To think toddlers don’t need snacks?

[Cuppasoupmonster]

I was just pondering this when washing up. I’ve never really given DD snacks, she has her 3 meals a day and that’s usually it, maybe once or twice a week she will have a digestive biscuit or yoghurt if dinner is going to be later than usual. However it seems like when we go on days out with other mums and toddlers, they come laden with snacks that are whipped out every hour or two. AIBU to think toddlers don’t really need to snack and this might be contributing to the obesity crisis?

Actually what’s healthier about it is blood sugar balancing (therefore less insulin response, which reduces insulin resistance risk over time and therefore the risk of type 2 diabetes, alzheimers, obesity, heart disease, inflammation….), and their teeth don’t get constant influx of sugar and acid.

fact is it’s better for everyone. Fact is, nobody wants to hear it because we are all conditioned to eat constantly and are too scared to stop.

I agree. Like I said I’m diabetic so I’m a self taught expert in blood sugars and what patterns of eating does to them, even healthy food. For example, even in a healthy person blood sugar rises after a meal or snack. And even a slight rise - say from 5 to 6, which can just be a banana - will make a difference if it’s happening every hour or two, rather than just at mealtimes.

Obviously you don’t though. That’s what everyone keeps pointing out.

Me too. Which is why I also know that my personal blood sugar and insulin response to a particular food is not necessarily the same as someone else’s - you and I will have different responses to different foods ourselves. And neither are different toddlers’ eating requirements going to be the same. So while you have happily dismissed the “everyone is different” response, it’s not really helpful to do so, and suggests to me that you’re here To wind up rather than have a proper discussion

Constant snacking and full meals especially when older is not needed.

But toddlers? Who might not be relied upon to eat a full meal? Can't get wound up about that.

When I had gestational diabetes I had to eat little and often rather than full meals to control my blood sugar.

so essentially…snack.

while you have happily dismissed the “everyone is different” response, it’s not really helpful to do so, and suggests to me that you’re here To wind up rather than have a proper discussion

Totally agree with this.

Everyone is different, but people need a way to pat themselves on the back.

Mumsnet has a funny denial mindset in places where people seem to attach virtue to not eating/drinking things. It's seen on everything from I don't snack and all of you who do are conditioned to forever stuff your face and lack self control to 2 glasses of wine with a meal? Oh that's far too much, I can barely have a thimble of sherry at Christmas. Anything more is excessive.

The common sense idea that some people are happier on 3 bigger meals and others might be happier and healthier having a small healthy snack alongside smaller meals (without stuffing their face with junk food) is problematic to people who need to pat themselves on the back

I don't think there is a right or wrong here. All children are different.

My son had snacks as a toddler, even at nursery and still takes a snack (usually an apple) for morning break at school (he's 9).

He is tall and skinny - no fat on him at all and very active.

I sometimes joke he has one meal a day that starts when he wakes up and ends when he goes to bed 🙈 he does eat very well though e.g. yesterday he ate a roast chicken dinner with veg a roast potatoes- polished off the lot!

It's also ok to not feel hungry.wherevthe he'll is this need to feel hungry before we eat again. It's ok to actually be quite saturated all day.your happy pleasant feeling good.nope not hungry for my next meal but ready.what is this pat on the back feeling from being hungry.you do no that goes against health.hunger isn't a great thing.

The snacking debate is always interesting to me as where I live in France the attitude is completely different.

Snacks are unusual but gouter which is afternoon tea around 3.30/4 is sacrosanct. So all children have 4 meals a day but will not snack in between.

So my 2 year old DD has breakfast around 7.30, then lunch at 12, afternoon tea at 3.30 then dinner at 7. And that's fairly standard here. When she goes to school next year, they will continue to give her afternoon tea at the same time. Once she is in primary, afternoon tea is only given to children in the after school club after 4.30.

I don't know any children who have a mid-morning snack. The only exception I know of is a child whose mother drops her at the childminder's at 6am due to her shift pattern. She has a small breakfast at 5.30 then a second snack around 8.30. But it is very much the exception.

