Page 13 | I do not understand snacks

zingally · 27/03/2023 16:25

I know what you mean. We're a 3 meal a day, plus something for supper family.

I take drinks with us for the kids if we're having a trip out, but unless that trip falls over a meal time, I don't take any food with us. In the summer I might get them an ice cream or something, but this constant grazing I see some kids do just seems odd to me.

takealettermsjones · 27/03/2023 16:25

"I would never let my children snack! Snacking is shameful and leads to obesity!"

"What do you do if they're hungry at 4pm?"

"Give them a banana, of course!"

potniatheron · 27/03/2023 16:28

zingally · 27/03/2023 16:25

I know what you mean. We're a 3 meal a day, plus something for supper family.

I take drinks with us for the kids if we're having a trip out, but unless that trip falls over a meal time, I don't take any food with us. In the summer I might get them an ice cream or something, but this constant grazing I see some kids do just seems odd to me.

FOUR meals a day??? Does your family ever find time to do anything other than eat lol

Spiderboy · 27/03/2023 16:31

Sometimes people get hungry in between meal times. It’s good to listen to your body’s cues. So if you don’t get hungry, good for you

Mumtobabyhavoc · 27/03/2023 16:42

Is it to bring for sharing or to bring for your own child only? This might help for context.
When going out for a few hours I bring a drink (milk or water); and something like orange/pear slices; banana; strawberries/blueberries; cheddar slices; a slice or half-slice of whole meal/seeded bread with peanut butter (if allowed at the location); or a half bagel.

RudsyFarmer · 27/03/2023 16:45

I expect it’s to prevent kids moaning when they’re out at clubs. I don’t really understand why my 10 year old can’t go to a 2.5hr Cubs activity without taking a snack. But I’m assuming it’s because they all bleat on about being hungry part way round and the leaders don’t want to hear it.

704703hey · 27/03/2023 16:50

It's just a fill in until next meal.

I was literally just thinking about cutting up an apple and cheese as I can't be bothered to do a big cook yet.

CertainUncertain · 27/03/2023 16:52

RudsyFarmer · 27/03/2023 16:45

I expect it’s to prevent kids moaning when they’re out at clubs. I don’t really understand why my 10 year old can’t go to a 2.5hr Cubs activity without taking a snack. But I’m assuming it’s because they all bleat on about being hungry part way round and the leaders don’t want to hear it.

I suspect it's also because attention tends to flag midway through with kids and quick break and a bite to eat is a good way to re-up energy levels. Especially if it's an after school activity. But why is a child expressing hunger considered 'moaning' and 'bleating'? Maybe your 10 year old is just... hungry?

Cel77 · 27/03/2023 16:56

Yellowdaffodila · 27/03/2023 10:52

So I'm not from the UK and I hear and read about the snack thing all the time.
What is a snack? When I take my children out I'm asked to bring snacks. They will be home for food after our trip. They eat breakfast. Why a snack?

I'm with you, I understand what a snack is (it's not rocket science) but I don't understand why it's necessary on a daily basis when there's already so much food around us in this country. My children are used to the concept because nurseries, schools, friends all do it. If they snack, I find they don't eat as much of their meals. I found giving them fruit or raw veg before a main meal works better than crisps or biscuits after school, as you see a lot of parents do where I live. They eat their dinner early too between 5 and 5.30 pm. They're still little, it might change as they get older.

RudsyFarmer · 27/03/2023 17:00

CertainUncertain · 27/03/2023 16:52

I suspect it's also because attention tends to flag midway through with kids and quick break and a bite to eat is a good way to re-up energy levels. Especially if it's an after school activity. But why is a child expressing hunger considered 'moaning' and 'bleating'? Maybe your 10 year old is just... hungry?

Show quote history

My ten year old is definitely not hungry when I send him off. But whether other children are I have no idea.

WonderingWanda · 27/03/2023 17:03

You don't understand snacks or you are just being condescending towards greedy people who like to eat between meals?

If you don't understand snacks you must find life quite challenging.

catmothertes1 · 27/03/2023 17:12

WonderingWanda · 27/03/2023 17:03

You don't understand snacks or you are just being condescending towards greedy people who like to eat between meals?

If you don't understand snacks you must find life quite challenging.

