Feeding my children too much

[QuirkyKoala]

I am hope this can settle a debate.

I have 2 boys (5 and 2) and we are in disagreement about how much they should be eating in the morning. A family member has been giving 5 year old 2 Weetabix and a slice of toast and 2 year old 2 Weetabix. I feel this is too much as I could barely manage what the 5 year old is eating.

YANBU - that's too much food
YABU - let them eat what they want

If they eat it, the portion size is fine. My 6 year old, 3 year old and nine month old all ate 2 weetabix each for breakfast this morning. My 6 year old then ate an oat bar and they all had some chopped banana after that. Sometimes they eat less, sometimes more, but children eating decent portions is nothing to worry about as long as it's healthy food and they're not being force fed!

As long as they’re healthy and a reasonable weight, I’d let them eat as much as they want of healthy foods. Mine are 3 and 7. You can tell when they’re going through a growth spurt because they don’t stop eating, then they eat less again. Mine have constant access to toast, cereals, fruit and healthy snacks. Neither is overweight or anywhere near it and both are tall for their age.

It’s all very processed. My kids eat a lot at breakfast, but fewer carbs and more protein: yoghurt, eggs, spinach, fruit, nuts and seeds, with something toasted. A small amount of fruit juice, but not much as Christ, its full of sugar, plus milk and water.

It sets them up well for a busy day.

We’ve never given snacks though. My kids eat well at mealtimes and I have never needed to. Are your kids snacky grazers?

IT might be an old fashioned mindset, but I love sending them out fuelled with a solid breakfast. They’re both really active and strong but are not remotely overweight.

Christ alive my two are 5 and 2 and we must get through a sleeve of weetabix a day! Several rounds of toast and peanut butter. A plain Greek yoghurt chaser. A banana on the way to school for the five year old; second breakfast at nursery for the two year old. Both on 50th centile, both eat their dinner, both wake as hungry as cats chirpsing for a meal like they’ve never had one in their lives.

Are you a massive salad person, OP? Liable to get full after half a grape? If kids are active, they need fuel: do they walk to school/nursery, get plenty of exercise, eat their tea?

Well the thread shows everyone is different.
I think it's too much if they are taking an age to eat it or are being made to eat it. If they are wolfing it down no problem and they aren't overweight then I wouldn't be concerned. Children often eat more before a growth spurt. That said, I personally couldn't eat 2 weetabix plus toast, but would be accused of having an issue with food according to some of the responses on here 😂

Not too much, as long as they are not force fed.
The boys are eating the Weetabix. Weetabix is healthy. (With milk and fruit and no sugar)
I would offer them a drink and then if still hungry, a slice of toast. It is not too much.
If your boys are eating one Weetabix maybe they would also like Peanut Butter or an egg on toast.

My kids all ate two weetbix when small and up to four when older. Sometimes with yoghurt, sometimes with milk, banana, honey. They had a choice of Rolled Oats - cooked (porridge) or not, or Weetabix.

My brothers also ate four to eight Weetabix with milk after school some days when they were teenagers. Never got fat; remained healthy.

Are they being pressured into 'eating up' or are they being given that amount because that's how much the children want to eat?

As long as the children are being allowed to eat as much as they want and leave some if they want (which I would expect to vary as some days they'll be hungrier than others) and are a healthy weight I wouldn't worry about it.

As others have said a bit more variety/balance would be good, but quantity wise I would let them eat their fill unless there's a medical issue

I think it's normal here too. Sometimes my eight year old will have three. They don't snack though aside from something after school and I've always advocated a big breakfast to set them up for the day.
Better a bigger breakfast than a constant feeding of rice cakes and those Ella cheese puff things which some people mainline into their kids throughout a morning.

Some mornings they have Weetabix. Sundays they like a waffle with fruit. Other week days they'll have cereal, avocado on toast etc. Mix it up a bit. Both are 25-50% centile for weight (height 59-75% so probably under weight rather than over but I think that is just husbands DNA)

I understand where you are coming from because it even states on the box that 2 pieces weetabix is equivalent to an adult portion.

