Apparently this “isn’t enough food”

[foodFood]

Dd is 8
Height and weight fine

I’ve just been told by a visiting friend I’m basically starving her when she saw her lunch !
1 mini pitta
6 mini breadsticks
Dessert spoon of houmous
Dessert spoon of guacamole
Bowl of strawberries cut up (6 big ones)
A frube

That’s fine isn’t it??
For breakfast she had a bowl of plain yogurt and loads of berries
She will most likely have an afternoon snack usually cheese or a piece of fruit and dinner is normally casserole/fish pie/jacket potato and soup or similar
She has milk before bed
She’s fine !! Always has small snacks lunches and doesn’t complain of hunger
Friend was aghast and said her kids at 18 m old ate more than that

She's at a totally normal height and weight so it must be fine, but it does seem a little light to me. I think most people/kids overeat though so maybe you two have it all figured out :P

Ignore your friend.

I'm not sure mumsnet was the right place to ask this question, there are a lot of very opinionated (perfect!) parents here. You know your child. I'm sure if she was asking for more food you'd give her some more!! My children do not eat a lot. Never have. I saw someone suggest that their skinny friend purposely gives her children small portions...I'm overweight (so nearly back in a healthy bmi though!!) And have always been chubby, so if I looked at it closely my genetics probably mean I don't need a lot of food! My children are healthy heights and weights. Some days they eat more but mostly they eat the absolute least of all their friends (and some of them eat a LOT). Children are all different. That is ok.

The portion size of guacamole you stated is totally insufficient for the protein she needs. She needs more dairy and protein or you will be setting her for serious deficiencies in later life.

That’s a snack portion not lunch.

Sorry but I don't think that sounds very much. My son would eat three times that amount. He is tall for his age though but certainly not fat.

My kids may resort to eating me if I just fed them that tbh

I don’t think YABU in feeding your DD that lunch if her appetite is satisfied. I think YABU to think your friend was shocked because many children would be hungry on that amount of food. My GC eat more at each meal but they don’t usually snack unless they’ve been swimming, playing football, exerting more energy etc.

Would she eat more if you gave her more? Growing up my DCs were encouraged to stop when they were full, even if there was food left on the plate. They all still do and seem to manage their weight well.

My baby would eat that amount ! But if she’s not still hungry then ok

Sounds like a starter for my 5 and 8 year old and I’d definitely add some cold meat and/ or cheese and salad veg(carrot pepper tomatoes cucumber) as a minimum but I’m aware not all kids eat as much as mine.

The amount of people who say my child eats like a horse, my toddler eats more than that but is very active and very lean! Well done round of applause, but some children are fussy and some children don't have big appetites. My daughter is type 1 and has her food carb counted before each meal, and proberbly eats just a tad more than OP's child. If I gave her massive portions she would have no choice but to finish all the food she was given because she would have had insulin for it. So I give her what I know she will eat so there is no conflict. Because I can think of nothing worse than being forced to eat more food than you actually need.

It sounds like what I'd eat in a day. I'm a size 8 and slim but not skinny. The dips are high in calories and if she's having protein for breakfast (yoghurt), a snack of cheese later and a cooked meal with fish or meat, that sounds fine.

It doesn't sound that much to me. And a breakfast of yoghurt and berries doesn't sound very substantial. Your friend is a bit cheeky making a comment. Evening meal sounds fine though. But I think she needs more protein for breakfast and lunch.

Yoghurt and berries is more of a diet breakfast, not that suitable for children. Doesn't give off slow burning energy like oats or weetabix or eggs

It’s fine for breakfast. It’s more than I eat for breakfast and I rarely did at school as I didn’t like eating in the morning.

I’m with your friend. It sounds like bugger all; more like a snack

My granddaughter eats like this, if she is healthy and it fills her I would not worry about it.

If that's all she wanted then it's fine! I have days where I eat a piece of toast all day, and then days where I could eat the entire fridge. Was the same as a child
As long as it all balances out. I mean if she's satisfied and not hungry, there's no point giving her more food. Better that she's self regulating
I'm presuming if she was hungry or wanted more she would say so!

Well my dd (10) had a foot long sub for lunch. The came home and had fruit etc. She is extremely sporty through so eats like a horse!
It doesn't seem a lot but if she is satisfied,happy and gaining weight what is the problem ?

Don't worry, be guided by your child and don't try and shove more food down her than she wants.

I have a small appetite and I remember always getting a hard time from grandparents & family I visited & school meals for leaving food and not eating enough. It really made me feel under pressure. Fortunately my mum was ahead of her time (70s childhood) and didn't force me to clear my plate 'for the starving children' or whatever crap I got from everyone else.

At 50 I am full of health and vigour and still have a small appetite -it is just how I am and actually I count myself pretty lucky as I have never needed to diet or worry about my weight. Letting your child listen to their body and regulate their own food intake sets them up for a healthy atitude to food in later life, I think.

Laughing at "where is the protein?"

In the hummus, the guacamole and the frube.

More protein for breakfast?

She has full fat yoghurt. That is a good source of fat, vitamins and protein.

You frube loobs of course it's enough! You need more than protien in your diet.

I think it's all quite calorie dense (but very healthy) so looks like less than it really is. If you'd offered just the houmous or guacamole and just one of the carbs there would be a need for more calories and if you then filled up the plate with carrot sticks, pepper sticks, cucumber sticks etc it would look like a lot more food.

But if your DD is fine don't fret. The other thing is maybe the other child eats their main meal at lunchtime and has a lighter tea so it seemed light to them for the main meal of the day.

I know that there is a obesity problem with children, but equally some parents are over aware of this and often keep too close a rein on food eaten.
lots of young children under 5 over eating very high fibre and fruit / veg leading to lots of loose bowel movements. high calorie foods are still needed by young children so getting the fibre level right means they absorb food better. Lots of whole pieces of fruit for under 5 means a lot of sugar, and fibre.
Some parents stick to the three meals and no snacks apart from fruit, but if under 7 they need healthy snacks.

I actually heard parent say recently ' do you want to run 2 k or 5k today, after all you need to work off that easter egg you ate this morning'? to some primary aged children. While I think the family run was a fantastic thing to do, the link to make a any food be viewed in such a negative way is not a healthy mind set for a the future.

one of my local senior schools in a 'naice' area has written to parents asking them to provide higher calorie snack food for growing teens, as many are over aware of the fear of obesity.

The opposite cause ten miles from me are schools with teachers who deal with pupils at the opposite end of scale, who are stealing food from other pupils lunch boxes because they are starving. Or the child with bread and butter or the child with 6 forms of chocolate cake bar in their lunch box.
It is clear that we live in a mad world when it comes to food and what we feed children.

Does she eats lots between meals