The constant feeding / snacking of children

[Lordofthebantams]

At swimming lessons tonight I've sat next to two children chomping their way through a packet of crisps and a packet of chocolate biscuits at 4pm. ( No eating on the poolside but never mind that, the little darlings need some salty junk).

We had a day out with friends on Tuesday at a farm park and kids are being handed food every 5 minutes.

You go down the street and everywhere you look the toddlers in buggies have their little hands stuffed in packets of puffs or gripping a biscuit.

It's no wonder we have such chubby children everywhere.

I'm 54 and agree! Because swimming pools and changing areas were a lot colder back then.

I know and they'd call me a terrible parent for letting mine snack. What you wouldn't know is that he's got suspected ARFID so barely eats at all. So if he decides he wants a snack when we're out then I'm always going to give it to him.

It's not just children, I agree with you OP though. Set an example.

It's a shame you find child neglect so funny.

Fortunately plenty of people don't.

Maybe it’s just me and I wouldn’t say I’m that old but I never really remember snacking as a kid, or if it was it was a proper pause sit down pit stop for a snack and cold drink say on a day out or something or at school break times. Or something like toast/fruit or similar when back from school until dinner but not consistently snacking or favourite snacks for the every now and then road trip as a treat. And then otherwise we had proper sit down meals and pudding, and we were sufficiently hungry to eat! There has been a definite cultural shift I think.

My 4 year old asks for snacks a lot but I have no issue with it because she eats 3 proper meals a day and will generally eat nutritious snacks rather than ultra processed foods. She is a very hungry child and average weight.

For the people who are shocked at what people in low income areas feed their kids, the links between poverty and obesity are well documented - highly processed food is addictive and cheaper than fresh produce and often individuals in low-income areas are working long hours with little flexibility to facilitate things like home cooking when the kids get home from school.

I had a pack of crisps or half a tin of rice pudding before swimming every week in the 90s. Otherwise I would get grumpy and hungry and wouldn’t enjoy swimming. There wasn’t time for dinner between swimming and school and I needed energy.

Eating energy dense foods before an energy using activity isn’t why we face childhood obesity issues.

I was a slim child, size 6 until I was 16 and I’m a size 8 adult.

I do hate the baby puffs etc though. People don’t understand the labelling. they’re full of sugar.

I went to a pantomime when my ds was about 6. A school mum i vaguely knew and I shit you not gave her son 3 fairy cakes, a small bag of popcorn, strawberries!, crisps and haribo. The kid was hyperactive and quite disruptive in school.

It is also one reason why we have rubbish and dropped/discarded food everywhere. Drives me mad!

What’s that got to do with anything? The issue is snacking. It’s not good to normalise constant feeding.

Crisps, fizzy drinks, chocolate, chicken burger and chips etc are certainly not cheap especially when bought so regularly.

There are many things that are difficult for busy parents to keep on top of, but ensuring your primary school children aren't fat and unhealthy due to the food you feed them, is definitely up there near the top.

I agree with you OP.
I think some of the time children are given food to shut them up. Let the little darling stuff their face with Quavers whilst the parent can doom scroll. Sad all round really.

I don't understand the snacking culture that we have now. When I was a kid snacks were just not a thing, there was no eating between meals, if still hungry after a meal I was told to fill up with bread and jam. If I did have a treat it was certainly not everyday and only one of either crips/chocolate/sweets/pop.We didn't keep biscuits, crisps etc in the house and they certainly weren't part of the weekly shop.I am an old fart though.

When DDs were little they had snacks because they can't eat so much at mealtimes, so they had in effect several small bits of food throughout the day. And quite a bit of milk IIRC, which gradually reduced. So what parents are doing isn't necessarily wrong in itself by allowing snacking. Obviously type of food and quantity v activity levels is important. DDs have never been fat though but have always been good eaters.

Kids don’t need snacks. Three square meals a day, yes. But not snacks.

There was a huge shift around 2000s. When I had my kids, we took food if we would be out over a mealtime. We might, might not take a water bottle.

By about 2005, all toddlers needed a snack in hand and a drink in the buggy. At all times. The buggies were disgusting with food and drink spilled on them.
I regularly hosted a group at home, and the baby/toddler who was brought always- always- was eating- sticky hands, sticky face. I was very aware because my DC only ever ate in the kitchen. They were cleaned up before leaving the table.

It’s like Mumsnet judgement bingo; we’ve had poor kids, smoking mums and some poor PP having to pay taxes to support strangers poor health!

i don’t really snack, didn’t realise is makes me morally superior. I trust my 12 and 14 year old to decide if they are hungry.

Small children do often need snacks - or 5 small
meals a day

it’s what the snacks consist of that’s changed over time - an apple or banana , a slice of bread and butter

Depends on their age. When they are little several small meals or snacks is a good idea and as they grow they are more able to manage larger meals and three meal times.

Your little boy sounds lovely 😊

A bit more detail so I don't sound like an ogre. My DD would be offered more - vegetables, another sausage - at the table at 7-ish and say: 'No thank-you'. Then at 7.30pm, she would say 'Mum, I'm hungry'. And I would say 'You were offered more only half an hour ago and said no thank-you. Mealtimes are when you eat. If you are asking for a snack half an hour after we've all had dinner, you can't have eaten enough.' It only happened a few times, which suggests not allowing a snack did the job. Supper is good. Milk and biscuits.

Exactly.

If your only issue is chubby children then my skinny child is ok to snack?

I’d be happy for your child to snack but I would not be happy if the snacks were junk food

( says she eating chocolate as she types )

When I was at primary school (started in 1980) I had breakfast, milk at breaktime, lunch, a snack after school, dinner and supper before bed. Nothing wrong with children eating frequent small amounts and it is nothing new. Children become overweight when they eat too much and move too little. What and how much they are eating is the important thing.

tbh I don’t really care what other people feed their children. But neither of mine have ever snacked. They just eat 3 decent meals a day. I just don’t understand why they would need snacks, I never snacked as a child and don’t as an adult. My eldest in particular, who is 4, is a massive, strapping hulk of a thing - not fat at all, but just generally big and tall. He’s very strong as well. I certainly don’t think he’s starving!

I did used to find it frustrating that every baby and toddler group had snack time, usually with stuff that I’d never give my child either. Luckily one of my children was never remotely interested (he’d had a big breakfast after all!), and just carried on playing. But my other child would always join in, and then come lunchtime (literally only an hour later in some cases) be much fussier than usual - she wasn’t hungry enough to bother with things that weren’t her favourite, I suppose. So if only for my selfish reason of wanting snack-free toddler groups, I suppose I do wish people fed their children less snacks!