Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Just got RL flamed for the packed lunch I did for DS

375 replies

AClearShotOfTheStreet · 13/04/2018 10:27

Lovely friend is here. Didn't know how but got on to the packed lunch I did for DS, who is 6, today for a holiday camp.

Apparently it's not enough, no wonder he is skinny and I am starving him (mostly lighthearted but kernel of truth?)

He had porridge for breakfast with a cup of milk, semi skimmed. I have given him an apple for morning snack, a ham and cucumber sandwich on seedy bread for lunch with a yoghurt, and a small bag of hula hoops for afternoon snack. He will have cottage pie with veg for dinner and a tangerine for afters, possibly a bit of Easter egg with a cup of milk just before bed.

This is OK right? Hula hoops are a bit of an anomaly as we are having the kitchen knocked down and It's what I could find. But this IS a reasonable amount of food for a 6 year old? He's very sporty and slim but I don't think I need to feed him any more? He rarely complains of hunger and if he does is directed to fruit bowl or slice of toast with peanut butter etc.

OP posts:
00100001 · 13/04/2018 19:22

I can't believe nobody has tried to wrestle my award off me....

CadyHeron · 13/04/2018 19:42

Not read all the thread, but I can't see anything wrong with what you're giving to eat at all, it all sounds fine to me.
I would say though that if it was piece of fruit mid morning, and then just a ham sandwich and a yoghurt for dinner, both mine at primary school age would probably be hungry on that.
If they were having a bag of crisps mid afternoon snack, in with their dinner I'd probably put something like some cubes of cheese and a couple of crackers as well, or a small piece of flapjack.

Nottheduchessofcambridge · 13/04/2018 20:01

Gosh worra only country air obviously, organic innit! And none of that thick bladed grass unless you needed it as a base for a crustless algae tart! Y’know, when you’re giving them a treat!

Numbsnet · 13/04/2018 20:05

Haven't read the full thread either, but my skinny kids get full fat milk. I'm trying to fatten them up and have replaced their drinks at home with full fat milk instead of water or anything else.
No need for semi skimmed unless you are trying to reduce their fat intake, which doesn't sound likely in your case.
Rest of his intakesounds perfect.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 13/04/2018 20:09

I'm really enjoying the posts from those who don't take this ridiculous subject seriously. Grin

Yes, that's right about city air, Worra, when I go to the office in London I never need lunch, all that breathing of thick air... and don't get me started on pea-soupers! Nowhere to log those in MyFitnessPal though? :(

trilbydoll · 13/04/2018 20:13

Cheese and onion hula hoops are worth calling social services about, don't worry about the portion sizes Wink I always put too much in a pack lunch because I know hungry DD = crying in the corner but I also know she won't overeat so there's no danger of her rolling home!

RebeccaWrongDaily · 13/04/2018 20:48

Since you name-checked me Lying i'll reply.

This is merely a conversation on the internet, if you don't understand how they go without getting uppity and a bit 'diggy' then you're beyond me sweety.

I wasn't digging specifically at anyone, Many people made some / all of the points I did. I'll tell DH you don't care what he has for lunch, he'll be wounded, but will probably survive to run another marathon

prettybird · 13/04/2018 21:18

This is probably about what my ds had for his packed lunch throughout primary school. He never complained about being hungry - if he had, I'd have given him more. But the OP's ds is not asking for more Confused

Ds is now an active - but still slim - 17 year old. Admittedly, as he also wants to bulk up (he plays rugby and although as a scrum half, he can afford to be small in height, he'd like to be a lot bit heavier) he is now trying to eat more (mostly protein - chicken pieces, but also lots of full fat yoghurt and full fat milk) - but he wants to add weight via muscle and not fat, so not relevant to the OP's 6 year old.

I agree with others that as a society, we have lost sight if what "normal" portions are and even what normal "slim" is Confused You can see ds' ribs (and also his 6 pack Wink) - he is a healthy weight. Children don't need snacks all the time. Feeling hungry occasionally is perfectly OK.

When I was at primary school, my packed lunch consisted of a tomato roll, a banana and a cheese triangle. No snacks - although we did get horrible, warm milk at break time in the morning (shows my age Blush). We had, however, gone to school having had a full breakfast: cereal or porridge, most days eggs of some sort and usually toast as well! Shock

I was sometimes hungry by the time we had our supper - but that's the point. I was ready for my meal! Grin I wasn't allowed a snack too soon before supper so that it "wouldn't spoil my appetite". I can hear myself repeating the same things to ds! Grin

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 13/04/2018 21:42

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 13/04/2018 21:43

*outright saying what I think of you

RebeccaWrongDaily · 13/04/2018 21:52

I've been here since 2006 (under different names) and I know that you don't get to dictate tone on threads. Nice try though.

