How often do your DC eat 'treats'?

[UndertheCedartree]

I've moved in fulltime with my DC (13 +8) after 3 years of only seeing them at weekends due to me being unwell. I'm just looking at any changes I need to make to their diet. They were just eating cocopops for breakfast but I've added in some cereals for them to have.

I'm wondering how much other DC have 'treats' for want of a better word. I am some issues with food so my perspective on 'normal' can be skewed. I was suprised that most of my 8yos friends have a kitkat or similar at morning playtime.

I have biscuits, chocolate biscuits, cereal bars, nakd bars, crisps in the house regularly. There are also cheese strings/babybels, crackers, hummus and crudites/pitta, crumpets, bagels, fruit, natural yogurt and frozen berries and homemade bananabread/flapjacks etc available. I allow them to pick what they like for a snack. They usually have 2 snacks a day. They probably have a 'treat' everyother day roughly. Is this too much? They are perfect weight and their teeth are fine. Any advice appreciated.

Also I often make a cake once a week and they'll have a slice a day as their pudding after dinner.

I agree op if they are healthy and happy I would be careful at making changes

Everyday probably. She gets pudding at nursery so I try not to add extra sugar those days.

@Boom45 - that is exactly it I don't want to make a big deal of it while maybe quietly tweaking a few things!

@Jellycatspyjamas - thank you so much! It is so good to be back home with them! 😊

@fedupandlookingforchange - they usually have yogurt or the little tubs of choc mousse/cremecaramel or ice lollies for dessert. Although eldest doesn't always have it. I'd like to have a go at making fruit crumbles etc.

My 14yo dd developed an eating disorder over lock down so my reply is definitely skewed a bit but I would say please try not to think of foods as being 'good' or 'bad'

Food is just food, role model healthy eating and have a variety of foods and snacks in but try not to pass judgement on any particular food.

I'm desperate for my dd to start eating chocolate cereal again 😓

@WoobyWoo - yes I definitely don't want a fuss made over crisps and biscuits. It is especially important due to my ED past. I think sometimes they seem to eat a lot but then don't touch them for ages!

@Soonbechrimbo - I'm much better now, thank you.

The trouble with being ourside of their day to day life I have lost a bit of confidence in 'how to be a mum' and I worry I'm not doing it right! Thanks for all the helpful responses.

My kids usually have a biscuit or little cake after dinner, most days, probably not all. Sugary cereal maybe twice a week? Crisps the same. However, they eat plenty of fruit and veg too. I don't think it's an issue to have 'treat's as long as their diet is good the rest of the time. And especially if they are a good weight and good teeth

@Bluntness100 I totally agree about the 'treat' word. I don't use it at home. I just didn't know what else to write so people knew what I meant!

[quote UndertheCedartree]@Soonbechrimbo - I'm much better now, thank you.

The trouble with being ourside of their day to day life I have lost a bit of confidence in 'how to be a mum' and I worry I'm not doing it right! Thanks for all the helpful responses.[/quote]
Glad you're feeling better now.

I get that! The fact that you're worrying about these things shows you are a good caring Mum. You'll all get there with your confidence, I understand the second guessing yourself etc-we all do it❤️.

Don't sweat the small stuff for now and things will fall into place naturally over time. Just take time for you all to adjust gently, that's all you need. I'm sure you're doing a fab job 😊❤️

@JustSaying101 - I'd definitely like to bake more!

Mine had a 2 finger kitkat, penguin or granola type bar for break time, after school there was fruit and cheeses&biscuits or hummus and carrots sort of think. Yogurt in packed lunches but no dessert after dinner and we had a choice of porridge, Cherrios, or weetabix for breakfast (fruit and toast as well). That said my DD's were very slim kids, one under the dr for being underweight (still an issue, monthly weigh in currently)

It all sounds fine to me. Mine are a healthy weight and have 2 snacks a day that are about 100 calories each. So a packet of crisps and a Kit Kat or a biscuit and some mini cheddars.
They also eat loads of fruit and veg so I’m not worried

Our son is 1.80 tall and 50 kilos so very slim. As long as he eats well I don't keep tabs Hd can eat as much as he likes.

He is 14 years old.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies - I have an ED background so I never refer to food as good or bad and I don't ban anything. Just wanted to tweak a few things to make them a little healthier so as well as cocopops they can have weetabix or porridge as well for example.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies - oh and I wish you daughter well - ED are horrible.

@Soonbechrimbo - thank you so much that really means a lot!

school day for DD:
Breakfast: croissant and butter or toast or yoghurt or toasted muffin, half a bagel or low sugar cereal, plus some sort of fruit
Break: banana (mostly) or other fruit. Only fruit or veg allowed
Lunch: cheese and ham croissant, or cheese scone or sandwich or baguette with cheese, pizza muffin, sausage rolls or cheese and crackers
Plus veg of some sort, breadsticks or cheese, maybe another kind of fruit and or yoghurt and a chocolate rice cake or chocolate biscuit
Dinner: whatever we’re having, yoghurt, cheese, cake, ice cream or fruit if she’s still hungry

Supper: toast, plain biscuits if she’s hungry

Weekends, she can have sugary cereal or pain au chocolat for breakfast, but today, asked for sausage and beans. We went for a picnic and she had a kitkat, but declined crisps and we had an ice cream too. Had a roast for dinner, was too full for supper

She doesn’t have a sweet tooth, but we don’t say “no” to sweets or chocolate

She’s skinny and very active, we’re fairly relaxed

What’s a “perfect weight” OP?

ETA, she’s 7

If you’re concerned, keep “treats” for the weekend

@Cloudtraffic - I meant not underweight and not overweight. Maybe perfect was the wrong word.