To not feed my kids 3 meals a day?

[GunpowderGelatine]

If I feed my kids 3 meals a day, they just don't eat all of what I make them (they are 5 and almost 2). I loathe wasting food, and they probably leave about a whole meals worth altogether if I feed them 3 times a day. I usually give them a little something for breakfast, like half an apple - or if they're not hungry when they wake up they'll have something mid-morning - then the odd little snack through the day and then a full meal at dinner time. They're hungry enough by then that they'll eat it all. They never complain of being hungry and rarely ask for food.

Similarly I never have breakfast in just never hungry in a morning, I always wait til lunchtime.

AIBU to think that, for some, 3 meals a day is excessive?

I imagine it will aaaaall change come teenage years 

Are they getting everything they need in terms of nutrition? Enough protein, calcium. fruit and veg? If so then I don’t see the issue if it works for you. Does your 5YO not have a more regimented schedule with proper lunchtime at school though?

What you think of as a snack could well be a meal to a two year old. Portion sizes are weird at that age.

My rule is that there is fruit or veg at every food time (barring holidays and similar) and it all balances over a day.

Surely you just need to decrease your portion sizes??

How would that work with school?

That doesn’t seem much at all. Is the 2 year old still having milk? My toddler would be raging if she only had 1/2 an apple for breakfast. I’d be worried about getting a variety of nutrients if really the only proper meal is dinner.

Personally I think 3 small meals and no snack is better than lots of snacks and missing meals. Healthy habits and all that...

If not hungry at meals I would cut the snacks.

I see particularly on a school day it is important to have breakfast whatever it is

Surely you are just getting your portion sizes wrong...?

Yes yabu. Half an apple aged five? That’s nowhere near enough breakfast. Everyone loathes wasting food but it’s just part and parcel of having young children I’m afraid.
Your kids are growing and need a lot of calories and good nutrition.
Mine are similar ages and are on three meals a day and two healthy snacks.

My DS is 2.5 yr and is offered 3 meals a day, rarely snacks, and out of those 3 meals usually only eats well for two of them, breakfast is usually his worst meal in terms of amount eaten.

He's fine, no worries about weight at all. I trust him to eat when he's hungry, he self regulates well, always has done.

I too hate throwing food away.

Can you give an example of what you'd feed them in a day?

I don't think you need to necessarily feed three meals and nothing else. Lots of people cope better on, say, six snack-sized dishes a day rather than three larger portions.

I do breakfast, one large cooked meal and then something lighter. My dc would struggle with two large cooked meals. So I might do for the lighter meal sandwiches, pitta and dips, small pizza with crudites, beans on toast etc

Half an apple for breakfast or nothing til midday?!

Giving a five year old half an apple for breakfast isn't enough and it's not going to give them healthy eating habits either. It doesn't sound like you have a particularly healthy attitude to food yourself

I have an eating disorder and left to my own devices don't eat in a normal way. But I make breakfast lunch and dinner and sit with them when I'm there, and participate as best I can.

Your kids won't complain necessarily because they are very little and will follow your cues.

I think you need to be very careful to not equate your lack of hunger to theirs. A bit of waste is better than them going hungry. Half an apple is not an adequate breakfast. Look up the NHS guidelines on nutrition and make sure you are at least providing tge opportunities for them to have sufficient calories, plus water to hand etc.

Re: not asking for food, do they know what being full feels like or have they always been a bit hungry so think that's normal?

Why don't you give them less at each meal and feed them regularly instead of half starving them?

Also, do they both have the same portion size?

I don't eat breakfast, but it's too important for children to miss imo.

Three smaller meals is better than small snacks then a bigger meal imo. And will work in better with school and nursery timings as well.

From what you've written, I would say that both children would be malnourished. Their healthy development depends on a good, varied diet - starting the day with half an apple for breakfast doesn't fall into that category. You don't eat breakfast - this is not a good practice for two youngsters.
Concisely I would say give them a good breakfast - porridge, full-fat milk, fresh fruit. Light lunch - perhaps soup, wholemeal bread, fruit. Good meal at night - fish or chicken + two veg. Healthy snacks throughout the day.
Might be a good idea to approach a professional, for example, your Health Visitor, for dietary advice.

Smaller portions so they don't leave anything?

Cut down on snacks.

I think we need more of a break down. Either you are underfeeding youur kids or their snacks amount to a shit load of food and woykd he the equivilant of two out of the three meals a day.

What are your portion sizes ?

YABU, kids need balanced nutritional food, in order to grow its BASIC parenting!!!

Surely they eat something 3 times a day? Cereal, "main meal" and scrambled egg on toast or similar? What are your portion sizes like? That can't be good for eating habits, healthy weight etc

Stop the snacks. Then they will eat three meals. If they don’t? Your portion sizes are too big.

My 3 year old has 4 or 5 meals a day. Breakfast at home, on nursery days (mon-fri) sometimes a second breakfast, lunch, tea at nursery and tea at home.

Everyone is different though. My mum eats like a bird. I eat like a pig.... (neither of us have weight issues)