Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

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:
Slievenamon · 13/04/2018 10:40

Isn't he running around all day at camp? He needs more food.

mumonashoestring · 13/04/2018 10:41

My DS is also 6, he's a hulking great thing - tallest in his class and solidly built - and that's the kind of thing I'd give him. He wouldn't eat much more than that at lunchtime regardless of what was provided unless it was ice cream

IAmWonkoTheSane · 13/04/2018 10:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MyDcAreMarvel · 13/04/2018 10:41

The 8th centile is not normal at all. Your dd should be having full fat milk not semi.
A sandwich and a yoghurt is not enough food for lunch.

MyDcAreMarvel · 13/04/2018 10:41

Ds

Bratsandtwats · 13/04/2018 10:42

I'm overweight and work in a physical job, I have a sandwich, a yoghurt and an apple/banana for lunch. Porridge for breakfast and a cooked dinner and dessert.

I don't see a problem with what you are giving him. wait until he's 14+ though, you'll never fill him up!

Slievenamon · 13/04/2018 10:42

The 8th centile is not normal at all

OF course it is. I don't think you know how centiles work if you think it isn't.

DairyisClosed · 13/04/2018 10:42

That seems fine if he is there 9-3. Not enough if it is 8-6. You really shouldn't be giving him semiskimmed milk. When milk is healthier.

Dozer · 13/04/2018 10:42

8th centile for weight? What about height?

WunWegWunDarWun · 13/04/2018 10:45

That's totally fine, no vague reason to give him more of he's always been on the 8th centile.

viques · 13/04/2018 10:45

Many adults I know eat a sandwich and a yogurt for lunch. If he was hungry he would let you know by saying so when you pick him up from the activity.

CanIBuffalo · 13/04/2018 10:45

He's 6 so old enough to tell you if he's been hungry today so you can put more food in for him tomorrow if necessary.

QuiteLikely5 · 13/04/2018 10:45

Don’t listen to anyone. Your son is happy. You feed him when he is hungry. Perfect

This snacking culture imo is ridiculous but is here now!

Promoted by the big food companies who have totally done away with three square meals per day! Nope we now must also feed our kids a snack at 10, 3 and before bed!!

Dobby1sAFreeElf · 13/04/2018 10:46

My DD at 6 would have eaten all of that for lunch and still been hungry. My DS not yet 6 would probably have a little bit more, but not much more (maybe the crisps or apple with lunch too). But neither of my DC are snackers, so overall the amount of food would have been similarish. I think you know your DC best as to whether this is fine for them.

Slievenamon · 13/04/2018 10:46

Many adults I know eat a sandwich and a yogurt for lunch

Adults are not children. And are they running around all day long at campm when they have that lunch.

WonderLime · 13/04/2018 10:47

Other than upping the milk to full fat, I think it’s fine.

I’m actually surprised at the amount of people telling you it’s not enough. I could quite happily consist on that as a healthy weight, active adult. In fact I regularly do eat similar food. It’s not particularly surprisingly that 2/3rds of the population are overweight considering some of these responses (the whole days food in ONE meal Hmm)

FizzyGreenWater · 13/04/2018 10:47

The main thing I'd pick up on is the semi-skimmed milk tbh. Is there a reason for that?

The adults here don't really do milk but for the kids it's full fat organic all the way. Kids need fats! - healthy brain development as much as anything else. And skimming takes out a lot of the good stuff too as far as I know.

On the centiles is in normal range. And it's great that you don't subscribe to endless fatty sugary snacking. But yes he's very slim and active and I'd probably up portions slightly, investigate good ways to get really healthy fats more into his diet (avocado, nuts, ff milk?) and see if you see changes (more energy, or if he shoots up a bit you'll know he could have done with a bit more in his diet).

flowerslemonade · 13/04/2018 10:47

I personally don't think it's enough if he's sporty (just my opinion). I liked the description of the meal with the mini cheddars biscuits and boiled egg and cucmber sticks added in.

BarbarianMum · 13/04/2018 10:48

Ds1 is on the 25th percentile for height and the 9th for weight. This is well within the normal range (height percentile should be well above weight one for most children of a healthy weight).

teaandtoast · 13/04/2018 10:48

Why semi-skimmed milk?

pictish · 13/04/2018 10:48

I agree that portion sizes have become larger and more people are overweight as a result of it. Your portions sound fine. If he was hungry or needed more you’d soon know about it. It’s not like he wouldn’t mention it.
I try to keep my kids’ portion sizes sensible too. Dh has a habit of wanting to over feed, offering bigger portions and/or seconds and I sometimes have to step in a reassure him they’ve had enough and that in 15 minutes they won’t be thinking about food.
people have lost perspective about food, dishing out what they want or think their child will want, over what they actually need.

1Strawberry · 13/04/2018 10:49

The packed lunch is similar to what I send my 6 year old Ds to school with (minus afternoon snack). I sent more and it kept coming back so I stopped. He would prob eat a bit more than your ds after school but they’re all different and I’m sure at age 6 your ds would let you know if he’s hungry.. you could try sending more packed lunch next time and see if he eats it?

bastardkitty · 13/04/2018 10:49

I wouldn't give semi skimmed milk to a young child. I would add a piece of fruit to the breakfast and an additional lunch item. Are you very health conscious or dieting yourself? I'm wondering why this topic came up.

WunWegWunDarWun · 13/04/2018 10:50

Yes, I agree. People stuffing as much food as possible in to little kids is doing wonders for the obesity crisis.

Glug44 · 13/04/2018 10:50

It’s more than enough even if he does run around a lot. Kids don’t need to be constantly eating crap to be deemed as healthy.

Swipe left for the next trending thread