Which country is the OP from,where people do not,sometimes,eat something between meals? There can't be many countries in the world that do not have shops selling pastries,individual cakes,biscuits or savoury treats.

nettie434 · 27/03/2023 18:00

@Yellowdaffodila I think you're being needlessly apologetic in your replies. Of course people need to take snacks if they might be delayed in getting home on time or if they are at risk of becoming hypoglycaemic. However, there is a consensus that being surrounded by lots of snacks does contribute to an obesogenic environment. Henry Dimbleby, the former food tsar, has written a book suggesting that it suits the food industry to make us think that it's normal to need a soft drink, some crisps and sweets every couple of hours instead of as a treat. The processed snacks industry is worth millions and they want to keep it that way.

I'm writing this as someone who eats too many snacks but I know I'd be slimmer if I stuck to 3 meals a day. That's the other problem. People are often very judgemental about what other people eat and comments such as yours which are more about food cultures in different countries can be interpreted negatively, even when they were never meant to be.

AllOfThemWitches · 27/03/2023 18:20

This is so mumsnet lol

pimplebum · 27/03/2023 18:27

I'm greedy , fat and llove a snack 😜

AHelpfulHand · 27/03/2023 18:35

Snacks are things kids have that then make them not want their proper meals.

It annoys me kids expecting snacks.

If a child is hungry at 4pm, you don’t give them a snack and then expect them to eat their main meal an hour later.

As Dr Now says on my 600lb life, “There’s no such things as a healthy snack”

Popsicle42 · 27/03/2023 18:42

My son’s school does staggered lunchtimes. It means his year group get their lunch between 11:30 and midday. If he didn’t have a snack after school he would absolutely ravenous by the time he had tea.

WeWereInParis · 27/03/2023 18:47

As Dr Now says on my 600lb life, “There’s no such things as a healthy snack”

Absolutist statements like that are so often pointless. Giving a kid a banana after a Saturday afternoon sports club (for example) isn't unhealthy.

HyggeTygge · 27/03/2023 18:52

AHelpfulHand · 27/03/2023 18:35

Snacks are things kids have that then make them not want their proper meals.

It annoys me kids expecting snacks.

If a child is hungry at 4pm, you don’t give them a snack and then expect them to eat their main meal an hour later.

As Dr Now says on my 600lb life, “There’s no such things as a healthy snack”

What? My kid had a snack at 4pm and then ate double helpings of lasagne, so you're incorrect. He's 4.

“There’s no such things as a healthy snack”

If I gave my child some cherry tomatoes and a crumpet at 10.30 it'd be a snack and therefore "unhealthy" but if it was at midday and part of lunch that'd make it healthy? What a load of shite, no wonder people are confused about nutrition when people are coming out with that bull.

Tinybrother · 27/03/2023 18:56

I always take snacks with me (oatcakes usually), not with the aim of giving it to them, but so there is backup if we get delayed or something and we don’t manage to get to wherever we need to for the next meal. I thought most parents did this as a contingency, not necessarily with the aim of giving it to eat, but just in case plans go awry. I don’t want the car to break down and I not only have to worry about getting that sorted but also about increasingly hungry children

Q2C4 · 27/03/2023 19:05

vivainsomnia · 27/03/2023 11:10

Look OP, put simply, some people - and especially kids - need to eat more often than the typical 5ish hours between meals
No they don't. It's a habit brought from kids asking for them because they know they exist and parents reading this as a need rather than a want.

They are a major contributor to the obesity crisis.

Sweeping generalizations don't help here. My DF needs to eat every 2 hours and is as skinny as a rake.

Florenz · 27/03/2023 19:07

There is nothing wrong with being hungry. Why are people so scared of their kids ever being hungry? No wonder we have a childhood obesity epidemic.

GneissWork · 27/03/2023 19:15

AHelpfulHand · 27/03/2023 18:35

Snacks are things kids have that then make them not want their proper meals.

It annoys me kids expecting snacks.

If a child is hungry at 4pm, you don’t give them a snack and then expect them to eat their main meal an hour later.

As Dr Now says on my 600lb life, “There’s no such things as a healthy snack”

Maybe if you are 600lbs and have massive fat reserves, but I can assure you, my 9th centile kid can eat some fruit or cheese or something similar as a “healthy” snack.

She takes an apple to school every day for snack time. Perfectly healthy.

OneTC · 27/03/2023 19:15

Sri Lankans don't eat snacks!?

Fucking LOL

HyggeTygge · 27/03/2023 19:18

Florenz · 27/03/2023 19:07

There is nothing wrong with being hungry. Why are people so scared of their kids ever being hungry? No wonder we have a childhood obesity epidemic.

Nothing wrong with being hungry... for how long? At what point do you consider hunger a problem? 5 minutes? 3 hours?

Personally I find it distracting and I can't concentrate. I presume you wouldn't mind a surgeon operating on you who was starving, though, @Florenz ? I certainly wouldn't want that.