Greedy overweight 4 year old

[Lizyloured]

Hello all

Have a problem with my nearly 5 year old daughter. She constantly asks for food and is the greediest child I know. Whenever my back is turned she will eat whatever she can find - for example whilst running her bath tonight she came down stairs, went into the cupboard and stuffed 2 kit kats. She's had her dinner - healthy chicken veg and rice. She is overweight despite my best efforts to get her exercising and walking. She crys I front of people if she's hungry and makes a huge fuss. I'm at the end of my tether

keeo her busy - some of this could be boredom
just dont have kitkats etc in the house
discipline her when she whinges eg take her home from friends

Interesting thread. My DD is nearly 3 & always asking for a snack. Fortunately she loves fruit & will normally be happy with a banana, grapes or yogurt. But DH gives her sweets and biscuits which drives me mad.

Thing is it's nursery instilled this snack thing into her. They give them if morning and mid afternoon snacks so she now thinks this is what she should always have before this she was happy with 3 meals a day

That's true Splatt. When dd started school they had two fruit breaks and then something out of their lunchbox at playtime. So they were having three snacks before lunch.

Yep, our preschool gives toast and apple mid-morning, so in effect DD is having two breakfasts.

My DD1 went through a period of looking a bit chunky . She would eat all day too if we let her! She's nearly 6 now and definitely slimming down. Does your DD do anything like swimming? The better DD1 gets at swimming (swimming 25m lengths now) the fitter she seems to be getting. You'll get people saying not to bother with formal lessons, but if you can afford it I think it's useful to get it 'in the diary as it were'.

Little ones do need snacks though. Even I still snack in the day (size 8/10 before you ) - better that than gorge at meal times because you're starving. I'm cutting down DS's snacks (he's nearly 4) but he def needs something mid meals.

Agree little ones need snacks. Snacks are ok if it is just vegetable or fresh fruit (dried fruit best to be avoided, it's the worst for their teeth). Make sure water is only drink (not juice, fizzy drinks etc) and use snacks such as cucumber, carrot, hummus, fresh apple, banana.

If my daughter says she's hungry in between she's allowed these things. Sometimes if she actually whines that she wants a biscuit I tell her it's an apple, for example, or nothing. Then usually she sulks but an hour or two later comes back asking for apple or cucumber! Just be firm, it works.

Also definitely agree you should have her checked, a simple blood test to see if she lacks any nutrients. Her body may crave food bc something is lacking in her diet. Make sure main meals are fresh, lots of vegetables, nothing processed, no sugar, as much as possible.

I agree and think at that age, children still need snacks (regulates their blood sugar level). It's a long time to go without food between breakfast and lunch, and then lunch and dinner, especially if they've been active.

I know this is a zombie thread but wondering how the OP and others are faring now? I've got a similar issue with my extremely greedy and fast eating 5 year old who is on the verge of becoming overweight despite our best efforts (healthy meals and few snacks, treats only occasionally although over Christmas there has been more).

It's so stressful and I don't know what to do.

Do not have unhealthy food in the house (crisps, kit kats etc). If she is hungry then she has to have a healthy snack. V important to start the day well - so porridge with banana or similar. No fizzy drinks/similar either

We typically don't have unhealthy food/snacks in the house and if we do they are rationed, no fissy drinks (usually water), breakfast is usually porridge or a low sugar cereal or maybe peanut butter on bread.

Our meals are generally healthy and reasonably balanced and he mostly eats them all. He's usually very good at eating his veg and is happy snacking on raw veg or fruit. Pudding if we have it might be fruit with a small bit of plain yoghurt. I think he is reasonably active.

Forget "snacks" she doesn't need them. Three meals a day. And an apple or a carrot if she's REALLY hungry between meals.

That's all. No biscuits, no crackers, nothing.