Beetle off and pick on someone else, or switch your tablet off and find something more rewarding to do with your time.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 13/04/2018 21:59

WTF? I couldn't care less who you are or were, I didn't like your post and said so. The list of posts that I didn't like on this thread was too long - yours was the last one.

You don't get to order people off threads and if you don't like being told that your posts are off then change them - or don't - I don't care.

roses2 · 13/04/2018 22:17

My son has just turned 5. In his holiday club packed lunch he had a ham sandwich; a boiled egg; 1 raw carrot; yoghurt drink and a fibre breakfast bar.

He would have a bowl of porridge with fruit for breakfast and 2 biscuits as a snack after holiday club.

He is incredibly active. Whether your lunch is enough would depend on how active your son is?

Mymadworld · 13/04/2018 22:38

Other than adding a bit more protein to his lunch (hard boiled egg, chicken drumstick or similar) it sounds plenty for a 6 year old.
A pp giving her dc 2 ham rolls, scones, cheese, yogurt & crisps etc for lunch is the reason her child is on the 100th centile for weight Hmmchildhood obesity is a major problem in our society and we are all (I include myself in this btw) so used to giving our children 3 big meals of similar size to our own plus endless snacks which are totally unnecessary. Nothing wrong with a grumbly tummy occasionally.

April229 · 13/04/2018 22:45

BMI at the 8 th percentile is low..

nolongersurprised · 13/04/2018 23:30

One of mine, not skinny but not overweight eats virtually nothing for lunch. She swims 6-8 km a week and I diligently pack extra food on squad days which she doesn’t eat. If she’s hungry she eats loads at the end of the day. I’ve never worried that I’ve been underfeeding her. Also, I’m not sure what I could do to make her eat more lunch? Go into school to run after her while she plays and pop food in her mouth?

BitOutOfPractice · 14/04/2018 00:23

BMI at the 8 th percentile is low..

Low for who? For someone on the 90th it's low. For someone on the 3rd it's high.

It's 8th centile. Not everyone is 50th. That's the whole point Confused

FASH84 · 14/04/2018 06:45

This sounds normal to me, yesterday I had porridge for breakfast and an apple on the way to work (long commute stuck in traffic), I had a ham salad sandwich and a yogurt for lunch, and a bag of hula hoops in the afternoon (not because I was especially hungry but because our office has a staff run tuck shop and I fancied hula hoops), I made turkey Bolognese from scratch for dinner. I'm an adult, not dieting and am a size 10, occasionally 12, this was plenty of food for me. Your six year old sounds well fed to me, but if you're worried add something to lunch to see if he eats it, if he doesn't no worries.

00100001 · 14/04/2018 07:07

FASH

But what flavour hula hoops?

bippityboppityboop · 14/04/2018 08:16

How can you have had kids and not understand centiles? It is literally all they go on about as babies

TeasndToast · 14/04/2018 08:28

How can you have had kids and not understand centiles? It is literally all they go on about as babies

Blush I’m on number 4 and haven’t really bothered to understand them.

The HV says, “ooh they’re following their centile nicely, long as they don’t drop off the line your fine”

‘Twas enough for me.

PancakeBum · 14/04/2018 08:50

I haven't got a clue about centiles, never got my baby weighed again after his 6 week check. He was content, growing and weeing and pooing - good enough for me!

pictish · 14/04/2018 09:05

Same here Teas - centiles? What about them? I’ve had three and never gave centiles a thought beyond the HV telling me my babies were grand.
He’s on that wavy line? Fabulous!

isthismummy · 14/04/2018 09:25

I'm always amazed on these threads at how much food stuff into their children!

I was an active child and I spent most of my spare time at the stables. I'd have toast or cereal before I went, a sandwich, crisps and fruit while there and a meal when I got home. I neither died nor was I constantly hungry.

No wonder there's so many fat kids out there!

my2bundles · 14/04/2018 10:43

My very active and tall for his age 10 year old eats very similar to the 6 year old in the op. In addition will eat a sandwich around 8pm. All children are different but there is a culture to over feed which is disturbing.