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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:
MacaroniPenguin · 13/04/2018 12:25

Depends how big the sandwich is. I think mine would eat the crisps at lunchtime after a solid 3.5 hours of running about, and eating lunch with children who have a lot more "bits and bobs" in their lunchboxes. Then they'd have nothing left for afternoon snack. Not the end of the world but a bit miserable.

I would stick some extra carrot/peppers/fruit in. They like having the "bits and bobs". What's the worst that can happen if he eats a bit more veg?

2kidsnopets · 13/04/2018 12:25

Breakfast and dinner sound fine but my 2 yo eats more lunch than that. Todays lunch is a ham and cheese sandwich, 1/2 carrot as sticks, half an apple, and a yoghurt.

My 4yo preschool lunch is a sandwich, a yoghurt, an apple, a babybel, and a small treat eg a soreen or a homemade biscuit/flapjack. He eats it all.

chocatoo · 13/04/2018 12:27

Everything sounds fine apart from lunch, and that depends on the size of the sandwich really. In truth if he's been zooming around all morning, I wonder if he could do with a bit more? Maybe add a little pot of hummus with a couple of bread sticks or a square of flapjack? Our dentist said that it's good to end with cheese (no idea whether that's true!!) rather than something sweet.

idontevengohere · 13/04/2018 12:29

DD is 6 in August and is currently eating her lunch. She has 2 soft cheese sandwiches, cashew nuts, blueberries, yoghurt coated cranberries, a mini scotch egg, ham and some sesame breadsticks. She's eaten it all and stealing cashews off her brother who eats feck all. She's got nothing on her but her lunch is the biggest meal of the day for her. She often rejects dinner or doesn't eat much.

LovesLaboursLost · 13/04/2018 12:29

My DS is 6 and at his school we’re only allowed to send either a sandwich or a sandwich and a piece of fruit/veg for his lunch.

BiddydeBint · 13/04/2018 12:29

That seems enough to me, and would be what my very tall, active DC are used to. But I always seem to be in the minority in these threads, with everyone saying it's not enough. My DC are older than yours, and the "fit, active 7 year olds who eat loads more than that" now tend to be the podgy 12 year olds who are gradually dropping sports. Children simply do not need huge amounts of food, if they appear hungry straight after eating a normal lunch, they're either angling for a treat or they are in the habit of constant snacking and haven't been taught to listen to what their body is telling them.

badg3r · 13/04/2018 12:31

Try and add up the calories and see if it looks about right. But hungry children are usually bad tempered and vocal, I'm sure he would say if hungry!

zzzzz · 13/04/2018 12:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

00100001 · 13/04/2018 12:34

My 3 day old would eat your child's entire day's food as their morning snack.

Unicornchaser · 13/04/2018 12:36

@idontevengohere I don't get the pudding society either Hmm my sisters and I never had a pudding unless it was a special treat and it's the same in my household too. Yet others think it's a must have. To each their own but weird hv tried to force the issue! Again proves that going with your own instinct is always best

zzzzz · 13/04/2018 12:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StaplesCorner · 13/04/2018 12:37

These things always look like a stealth boast to me - sort of "ooo look how my kids eat hardly anything" as if it reflects well on the parents? 8th centile is ok if that's what he was born on or has been around most of his life. If he's not hungry then hey, give him that, if he is, give him more - I think it just sounds to most of us like he's on a diet and you think you've been naughty but nice by giving him some hula hoops.

MrsTylerJoseph · 13/04/2018 12:40

Well that’s as much as I would eat in a day so no I don’t think you’re starving him.

heateallthebuns · 13/04/2018 12:44

That sounds normal to me!

livingthegoodlife · 13/04/2018 12:45

I think it looks perfect. My 6 year old would have the same. Half a round of sandwiches at lunch and probably only half a packet of hula hoops (I consider a bag of crisps an adult portion). My 6 year old is a very active child and 50th percentile. I wouldn't worry about your friends comments at all!!

rocketgirl22 · 13/04/2018 12:45

It sounds very well balanced and fine. If he is not complaining of being hungry then I would keep it just as it is. Over feeding is not great.

TheMythicalChicken · 13/04/2018 12:46

As an example, this is what my kids had today in their lunch boxes:

Rice & beans
Vege mince with salsa sauce
Oven-baked tortilla chips
Satsuma
Raspberries & blueberries
Crackers & cheeze
Gluten-free muffin for afternoon tea.

Neither are obese. Or even remotely overweight.

Trilogy18 · 13/04/2018 12:48

I would probably add one more thing: carrot sticks and a mini pot of hummus, cheese cubes, olives or another piece of fruit are the obvious things.

MacavityWasFramed · 13/04/2018 12:49

The only time I was flamed for todder's lunch was by the preschool - he had recently decided that he had given up sandwiches, so I packed a slice of buttered bread (which he would eat, as it wasn't a sandwich), a chunk of cheese and a Peperami. Then the usual fruit and veg, yoghurt etc. that he might or might not eat then, but would finish after preschool. I think the problem was that the preschool manager is vegetarian, and hated the smell, texture and idea of a Peperami, which is fair enough - I went back to ham after that!
School once mentioned that it was probably best to pack only one snack (fruit pouch and an apple) but only because he took so long to eat them!

00100001 · 13/04/2018 12:54

zzzzz yes, tommorrow, he'll eat the same as today, but with 4 more apples... Grin

halfwitpicker · 13/04/2018 12:57

He could do with a flapjack or something, if he's at camp he'll be running around all day I reckon. Or some cheese cubes, scotch egg or something.

pog100 · 13/04/2018 13:05

the whole thread is really pointless. No six year old is going to be hungry in a first world country with parents who care about him. If he is hungry he will tell you and you will respond FGS.

Myimaginarycathasfleas · 13/04/2018 13:09

Unless your lovely friend knows for a fact that he is still hungry after eating the lunch you provided, I wouldn’t worry. You could try giving him more and see if it disappears. He might be hungrier at holiday camp than on a normal day.

Lovemusic33 · 13/04/2018 13:11

If he’s not complaining that he’s hungry then I’m sure it’s plenty. My kids are much older and don’t eat much more. When they are at home they get a sandwich and a choice of either crisps or a chocolate bar (kit kat), at 6 they would only manage half a sandwich, some fruit and a yoghurt.

He may look thin to some people, that’s because most children are now classed as overweight, your son sounds like he’s a healthy weight for a active child?

I think people are obsessed with feeding their children, I’m sure we never had morning snacks and afternoon snacks? My lunch box at school consisted of a sandwich, yoghurt, apple and a small choc bar, I rarely ate it all as it was too much, we the. Didn’t eat until dinner time in the evening. No one starved.

SouthwarkSkaters · 13/04/2018 13:14

Haven't RTFT yet but just to prove the point that every child is different: my DD is the same age and similar size to HighwayDragon1's DD and would probably bring half the sandwich home. At 6, he should be able to tell you if he's still hungry.