Can child eat too much for breakfast?

[Wzzzzzg]

My 4 year old sometimes asks for double portions of breakfast.

My wife and I are split on whether to give it to him.

It is a healthy cereal.

My child has one adult portion of cereal before asking for another.

When my wife has given him a second he does eat it.

I'm of the opinion that one adult portion should be enough for him. Anything else is greed and to be honest I'm not sure if it is healthy for him to have so much.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

You might find This guide from the Caroline Walker Trust helpful too OP.

Do you know what his height and weight centiles are? If you've not plotted them for a while it might be worth doing

[Charom]

Cereal is processed food and isn’t healthy nor filling. Porridge or eggs with whole meal toast would fill him up and is a healthier breakfast. I think you are in for problems if you think he is greedy and limit his food. Just give him very healthy food and make sure he is active.

[FusionChefGeoff]

My kids eat bowl after bowl of healthy cereals. Both are built like runner beans!!

I always offer something else after the 1st bowl (toast, yoghurt, fruit - quiche is popular too!) and every 2/3 days I say they have to have something else first ie porridge, sausage & beans, cheese & ham croissant.

[FusionChefGeoff]

Posted too soon.

It was a battle, at first, to introduce the idea of a savoury / protein breakfast every now and then as they were so obsessed by cereals but I persevered for a few weeks and now it's normal.

[LividLaughLove]

No such thing as healthy or filling cereal.

He wants more because it’s essentially processed carbs which become sugar. Feed him proteins/fats and then it will be a healthy, filling breakfast.

[MontyBowJangles]

Oh god, here come the anti-processed carb brigade touting eggs and porridge

Not everyone has the time nor likes bloody eggs and porridge! There's nowt wrong with Weetabix, bran flakes, corn flakes, shredded wheat etc

[Motherofcreek]

My five year old is so slim she could climb through a letter box! She eats a lot!

This morning she has had

Cheesy Scrambled eggs on toast
Grapes
Yogurt.
Orange juice

[MumUnderTheMoon]

Too much food is too much even if it's healthy. Portion size is the biggest issue when it comes to kids being overweight. One portion is enough and it should be whatever it says on the box. Toddlers and baby's have a innate ability to know they are full and to stop eating your son is a the age where that goes away and he has to learn to stop himself and over feeding him will just make him want more and more.

[BlueSkiesLies]

‘Healthy cereal’ with added honey on the top. It’s a bit 1970’s isn’t it? Adding sugar to your breakfast cereal?!

Honey isn’t a ‘healthy’ alternative to sugar, despite what the clean eating food bloggers want you to think.

[CouldBeAnyoneReally]

So he’ll eat three weetabix with honey plus milk and then ask for more? That’s a lot of weetabix for a small tummy. I’d give him two weetabix rather than three and offer a banana or boiled egg after if he’s still hungry. Or maybe a slice of toast and peanut butter.

[kateandme]

at that age yes.i think with time he will grow out of it.or just try something different.they get bored of things so easily.and at this age most would have cereal and toast so this isn't any different just in a different form.
maybe if it become a constant try "mums trying a boiled egg/toast,yoghurt with hers do you want to try that too today? or a crumpet or something.just keep giving him the option of choice I guess.
give him a spoon or two less in the first.i don't think hed notice would he?
keep giving good portions at other times and he will just grow out of it I think.ours did here.
although cereal protions are bollox and I can guarantee NON of us have ever had a ault portion because its still tiny and rather just pour a bowl.

[talktoo]

No cereal is particularly healthy. They are all high in carbohydrates. Don't be fooled into thinking that weetabix are healthy. Frosties are coated in sugar and have fewer carbs than weetabix. All carbs convert to sugar in digestion. Frosties also have less absolute sugar. You are being duped by the image. It's all highly processed and crap.

[RainbowMum11]

My DD5 can sometimes have a 3 egg omelette then a whole apple & some grapes and then toast for breakfast at a weekend; sometimes cereal and then toast -she is tall and slim, but def has growth spurts.

