Children/ snack amounts

[LadyEdithCrawley]

I’m a nanny for a fairly well off family and the kids eat a lot. They are not at all at risk of an unhealthy weight but an average evening could see them each eating:
buttered crackers, 4 pieces of fruit, main evening meal including meat, carb, vegetables, crisps and biscuits.

Im unsure if there’s some discomfort with this caused by the cost, even though I’m not the one paying. But also they are a few years into starting school now, and the influence from other kids is creeping in regarding wanting treats more often. Im worried that they will start expecting the amount of snacks they have to turn into treats.

AIBU to think that they maybe do have too many snacks of an evening? It is the WFH parent that allows this. I wouldn’t offer quite so many snacks personally but I’m not shaming either way. Just trying to navigate in the best interests of the children. Unfiltered access to snacks isn’t something I’ve experienced in childcare before.

Does it depend what time they eat their evening meal? My kids are 13 & 9 and arrive home starving from school. They remind me of locusts, they have snacks, biscuits, toast, fruit, cake depending on what we have in, then a cooked meal in the evening. The younger one goes to bed without eating anything else but the older one will be snuffling around for ‘supper’ by about 8.30.

Having been to friends houses I don’t think mine are unusual. I think many families eat at 6pm and then the teenagers come looking for carbs later.

Its a tricky one...It does seem a lot but if they are a healthy weight and have a sensible filling evening meal (which it sounds like they do) maybe they are just hungry/have high metabolisms. Do they do a lot of after school sports? Do they eat much lunch at school (or just rush out to play ASAP?)

My views might be a bit skewed as I have a skinny 7 year old who eats more than me (he is one of those constantly bouncing kids.)

My DD does snack a lot but she is always on the go. No danger of being overweight. I insist on healthier snacks when I think there’s been too many sugary snacks and I insist on drinking water if I think she could just be thirsty. Her snacking is not unchecked, she has to ask and is not allowed to help herself. Do they just help themselves? If they’re not in danger of being overweight or becoming unhealthy I wouldn’t worry.

Sounds standard to me. Mine would have anything from a protein shake, couple of sausage rolls and cucumber, protein yogurt and 2 fruits, or a sandwich (ham, lettuce ,mayo, cheese and tomato) at 3:15pm coming back from school, then a main meal ( meat, carbs and veg) between 5 and 6pm and a small treat- biscuits for example, more often than not, they get peckish again before bedtime and would have a piece of toast, another fruit, rice cakes or something small. They are primary school aged.

I would personally do it in a more structured way, so a snack / tea when they get in, then dinner later, just because I think it builds better habits for later life… but it sounds like they aren’t overeating overall (or they’d be overweight) so I can’t see an issue really. If you think the food they are eating is tipping towards too much sugar or white carbs you could introduce making healthy snacks as an activity?

No sports mon-fri which is when I have the children. They eat well at school and are sent with 2 pieces of fruit which they always eat.

I would personally do it in a more structured way, so a snack / tea when they get in, then dinner later, just because I think it builds better habits for later life…

I would too. But unfortunately it’s not my choice. They will ask the WFH parent who will just say yes.

If WFH parent is on an occasional office day, I will provide a snack of either crackers or fruit whilst I make dinner. Dinner is usually 4.45/5pm. Then they’ll have fruit and yogurt drink for afters and usually a biscuit after their bath. They never complain they are hungry on these days.