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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Apparently this “isn’t enough food”

472 replies

foodFood · 04/04/2018 13:19

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

OP posts:
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Moxiebelle · 04/04/2018 15:07

I'd always go by hunger as long as the child is a healthy weight. If she is happy to ask for more that's fine. If it was a visiting child or you were out or a lunchbox I'd give a bit more just in case that was not enough.

Original poster
foodFood · 04/04/2018 15:11

She drinks water in the day

OP posts:
BoucleJacket · 04/04/2018 15:12

Honestly, some of the posters on this thread?.. talk about ridiculous!

OP - it sounds absolutely fine to me.

If she's hungry she'll ask for more.

I agree with those saying that we've lost sight of what constitutes normal portions for children these days.

sirfredfredgeorge · 04/04/2018 15:14

I'd expect a child to be having cereal or toast / bread of some kind to give enough carbs to release through until lunchtime

No need to control peoples diets like this, they'll know if they're hungry, there are lots of people who do not get hungry until later in the day (likely the leptin that suppresses your hunger during the night hasn't left) Carb heavy meals to tend to come with hunger.

Ickyockycocky · 04/04/2018 15:15

100 grams avocado - protein 2 grams

100 grams hummus - protein 8 grams

100 grams egg - protein 13 grams

100 grams chicken - protein 27 grams

100 grams cheese - protein 25 grams

BoucleJacket · 04/04/2018 15:15

A teeny tiny amount of food Mintychoc1

Really?

Rubbish

UnreasonablyPissedOff · 04/04/2018 15:15

I think it is fine OP, my dd would have eaten similar at that age and she is tall, very slim and healthy.

From reading this I think a HUGE amount of MM's are absolutely overfeeding their kids! That has shocked me. Some kids on here eat more than my dh who sometimes works in a physical job!

PinkHeart5914 · 04/04/2018 15:16

Food threads on here are always weird you get The protein police with oh it’s not enough protein then you get the oh my god my toddler would eat that and still be hungry he had 6 weetabix this morning so you must be starving your child.

Every child has different hunger levels and feed them accordingly. If OP daughter was hungry she would presumably be asking for snacks all the time so I would assume she is perfectly full after her meal some children and adults just don’t eat much.

Portion size looks fine to me and unless she is underweight no need to worry

DullAndOld · 04/04/2018 15:18

well I live near a small university town so you do notice the students, and they are getting fatter and fatter...
there was group the other day who literally waddled into the 'spoons and ordered food...all of them waddling, not just one or two.
Sorry but I do think that most young people are over-fed, and the reactions on this thread illustrate it nicely.

AyeAyeFishyPie · 04/04/2018 15:20

I love these threads. Embryonic eating, only cupcakes on holiday etc etc. They are just hilarious.

OP - she's fine. if she's hungry, adapt it. And don't ask MN - you have wakened the crazy people.

Mercison · 04/04/2018 15:24

It doesn'st sound like much and its all a bit processed but if she's not hungry and growing then its fine!

littlevoiceofsanity · 04/04/2018 15:25

It's not a lot and nor is a yoghurt for breakfast but if she is used to so little she probably doesn't need more.

thetaleofthegooseandthesloth · 04/04/2018 15:26

Everyone's appetite is individual, if this is what she has and doesn't ask for more that's fine. A lot of children at that age eat a lot, so most people will be shocked. My DD eats like a bird though and that would be perfectly fine to her except during growth spurts, although she is a year younger.

ifonly4 · 04/04/2018 15:27

As long as she's within acceptable levels for her height, knows she can ask for more if she wants it and is generally healthy, I wouldn't worry about what other think.

Looneytune253 · 04/04/2018 15:27

Sounds right to me. People just have a warped idea of portion size these days. We had to see a dietician when my daughter was younger (about 3) and was surprised that they recommended only one slice of bread for a sandwich or half a weetabix etc. It has been so ingrained that we need more. Obv now she has a full sandwich but not necessarily all the extras. Tbh it sounds like a lovely, healthy, well rounded meal

TheGruffalosArse · 04/04/2018 15:28

Seems alright. Kids really don't need two big dinners in a day in fact nobody does.

EB123 · 04/04/2018 15:30

I would be surprised as it is quite a small meal, even my just turned 2 year old would eat more. But all children have different appetites and i assume if she was hungry she would say.

RainbowGlitterFairy · 04/04/2018 15:35

Your friend is being daft, you can't judge from one meal anyway.

DD(9) has about that much for lunch, has a decent breakfast (porridge, greek yoghurt and fruit or dippy eggs and toast), a midmorning snack (generally a bit of fruit or veg sticks) afternoon snack (fruit or yoghurt normally) Dinner and pudding, so none of her meals are particularly large. When DS was that age he hardly ever ate much breakfast and didn't really snack or have pudding so he always had a huge lunch (he's a teen now so never stops eating). As long as your DD knows she can ask for more/a snack if she's hungry then its fine.

deadringer · 04/04/2018 15:36

As long as your dd is happy and healthy it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Ime toddlers tend to eat a lot for their size so hard to compare. Having said that my dd is 9 and very petite and she would eat a lot more than that, she eats as much as me actually. and i am a fatty

Mintychoc1 · 04/04/2018 15:38

bouclejacket everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I'm shocked at how rudely you spoke to me. If you were introduced to someone and they said something you disagreed with , would you say "rubbish"?

Why would you choose to speak to me like that? Have I offended you on a previous thread?

moofolk · 04/04/2018 15:39

Your friend sounds a bit rude if saying you're not feeding enough but may just have been expressing surprise. Mine eat loads for breakfast but not so much later on.

I remember a friends coming round for tea and just wanted more and more and we ran out of stuff to feed him (same age as my oldest), but that child's mum aghast at my DS wanting second and third helping of breakfast when he stayed there.

So swings and roundabouts I suppose.

Also I see sooooo many parents battling their kids over food at lest you don't had that. Probably better to give a small amount and be prepared to offer more than the constant 'nothing until you've finished' fights some others have!

AppleAndBlackberry · 04/04/2018 15:40

I think my 8yo DD would eat a little more than that (maybe a big pitta bread instead of mini and another frube or some crisps). She is also a healthy height & weight. Today she ate a ham roll, small bag of raisins, bag of pom bears, large satsuma, half a choc chip muffin and a few mini eggs. It's not an issue if she's not underweight though.

WingsOnMyBoots · 04/04/2018 15:40

Honestly it really doesn't like enough.

pinkhorse · 04/04/2018 15:41

It wouldn't touch the sides with my 8 yr old. I can't seem to fill him up at the minute. He eats way more than I do

WingsOnMyBoots · 04/04/2018 15:41

Sorry - should read 'it really doesn't sound like enough'.