"i'm hungry"!

[fattybum]

Any one else's dc ask for snacks all the time, especially when bored, and how often do you say no?

Drives me crazy. Don't want dc to feel deprived, but also hate saying yes when i'm pretty sure he's not hungry. Just wish he would regulate himself more instead of me having to regulate!

Thanks

I have this. All. the.Time.

Watching with interest.

I have this too.

We now have Official Eating Times- breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. Nothing in between. The nagging seems to have slowed down now this is established. They also eat better at mealtimes, less whinging and more eating!

At least it's not just me! When do they self regulate more? Or maybe they don't! Ds1 is 6.

I have this all the time.

Have always said they can have fruit and yoghurts at any time, as long as they eat their breakfast, lunch, tea, and supper. And ds1 just helps himself

So apples, bananas, tangerines, grapes and seasonal fruit is always available for them to graze. At the moment it's plums , apricots, cherries and strawberries. I spend a ridiculous amount of money on fruit, but it all gets eaten. Raisens too.

Yogurts-I buy petit filious normal ones and the ones with fruit purée in the bottom, mini fruit corners, occasionally the mini chic corners.

I don't buy crisps, cheddars, biscuits etc to snack on as they wouldn't last two mins I just get them for picnics and things like that.
Ds1 is 5, always in the go from the second he's up. Is tall for age and not an oz of fat on him. Ds2 is only 14 mo and if he sees ds1 eating he wants some too.

But if they don't eat their meals then they aren't allowed snacks, but to be fair it's not often at all this happens. I don't see the harm in yogurts and fruit. If they are genuinely hungry, as growing children are, they'll eat fruit and yogurt.

I have a 5 year old grazer - she will happily live off snacks and has to be forced to eat a full meal. I do what BoysBoys does and I do give into fruit for snacks but try not to give her anything between meals despite her constant whinging for food. I also have a ds who never asks for food in between meals!

My problem is that the snacks will be eaten as well as the meals, I think he's just a bit greedy! Maybe set meals and snacks and nothing in between is the way to go..

Same here, it drives me crazy too. I try to do as Boysboys and we get through a ton of fruit too. I really wouldn't have the strength to stick with 3or 4 set meals times and nothing else, DD is persistent to say the least.

Does this sound too strict?

I'm going to tell both ds they get 3 meals a day with a snack after breakfast and lunch. It's up to them when they eat the snack, but once it's gone its gone and no asking for more.

I think it's okay to just say no to snacks (outside of the ones you offer) tot up the daily calories/rdas and make sure you are offering enough food though.

I don't allow unlimited access to anything on the basis that I can't afford it and 3yo won't eat her dinner and just has fruit instead.

She does still whine for food while I'm cooking though, not sure there's a cure for that!

I'm hoping that by clearly stating the new rules, ds1 will stop bothering with the frequent "i'm huuunggrrry".

Mine does this too. But aren't they more of grazers at that age? Little tums can't hold much

But he's not a grazer, he eats big meals and still asks for snacks all day!

What sort of big meals does he have?

I'd make fruit available and say no to other snacks, but I'm mean and don't believe in snacking.

They are but I don't think grazer = open fridge! 5 opportunities to eat a day is plenty.

Oh yes. Dd1 is very nearly 7 and would eat all day (except in the early morning - she couls happily skip breakfast) given the chance. But she is skinny as a rake and very active, and eats healthily (and eats pretty much everything she gets at meal times), so I don't worry too much. It gets tedious though - especially when she asks for her third bedtime snack!

Also, dd2 is very different - although she is equally as active, she has a very different body shape and a sweet tooth. Strangely she doesn't eat as much - she is also fussier and it's harder to get her to eat her meals. Trying to deal with both simulataneously is difficult...

Well, last night was chilli and rice but things like mousaka, fish, rice and salad, fish finger sandwichs, boiled egg, houmous, bread and salad. He often has seconds. I really don't think hunger is the issue. Like lots of people, he likes food and wants more of it!

I think allowing unlimited snacks (of anything) encourages boredom eating so am trying to knock it on the head. Hard though when I am a boredom eater!

I am also a boredom eater and agree about unlimited snacks encouraging bad habits. Surely even growing children don't need constant snacks when they are eating meals.

If I thought ds1 was genuinely hungry i'd feed him, but it's more that food is his favourite hobby!