Other times she will just have a cereal bar, no thing else.

When she has a big breakfast, she still likes a decent lunch but then not much for tea.

On weekdays when she has just cereal or toast or fruit for breakfast, after school she will have a sandwich/toastier after school and then still need a proper dinner as well as fruit for supper!!

She's very much in proportion, on the skinny side if anything - just active and she also has times where she is barely hungry, so it does tend to even itself out.

[thaegumathteth]

If he isn’t overweight I’d let him have it although maybe not more cereal. Maybe eggs or a banana or smoothie?

Dd wouldn’t be allowed a second breakfast because she can tend to be greedy although weirdly is least hungry in the mornings: she often only has 3 spoonfuls of cereal.

Ds has a big bowl of porridge, a banana, a smoothie and a yogurt but that’s probably the biggest meal he has all day.

[Chocolateheaven123]

My little boy has just turned 2. Since very early on, he's always enjoyed a decent sized breakfast. E.g, a decent portion of porridge with raspberries + toast followed by more fruit if he's still hungry. Or 1.5 Oatibix with berries, toast and again more fruit. Sometimes he has Cheerios or Rice Krispies. He then often steals some of our toast if hes still hungry. 😂

There's been days, during a growth spurt, where he has porridge, toast, fruit AnD a small bowl of cereal. Unfortunately, he won't touch eggs in any form! But he has a lighter lunch and is extremely active, always running around.

So I'd look at it as an overall picture. He is having a big breakfast then lighter lunch or evening meal? Does he have lots of snacks? Is he generally fit and healthy? Any weight concerns? If all seems okay, then I'd let him crack on, offer healthy choices and let him control his own appetite.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

What's for breakfast today @Wzzzzzg?

[Wzzzzzg]

3 weetabixes with honey. 1970s style. But I've added peanut butter to the shopping list. This week I'm going to try peanut butter on toast and maybe eggs of I get time.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

It is definitely 70s style. I thought weetabix with sugar went out with flares

Could you try sweetening the weetabix with a chopped banana instead?

[Wzzzzzg]

Yes. I'm looking at trialling porridge, with berries or bananas or both. See if that goes well and if he asks for more go for the peanut butter on toast.
I want to introduce it slowly otherwise I don't think the little fella will take to it.

[kateandme]

3 Weetabix! no way is that too much.i thought you were talking of a full bowl and then anothr FULL bowl of something.my brother used to have 5 no isses and toast. hes fine coaches for top football club.
wenever made an issue over it so neither did he.
he could sometimes eat 7 twix fingers.again no issues made meant he had it then didn't.but it was just an enjoyable moment in his life.and then you move on.he loves his food.was taught portions gradually and found his own way.he was taught to cook.
hes one of the fittest lads I know.and he still when he comes home get the "special" cereal mum buys in and has a overflowing bowlfull.

[Starlight456]

Very unpopular on here I know but we do add jam to peanut butter or put almond butter under chocolate spread boosts the protein . My Ds would not eat peanut butter alone .

My Ds also has cheesy beans on toast for breakfast. Very quick and easy . Also some things I am sure flamed for point is he is still hungry after 3 weetabix so would find an alternative .

We have porridge with golden syrup too .. shhhhh

[Clutterbugsmum]

What does he eat for other meals.

I have 1 child who eats loads for breakfast and lunch but very little in the evening.

And 1 child who eats very little in the morning, a bit more for lunch and then loads in the evening,

And 1 who tends to eat a similar amount through out the day.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

He usually has 3 weetabixes with honey.

Carbs with added sugar. Mmmmmm. If mine wanted seconds they'd get it without the added sugar (and honey is really just sugar). DH has a terrible habit of adding honey sugar to everything. Try without. That way you see if they are actually hungry.

[Boodlesnuts]

My DS 4 has 2 weetabix, full fat milk and a big spoon of peanut butter on the top. Try that instead of honey. Ups the fat and protein to make him feel full.

[SurgeHopper]

Why do people still think cereal is healthy