017]

We wonder why we have a problem with obesity in the developed world. When I was a child snacks were an occasional treat, we didn't have the means to indulge ourselves everyday and most of us were slim.
Most children aren't going to keel over due to hunger but is there an irrational fear that they might?
We also have become unused to waiting for things, "I want it now!" which probably doesn't help.

[ElinorRigby]

I think snacking makes a mess - unless small children are really just helping themselves to fruit from a bowl and then putting peel, cores etc neatly in a bin without being prompted.

I'm not a particularly tidy person, but there's something about people going constantly in and out of kitchens, rootling round in cupboards and fridges, which I find a bit unrestful.

Unusually I was watching ITV last night and there were two advertisements involving snacking. One was for ready-made popcorn and the other for jam doughnuts. So it is being promoted as a 'normal' happy family activity.

[SafeToCross]

Some kids need snacks, especially if struggle to keep weight on/underweight, fussy eaters (so don't eat much at meals) or certain medical conditions. Which is why schools snack policies are too 'blanket' at the moment. But in general, I agree, especially as lots of snacks are sugary and therefore make you crave more.

[Carolbetty]

Yanbu. Just look at the number of overweight kids (and parents). It's a problem.

[Wtfdoicare]

Something I saw recently at during a dance class made me feel sad. The girls were 5-6 years old and one girl stuck out significantly as being the largest, although one of the shortest, in a class of 15. The girl was wearing a crop top underneath her leotard as she had a more developed chest, and her mum had brought snacks (crisps, sausage rolls) along for her during the 40 minute lesson which was first thing in the morning, so presumably she'd just had breakfast. She kept on breaking off dancing to have some of her snack. No other children were eating as they were dancing, and it was not an allocated snack break.

[Notso]

I think snacking makes a mess - unless small children are really just helping themselves to fruit from a bowl and then putting peel, cores etc neatly in a bin without being prompted.

Mine have all done this from about 18 months. The only one in the house who can't quite manage it everytime is my 40 year old husband

I do think if it wasn't for fruit and veg between meals as a family we probably wouldn't eat enough of them especially now it's supposed to be 10 a day.
Something I think a lot of people don't factor in as a snack is a drink. Smoothies, juices, hot chocolate, latte, cappuccino and milk or milkshakes are all snacks, often people will have something to eat with them though as they are seen as a drink.

[CEOD]

We don't have supper until 6pm and then children are "starving" (so they say) when they come out of school at 3:30 so I let them have something healthy then (kale chips, or veg. sticks with cream cheese or humous dip or a piece of fruit) to tide them over until dinner time. I don't see the need for morning snacks though.

[tinypop4]

I think snacking makes a mess

Can't the person having a snack just sit down and eat it at a table off a plate, to avoid this? Breakfast, lunch and dinner would also make a mess if you wandered around with it...