How will I know if 10-mth-old needs snacks between meals?

[cockle]

So far I've only offered water between meals. Should I offer him some fruit or something in the afternoon, or will this just put him off his tea? How would I know if he needed something at that time?

I have never really given snacks betwen meals....DD has brekkie at around 9, lunch at about 130pm and then always has her mid afternoon milk about 330-400 pm. then tea at around 530pm. She does eat well at all meals though. When she has had something with her milk then she doesn't really eat as much for tea. I know others who give fruit, yoghurts, cubes of cheese as their children eat little and often and get really tetchy and irrritable when hungry. Just give it a go if you think he needs it and monitor how he is with tea. can be a good way of getting an extra portion of f and v i suppose. HTH

As I rule - and only my opinion- I wouldn't start snacking - it becomes a habit! (of a lifetime!)

Thanks Spanna. No irritability so I guess we're ok. He eats really well at about 8am, 1pm and 5.30pm, with milk at 7.30am, 3pm and 6.30pm. Will carry on as before but keep an eye out for tetchiness!

hi cockle

my dd would never have lasted between meals without a snack. she usually had a bit toast but her fave was grapes which she could just leave on the side and dip into when she felt a bit peckish. never ruined her appetite, but they are all different i suppose. if they are not hungry they dont eat, thats what dd was like anyway

Thanks Jools - does snacking have to be a bad thing though? I sometimes have fruit or yoghurt between meals so that I don't get hypoglycaemic - or so hungry that I eventually pig out!

Thanks np, DS is still a bit young to be picking up snacks for himself - I guess I'll get a better idea when he's older

We have an unofficial 'fruit only' rule about snacking bwteen meals with ds who is now 2y 3m as he has become increasingly fussy.....

he loves fruit

Yes - you're right - giving fruit is no bad thing!

cockle - feel like a right idiot now! never noticed age of ds in thread title

should take time to read things properly

np

tbh, I think 4.5 hours between meals is too long for anyone, esp a ltlle 'un. current good advice is eating 5 small meals a day or at least the standard 2 with snack am & pm. at ours it's eg
8 breakfast
10.30 snack
1.30 lunch
4 snack
6 dinner

snack should be healthy eg fruit & rice cake. that way blood sugar doesn't drop too low & energy levels remain fairly constant.

ds1 needed to eat approximately 2 hourly or he would become frantically hungry. Ds2 otoh doesn't seem to need a snack. It will be obvious to you if it is needed!