To think children can go a couple of hours without eating

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Not sure if this is just the people I hang out with but every park play date I go on at the moment (there’s quite a few- child is 4), the other parent brings with them copious amounts of snacks.
I’m in no way a food nazi, my child has a morning snack, the odd ice cream when out on hot days, a biscuit pudding after her dinner - I always carry water and an apple- but even I think she can manage 2 hrs in a park without me having to produce a family size bag of crisps, popcorn, a fruit shoot, a haribo.
I’m really fed up of it, firstly because I’m the grinch who says “no” when my daughter asks if she can stuff her face 2hrs before dinner and secondly, because then (unsurprisingly) the other kid sits there eating rather than playing.
If you take a picnic amount of food to a 2pm play date- pls why?

@54321nought most small children would be hungry after 4 hours. That's perfectly normal.

YANBU

If they were healthy snacks fine but haribos and crisps - no

Judging other parents because they don’t agree with your snack ban

The op never said she had a ban on snacks

Grazing is not a bad habit or something to be avoided. Some people are just grazers - that's how they prefer to eat. It's not inherently better or worse than the social construct of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Its a whole lot worse - every single snack causes an insulin spike, specific meal times are far healthier.

And yes, intermittent fasting would be more natural in evolutionary terms, much bigger meals, and far fewer of them

[quote shouldistop]@54321nought most small children would be hungry after 4 hours. That's perfectly normal. [/quote]
This. He's FIVE for goodness sake. 4 hourly food is completely bog standard.

I always carry water and fruit with me incase my 13 month old gets hungry 😆😆
Not a massive feast though.

@constellationstation
What snacks do you take? Family sized bags of crisps, popcorn and sweets? I think the op isnt objecting to snacks per say but the amount and type.

@Fernando072020

I always carry water and fruit with me incase my 13 month old gets hungry 😆😆 Not a massive feast though.

Exactly what the op says she takes

@54321nought well if you're talking in evolutionary terms then small children would still be breastfeeding as the norm and certainly wouldn't be fasting.

I agree with you op, I have been out with many family friends over this summer holiday, and in the last 10 years or so it seems to have become the norm to offer children regular snacks.

I can't imagine why, its a lose-lose situation for everyone - cost, health, inconvenience of carrying them around, but everyone appears to be doing it now

I would say all of the children I have been out with are chubby, but because they ALL are, they all also look completely average

@54321nought

Grazing is not a bad habit or something to be avoided. Some people are just grazers - that's how they prefer to eat. It's not inherently better or worse than the social construct of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Its a whole lot worse - every single snack causes an insulin spike, specific meal times are far healthier.

And yes, intermittent fasting would be more natural in evolutionary terms, much bigger meals, and far fewer of them

I don't agree about the grazing. I think for young children, you let them eat in whatever way suits them best rather than trying to force them to eat at arbitrarily specific times and wondering why they don't want to eat their dinner or lunch or sitting pleading with them to finish the peas.

People get so worked up about food and then you get anxious children who are being pressured to eat food in ways and to schedules that don't suit them. If three meals a day works well for you, great. If it doesn't and something else does, great. It balances out.

[quote shouldistop]@54321nought well if you're talking in evolutionary terms then small children would still be breastfeeding as the norm and certainly wouldn't be fasting. [/quote]
not at primary school age, before than, yes

I have a friend who does this. If we go for lunch or breakfast with the kids she gives them at least 2 snacks at the table while they wait for their food. No surprise they are overweight. Think it's to keep them quiet to be honest. I also know people who give constant snacks between meals. I look after kids and some kids are sent with doue the food I would eat during the day, and their parent do expect them to eat it all.

not at primary school age, before than, yes
Isn’t primary school age 5, and natural weaning from breastfeeding 6-7, in evolutionary terms?

I don't agree about the grazing. I think for young children, you let them eat in whatever way suits them best rather than trying to force them to eat at arbitrarily specific times and wondering why they don't want to eat their dinner or lunch or sitting pleading with them to finish the peas.

What don't you agree with? That every single snack causes an insulin spike? Or that constant insulin spikes are dangerous and cause long term health issues?

These are biological facts, and you not agreeing with them as no effect what so ever on their validity, however much you struggle to make your child eat peas.

My 5 year old has a snack mid afternoon now, she didn’t used to buy a mixture of having an afternoon snack at school, lots of exercise in the holiday coinciding with a growth spurt and a toddler who needs an afternoon snack means she now has a snack.

My DD loves peas so no struggles there

I don't think that grazing on healthy food during the day v eating three square meals and two snacks a day makes any tangible difference to the wellbeing of a healthy toddler, no.

I can't say I've ever thought to judge another parent giving their child a snack.

I also can't say I really care what any other parent thinks about snacks I may or may not give to my child.

Mine came out of infant school really hungry. As long as the they ate a proper meal later I didn't care and I wouldn't judge either.

I bring food to the school gates, my kids are starving and we eat dinner at 6. I don’t care what you think? Yes I’d also bring snacks to a 2pm play date because they have a snack at 3pm.. in between lunch at 12 and dinner at 6. I think 6 hours without food is too long. Are you saying I’m a bad parent?
All healthy weight kids here

Why do you hang out with these people since you clearly don’t like them or agree with their way of parenting?

I really can’t see how it impacts you if other children are fed snacks or not.

@Starjammer

My DD loves peas so no struggles there

I don't think that grazing on healthy food during the day v eating three square meals and two snacks a day makes any tangible difference to the wellbeing of a healthy toddler, no.

But it causes insulin spikes, which will eventually lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes etc,

That is both "grazing" and the two snacks.

I agree both your options are bad! just feed a child meals!

What are you disputing, that grazing and snacks cause insulin spikes, or that insulin spikes cause horrendous health issues?

(and are the main cause of death in the developed world)

I thin it's a hangover from when children are younger and often do go from completely fine to STARVING in 10 minutes. I know with DS we found this happened - we were still in routine of snacking but it started to impact his meal times. So we stopped the snacking.

I think the posters saying it's not good, and probably encourages fussy eating are right. I also think it's very difficult if your child is a bit odd with food to say no to snacks if it's the one thing you know they will eat. It does feel a bit chicken and egg really. Having said that, I don't take snacks for DD and she's still a fussy eater. And a bit overweight which I am fairly certain is because her diet isn't correctly balanced rather than because she eats too much. So food is a minefield!

I'm disputing that it really matters when it comes to toddlers. I think the best way is to provide healthy and nutritious food on a schedule that works for your child and where they want to eat it and enjoy it, whatever that might be. Children are individuals, not a homogeneous group where everyone has the same needs. You just do what suits your child and don't worry about what other people are doing.

Honestly the amount of fucking food police on this thread is so depressing.

It is literally none of your business what other people feed their children.