Am I feeding DS too much?

[LaLaLanded]

Feel like an idiot for starting this thread - I should know how much to feed my child! However, a couple of things: DS is very tall for his age, and I follow the ketogenic diet and have done for years. So, my view of what food and how much is probably a bit different. I certainly don't expect DS to eat as I do, as evidenced by the carbs included below!

So, DS is 7. He's a very tall boy - not sure how tall but his shoe size is 4. Height-wise he looks 10. I should probably weigh him but I don't want to give him a complex... PFB syndrome probably.

Anyway. Today DS ate:

Breakfast: a bowl of cocoa alpha bites - they are this cocoa cereal with no added sugar and only 6 ingredients; would highly recommend if anyone is interested. And a glass of milk.

Snack: a few bites of dried mango (he didn't want any more); 2 fruit yo-yos.

Lunch: most of a cheese, tomato and salad sandwich; tbsp of potato salad; tbsp chickpea salad; a carton of innocent smoothie.

Snack: Tomatoes, carrots, cucumber slices; a packet of snack-a-jacks

Supper: 2 tacos: soft taco shells; mince/onion; tomatoes and peppers; lettuce; guacamole; a glass of milk.

He will probably want some bedtime cheese too.

Now that I read it written down I wonder if I'm under-feeding him?? He always seems hungry and is growing at a rate of knots... other children who are tiny in comparison would need less so maybe it just feels like he eats all the time. He has always eaten most things - classic 'good eater' toddler. I think the summer holidays have made me think about it more than I usually would.

My son would've been ravenous with that at 7. He has a big appetite and is stick thin at 13.
How active is he?

It’s not much food for a tall 7 year old I wouldn’t think, plus a lot of it is quite sugary, not much protein going on besides dinner really

That doesn't seem enough food to me OP, I'd say you need to up his protein.

Weighing him once isn’t going to give him a complex PFB or not, plus it’s important as a parent to keep an eye on your child’s weight imo especially with all the obesity in young children.

His diet looks fine. I wouldn’t expect a normal weight 7 year old to eat more than that

If his been saying his hungry in the summer holidays it’s probably boredom tbh, they go all day without stuffing themselves at school so 🤷🏻‍♀️ It’s just the being home and bored they want to eat

I suspect there is enough protein there if you were the calculate it.

But there is lots of sugar and not much fiber. What is in the cereal?

Is he growing well and happy?
If so, then it's fine.

(MN answer: sugar, too much sugar arrrgh, he needs more protein, what about seeds and yak's milk?)

Seems quite a lot of sugar.

I think the main change I would make would be breakfast! Move away from the chocolate and try for something with plenty of protein and that will be a bit more filling!

My 7 year old eats a lot more than that I think. Today she’s had
2 slices buttered toast (brown seedy bread), banana, orange juice
Mini soreen and an orange
Cheese bagel, carrot and pepper sticks, bowl of Greek yogurt with strawberries and blueberries.
Ice lolly
Half a margarita pizza, a yolly, another banana, orange juice.

About the same maybe actually.

Ok, trying to keep up with responses...

He is pretty active - we go on walks, he did some active clubs over the holidays. He is more active during term time however: football, taekwondo, boxing during the week as well as normal P.E. - he has a ton of energy. All the time...

Re sugar: I'm conscious of this. He loves a fruit yo-yo and also dried apricots, strawberries and mango. He does also like the real kind - we were on the go today so packaged was easier.

In the cereal: wholegrain ground wheat, ground oats, ground rice, coarsely ground corn, unsweetened ground cocoa and coconut blossom nectar. Which sounds wanky. It's a new buy - he usually has normal Weetabix, porridge or eggs and toast.

Protein: he'd usually have a bit more than this I reckon. I don't worry about protein intake necessarily...

Anyway sounds like nobody is saying I'm grossly overfeeding him which is good. Perhaps I do need to think about breakfasts and filling him up then. But in all honesty he could have a full English and be hungry an hour later.

@Belmo just seen yours and think it's about the same!

DS went through a strong Yolly phase. Now he loves frubes.

Your DD sounds like she has a good diet! I considered my parenting done when DS was willing to eat lettuce and broccoli, quite frankly. But, one does worry from time to time.

@Ihavebrillohair lol - enjoying your commentary.

My child is 4 and she has:
Breakfast: bread with peanut butter and honey. Apple compote (we live in Switzerland). Glass milk.
Snack: fruit
Lunch: ham, cheese, cherry tomatoes, cucumber sticks. More bread. A yoghurt.
Snack: rice cakes
Dinner: spaghetti Bolognese, grated cheese, ice cream and strawberries for dessert.
Glass of milk before bed.
She is 50th centipede for height and weight

centile

It's impossible to know without his height and weight op.

Weighing and measuring a child once or twice a year 'to see how much they've grown' won't give them a complex

DS2's just 7.

