To lock up all the food.

[bristolianpielover]

I have two DS's, aged 7 and 9. They are both healthy weights (recently checked at medical apt's, so I'm aware of their centiles, I'm not just kidding myself!), and both extremely lean. But they eat CONSTANTLY. Fruit, toast, cereal, yoghurt, fruit loaf, cheese etc. I don't have sweets and chocolates in the house, but I know that these snacks are far more sugary than is ideal.
They eat a proper dinner. Tonight was fish fingers, home made chips an peas. None of us have huge portions, but they can eat as much as me. 10mins later, the elder one was making toast with peanut butter. A little while after that he nicked one of his sandwiches that I'd made for tomorrow's packed lunch.
Boxes of cereal and tubs of yoghurt just vanish before my eyes. I've moved stuff onto higher shelves, but the little one just climbs up to get it. Argh!
They are really active and do a tonne of sport over the week, so they burn it off. But I am genuinely perturbed at times at how much food they can get through. Notwithstanding having to replenish stocks far more often than feels normal. I do tell them to stop and wait. But then I feel bad if they say they are hungry. But they shouldn't be hungry because they've already eaten loads. Help!

Someone asked did I not grow up with boys in my household, no I actually didn't, it was all female I'm afraid. And my DH is not a snacker at all and seemed more freaked out than me at the DC's ability to eat constantly.

It's actually well known amongst the parents of their friends that they will eat any child under the table . When they have dinner at other peoples houses, the parents make extra as they know my kids are really hard to fill up. When we have their friends here, they may accept a small snack, but that's it (I put snacks out on the table) and mine will then snaffle the lot. So amongst the small sample of pre-pubescent boys that I know, mine eat shed loads!

Boys eat a lot. When they are teens you will be shocked at the amount they can put away. My DS used to eat dinners bigger than me and DH and then ask for a bowl of cereal to top up. He used to go through one of those mega boxes of cereal every couple of days. It was unbelievable but perfectly normal! He's always been very active and a skinny beanpole.

I have three sons and they are the same. Costs a fortune.

You can't let them starve! If they are not overweight then they obviously need all the extra food. I have a DS like this: thin as a rake yet does not stop eating.

Have you wormed them OP? Are they confusing being thirsty with hunger?

I would say you need to up their protein. Sounds like you do a lot of carby meals and they aren’t as long term filling as a good full protein meal.

I agree with this.

More protein and fats. Less sugary carbs where possible. Some good tips though you do seem to eat well.
If you think they are actually thirsty make them drink a certain amount before having more food.
(Ps Don't feel bad about the fish fingers I love them on occasion but would only have four myself!)

I am always agog at how much MN children seem to need to eat. We never ate anything like this much as children or teens. I was not skinny. I did sport. OP, it sounds like your children eat a normal, if slightly surprising amount. No need to start ramming them full of whole chickens. Just tell them they can have a piece of fruit or toast if they are still hungry, or an extra yoghurt.

i dont think fish fingers and chips are a big enough meal personally.
make a fish pie

have plenty of wholemeal bread on offer op.
they have hollow legs

No advice, other than to try and fill them up at meal times with plenty of veg, potatoes, wholemeal bread, etc. I too have two boys - 11 and 8 - and they eat CONSTANTLY! It drives me round the bend. They are growing though - DS1 has grown 10cm in the past year!

and make mash potatoes rather than chips,
chips and white toast are empty, well feel empty

I don't think a 7 and 9yo should be eating the same sized plate full as me and DH, but they can easily do it.

No, they should be eating MORE than you. They are growing and are more active. My DS would be horrified if I only gave him 4 fish fingers, chips & peas. Mine have Quorn Fishless Fingers (6 each), roast potatoes (about 10 each) and salad. I put chopped up apples, grated carrot and a few raisins in the salad, to make it child-friendly. If they manage to eat all that, then they can have seconds.

More protein and fat. And more fibre, it takes longer to digest. Brown rice, brown bread and brown pasta.

But seriously 4 fish fingers is nothing. Feed them more at meals instead of hiding the food. Clearly they need to eat more.

Four fish fingers?
I used to polish off four fish fingers for breakfast, between two slices of toast.

And bowls of rice the previous day? With what?

You need to feed them far more.
They need protein, calcium and fats.

Eggs
Peanut butter
Hummus
Tuna
Whole wheat bread
Beans
Cheese including cottage cheese
Seeds
Nuts
Oats/porridge
Grains like quinoa
Broccoli
Bok choy
Fish
Tofu
Sweet potatoes
Greek yogurt
Milk
Sliced meats

And the same again for lunch

I'm serious though. Mine could eat their weight in a day.

Wow. People feed their children a lot.
Also, every one of them are 6ft and sporty at 13 with not an ounce of fat on them. Never seen this in real life

This brings back after school memories of my brother eating 2 sandwiches before dinner. But he is very tall and would get a little podgy before growth spurts.

Some people appear to be feeding their children like Henry VIII. Nothing wrong with being peckish for an hour or two between lunch and dinner.

What was in the rice bowls you gave them? I use packet rice sometimes and half a packet plus veg could fill a cereal bowl. Half a packet of rice is 200 calories. That's a small meal.

@CodenameVillanelle the spicy rice was home made kedgeree, made with butter, haddock and boiled eggs. And they had broccoli on the side. So I'd say it's a decent meal?

How much haddock and boiled egg each?

There were 4 haddock fillets and 6 eggs in the whole thing. It was between 4 of us (recipe served 6 according to Google!)

Probably kids dont know how to deal with hunger ? They dont like the hungry feeling and can't wait for food

I remember this so well. When mine was a teenager the food barely hit the fridge before it vanished. Growing boys are insatiable.

Mine have Quorn Fishless Fingers (6 each), roast potatoes (about 10 each) and salad. I put chopped up apples, grated carrot and a few raisins in the salad, to make it child-friendly. If they manage to eat all that, then they can have seconds.

I have no food issues whatsoever and that makes me feel a bit Ten roast potatoes?

If you google portion sizes of the 1950s it’s really interesting reading.

My 9yo cam eat an adult portion of food and ask for something else ten minutes later. He is very lean and active, I do try to limit "crap" foods and if he says he is hungry offer him an extra portion at dinner or a healthy snack.

He can eat as much as my DP who also has a big appetite and will easily polish off two breakfast rolls with sausage and egg, or a generous adult sized portion of pasta. He does like veg and eat reasonably healthy, as long as he's not filling up on crap I'm not worried (though it costs me a small fortune to feed him!)