However if they are healthy and happy to eat it, I don’t see a problem.

I've just had a flashback to the time my elder child had just recovered from being ill aged about 18 months and he ate FIVE weetabix in a row while we watched in horrified awe.

Are they too full after they've eaten that? Are they overweight?

I am continually surprised by how much children can wolf down at certain times but they are literally growing humans. Some days they need more than others.

As long as they’re not eating 5 bowls of chocolate cereal for breakfast I see no issue with a nice variety like weetabix, yoghurt, fruit etc to keep them full and ready for the day.

Is this a 'teeny-tiny-Oh-I-just-couldn't-eat-all-that!' thread in disguise?

Every child is different.
My youngest son at 5 always refused to eat but would drink some none milk (serious milk allergy) and would only eat when and if he felt hungry.
Youngest daughter at 18 months was munching through wheat aid with gold top milk followed by two scrambled eggs on toast with butter then snacks every two hours ( advice of peadiatric dietician as she needed mega amounts of calories)
My other two at similar ages happily ate various cereals and beans on toast.

As long as children are not denied food when genuinely hungry or forced to eat when full most will only eat what they need,

Kids without health complications are really good at regulating how much they need to eat.

I don't eat breakfast, but that doesn't mean my kids won't get any- not really sure what your portion sizes have to do with a 5 year olds? They're growing, learning and running around much more than you.

My 5 year old (who eats like a sparrow) had weetabix followed by a slice of toast with homemade blackberry Jam - I was absolutely over the moon she'd eaten so much - for once going to school fully fuelled 😂

YABU and probably you need to look at your relationship with food.

Growing children need more and much higher quality food than 2 weetabix. It's full of salt & sugar - it's a highly processed food. Better they have porridge made from raw oats, or an egg on toast.

My 15 year old nephew once ate twenty four Weetabix (yes, a whole packet) and about two pints of milk in one breakfast.

He is not at all fat, he is lean, muscular and very, very active.

@LittleBigHead it's not "full of salt and sugar" in the slightest
0.1g of salt, 1.6g sugar
It's only UPF because of the barley malt extract but there's no weird ingredients in it

For context my 5yo had 2 weetabix, a banana and a yoghurt before school. I think that’s fine, she will also be starving come play time 🤣

This.
What an adult female eats is just not relevant to what an active boy eats.

Active children need carbs.
And tend to eat bigger breakfasts than adults.

Thats absolutely fine. My four year old (tall, slim, active) will happily put away 3 weetabix, toast and fruit at breakfast. He has never been overweight in his life. The portions you describe sound normal for children of their ages.

Children are generally good at regulating their appetites, and your own appetite is no indication of what theirs should be. They are fuelling bodily growth, which you aren’t, and children are usually more active than adults. What you can or can’t manage for breakfast is completely irrelevant.

All you need to do is offer healthy, balanced meals and snacks and let your children be in charge of how much they eat at every meal. The absolute best thing they can learn is to eat intuitively and according to their own appetites.

Mine used to eat lots in the morning, 2 weatabix, fruit or toast later.

Lunch and dinner to more encouraging so i was happy for them to eat well in the morning.

Assuming they are active and no weight concern i dont see any issue.

an egg on toast

The bread for the toast is probably more highly processed than the Weetabix.
Unless you make your own bread from scratch.

Busy families should not get too hung up about avoiding UPFs. It is wise to always try to have an evening meal from fresh ingredients and fresh vegetables, but it is not practical to always avoid all UPF for breakfast and lunch.

I don’t think that’s too much at all. My 2.5 year old has a big appetite and I’m conscious of what he’s eating as he just wouldn’t stop if he had his own way!

He generally has a 30g bowl of porridge or 1 weetabix with honey, banana and a smoothie. He would also happily eat a piece of toast or crumpet on top of that and then try to have some of my breakfast! Some mornings if Dads in charge he’s had a bowl of porridge and then weetabix!

He loves egg and fruit at lunch or dinner time and I would rather he had one of those than if still hungry of a morning but refuses.