B: 3 chocolate crepes

S: small banana, packet of Quavers

L: 4 chicken nuggets, chips, baked beans, strawberry Cornetto

S: small banana, packet of Quavers

D: cheese and tomato pizza, strawberry Cornetto.

He has difficulty sitting still, he has suspected ADHD. He would still be hungry on what your DS has.

I guess you'd know by how much he weighs!

My DS is nearly 7, I popped him on the scales the other day as I was a bit worried he was loosing weight. Anyhow! ... he found it fun, I told him he was the perfect weight (would have said that whatever he weighed!!! He's a bit under!) and super strong and fit! And then we moved on to something else!!

I don't think your DS would care much about being weighed as long as it's not made into a big thing and no negative reactions!

If he is notably overweight for his height, keeping a detailed food diary (he doesn't need to be aware of it) of portion sizes and foods eaten (and drinks consumed) each day might be a good plan, so you actually know what he's eating (a bowl of cereal to one person is a tiny bowl, to another it's a massive bowl! Portion sizes do make a big difference!)

More than likely though, weighing him would serve to reassure you that he's fine!! And to keep doing what you are doing!

My DS (8) has eaten today:

Large bowl of porridge with coconut and cacao powder (I know, massively wanky), banana

Natures Harvest cereal bar (prob same amount of sugar as a mars bar)

Nando’s kids meal - houmous, pitta, one stick of halloumi, sweet potato & butternut squash burger, sweet potato wedges, garlic bread and half his body weight in chocolate frozen yoghurt

Handful of raw cashew nuts, packet of mini chocolate penguin biscuits

Cheesy beans, toast, poached egg, satsuma.

He is a big solid boy but not fat in the slightest. Very active day. I’ve done 13,000 steps so god knows what he’s done. I’ve eaten half of what he does and I’m still fat.

I think that if your DS is not over weight and is active then feed him more. My 3 eat so much when they’re having a growth spurt. I defo think they need more than fruit as a snack at this age - but this is just my opinion and experience with mine.

I think I’ll weigh him - maybe tomorrow so it’s relaxed and fun. And do his height. Then, no worries hopefully!

I’m 5’11” and he comes to the top/middle of my chest - armpit level?! Not really scientific.

I honestly don’t think he’s overweight but conscious I am slightly blinded by thinking he’s perfect. He’s just had a third taco and a yoghurt - will report back.

My 7 yr old is 122cm, 21kg takes an 11.5 shoe

An average day looks like this

Breakfast - 1 slice toast with PB, Banana
Snack mini peppers,cucumber occasional crisps as a treat maybe once a week
Lunch sandwich, strawberries, piece of cheese.
Dinner- whatever we’re having as a family with yoghurt and fruit if he wants for pudding
Bedtime- cup of Horlicks

This feels him up a treat

Fill even

BellMcEnd I love your username. Cereal bars are a crock of shit aren’t they? DS had an Eat Natural cereal bar a few weeks ago and went into a sugar spiral. Even he still references it.

Might experiment with different types of snacks. He seems to graze quite a lot so maybe isn’t getting enough ‘solid’ stuff. And yes perhaps it’s a growth spurt - would make sense.

The good thing is that he will eat almost anything! Curry, fish, veg, etc. So has a healthy palate.

I think portion sizes are Ok - that’s one thing I am confident in.

DS2 is 7 as well. He is whippet thin and always on the go. I also have a 13 year with the complete opposite body shape!

DS2 ate today:
Bowl of Golden Grahams with full fat milk and a slice of granary toast
Banana

Cheese and Ham panini with cucumber,pepper and tomatoes. Mini cocktail sausages, sausage rolls, small lumps of cheese and a few crisps. Big bowl of strawberries, raspberries and grapes.

Some popcorn, chocolate pretzels and haribo whilst watching a film

Cottage pie (shop bought cause I couldn't be bothered making it for 2 of us!), peas, broccoli and carrots.
Apple
Small mini magnum

Plus about a gallon of water (strange child won't drink anything else!).

In contrast DS1 who is 13 and a big boy has eaten
1 slice of granary toast and a small glass of OJ

Half a panini and a few crisps

He is out tonight with his friends but they are apparently having pizza!

Small one eats him under the table yet is tiny compared to him...completely different metabolisms!

To tell
If you are over or under feeding him, just look at how he looks. Is he too thin or fat? If his body isn’t getting enough food he’ll be too thin and vice versa.
Weighing him can be confusing. My best friend and I are the same height, very similar build and pretty much the same measurements, she weighs 19llbs more than me. The only difference is one cup size bigger bra. We borrow and fit each other’s clothes all the time.

My kids eat 3x the size bowl of porridge I eat and usually a banana. They can help themselves to fresh fruit. When mine go through ravenous phase I give them carrot, cucumber and pepper sticks. Amazing how they become full when it not sweet or sugary

Plus if he's an adult size 4 then he is a big boy. My 10 yr old is tall and he's only a size 3.