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dd (5 yrs) constantly asking for food, usually crap food, is this normal?

12 replies

peggotty · 13/06/2010 15:48

It's doing my head in!! She is really quite a fussy eater in terms of main meals, eats absolutely no vegetables, but does eat plenty of fruit. I try my best to give her a reasonably balanced diet within the narrow range of things she will eat. But she always seems to be on the scrounge for crap. Like biscuits, crisps etc. Is obsessed with getting pudding after her tea (wish I hadn't introduced frigging pudding at all). She seems to see healthy food as the thing she eats to be 'rewarded' with the shite food . I do give her some treat-y type food but have to limit it as I don't think the rest of her diet is healthy enough to warrant it. Is my thinking about it all a bit skewiff? Or do all children constantly clamour for crappy type foods?

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mrsruffallo · 13/06/2010 15:50

My 4 yr old son does this
He says I 'm hungry and I offer him some fruit and he says no, not for that

peggotty · 13/06/2010 15:55

Do you give him what he wants mrsruffallo? I am sick of the sound of my own voice 'You're not really hungry if you don't want an apple/grapes etc', such a 'mumsy' type of thing to say. Aaaagh she's at it right this minute 'I'm reallllllly hungry!' 'Eat that nectartine you started then' 'No' 'You're not really hungry then' 'But i'm staaaaaarving'. Bloody hell!

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PiratePrincess · 13/06/2010 15:56

DS2 (age 5) is always saying he's hungry - it is a phase but (like all phases) bloody irritating!

mrsruffallo · 13/06/2010 15:59

I trick him a bit and buy rice cakes (which he loves) and blueberries as if they are a big treat.
Cheesy biscuits too, he would eat loads of them

mrsruffallo · 13/06/2010 16:01

Oh and no salt crisps, or even those carrot stix ones
You have to out manoeuvre then when it comes to food!

FabIsGettingFit · 13/06/2010 16:01

Of course it is normal for them to want crap things, just as it is normal not to eat all of their dinner but still have room for pudding.

Mine are fed well and have snacks but they are not allowed crap.

mrsruffallo · 13/06/2010 16:02

And pudding here is usually fruit in some form, on it's own or with cream or custard

mrsruffallo · 13/06/2010 16:03

I also buy them those ready cut fruit packs from the supermarket, they are quite treaty
cheese oatcakes now come in individual packs, they work too
(sorry warmed to the theme a bit too much)

NorbertDentressangle · 13/06/2010 16:13

DS is constantly claiming to be hungry but, interestingly enough, if hes really occupied doing something he loves then he forgets to ask for something to eat every 2 minutes.

Its like its his default setting - if he's bored, restless, has not said anything for a while, there's a lull in the conversation or his brain is not occupied by something then out comes the "I'm hungry what can I have to eat?".

This afternoon he's been in the garden playing with DD and her friend and he's not said it once!

As soon as I call him in in preparation for bathtime and dinner etc it will start again

nbee84 · 13/06/2010 16:18

Norbert - as an adult I'm just like that . If I'm bored and in the house I'm constantly picking at food/snacks/junk. If I'm busy and occupied with decorating/housework/chatting with a friend etc etc then I don't feel the need to constantly graze.

nbee84 · 13/06/2010 16:20

Oh - and make sure she has had plenty of liquid to drink as it is easy to confuse hunger with thirst.

NorbertDentressangle · 13/06/2010 16:32

nbee -oh no, I was hoping he would grow out of it!

At least, as an adult, you don't need to vocalise it every time and can just go and help yourself to whatever you fancy

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