@kersh33 thats fun. I think if it’s an ingrained societal thing then that takes away the guilt. Like a siesta. Please tell me gouter is for adults too, then I won’t feel so bad that I’ve just eaten something now it’s 3ish 😄

I’m over 50 and remember having milk during the morning break at primary school, so I don’t believe snacking is such a new thing!

Perfect parent alert 🤷.

@MassiveSalad22 - I do find the cultural differences fascinating though sometimes a little frustrating!

I'm 38 and remember having fruit/babybels/bread sticks etc when I was in primary school so I don't get where the idea that snacks are a "new phenomenon" has come from 😂

To answer the OP - actually I think you're right in that there is now an abundance of less than ideal food marketed at toddlers and young children (so things like packs rice cakes/heinz biscotti/toddler biscuits and oat bars) that aren't particularly nutrient dense but are vaguely filling. As part of a balanced diet they probably aren't that bad but I guess if they make up a big part of a kids diet it's not great. However I think you knew exactly the kind of reaction you'd get when you posted about mums whipping out tubs of snacks every 2-3 hours! It sounded a bit smug.

I guess it depends what kind of lifestyle and what your timings are like - like are you a sahm or does your DD go to nursery? My two are up with me at 6am so having breakfast before they go to breakfast club before school (they don't like the cereal there apparently 🙄) and generally they do need a snack between 6am and lunch at school at 12.30/1pm. I don't think that's unusual for a child. But if I had a more relaxed morning/breakfast at 8 and lunch when I chose, and they were at home with me, maybe they wouldn't need a snack and I could have more.time to judge what other parents do.

Milk and custard creams at nursery.
Tuckshop out the school window anyone.space invaders pickled.mini jaffas.random bowls of cereal.onion.penguins. cheesestring.sunny d.little curved tubs they bought out for your Pringles ha.after swim chips in the cafe or choc bar from vending machine ?
Choc bars when you finally started walking on your own.
Choc cornflakes cake and ice buns.i think even bacon rolls were served!
Snacking is not new.
And we are fine.apparently waaaay healthier than today's kids who are limited,shamed,weighed,diet cultured,shouldn't snack because they are fat fat fat fat fat which is such a bad thing to be.
Blah.
Seems to be a correlation over to "unhealthier" folk when we became so disordered and obsessedwith just what people did or didn't eat and how to limit it.

It just depends on the kid in question. Mine is in the first percentile and she gets very hangry if she doesn’t have a snack so we always provide. She gets two snacks day. The first one we always try to make a healthy snack, carrots, broccoli, apples or a fruit cup. The second snack is usually a bit more fun. A muffin, cookie or half a donut.

She’s always had trouble keeping her weight up though so we aren’t too finicky about how much she eats.

If yours is a healthy weight and doesn’t fuss without a snack then I say you’re doing good mum!

I agree with you. I don’t snack. DH doesn’t snack. (we come from non-snacking cultures). None of the DC have ever snacked and they are incredibly sporty. All of us need to feel properly hungry before we can eat but I guess everyone’s different.

😂

I work as a childminder and we have a morning snack. The children who come to me are aged from young babies to 5 year olds. They are aware of the time we normally have snack and you can guarantee they will be standing beside me at exactly 10.30am and they can't the time yet. I have always given a morning snack as most have breakfast early. I also have had children whose behaviour has become terrible due to a sugar dip so when they are given a healthy snack they are so much better behaved. The size of the snack however does depend on how much of their lunch they will eat.

@Wenfy 'incredibly sporty' eh.

Stealth boast much

DD bikes, runs and plays hockey competitively. She won a scholarship for long distance running as there’s a tiny chance that she may be good enough to train with Team GB.

I don't think it's a 'new phenomenon'. As a child of the 80s we always had elevenses and afternoon tea.

I liked to use snack time as a way of introducing new foods. I think it's a common part of toddler group and nursery to sit down and have something at ten or eleven. I don't think it needs to be more than a small portion of cut up fruit. A few berries or similar. Mine liked cubes of cheese with a couple of bread sticks or a toddler friendly biscuit with a drink. Certainly nothing more.