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Food/recipes

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Original poster

Should we give nearly 8 month old DS pudding if he doesn't eat all his main?

43 replies

Pennypops · 15/04/2008 15:15

My view is yes, given that he eats most of his 1st course most of the time, is a good eater generally and what have you. My dh says no because it just encourages him to hold out for a nice yoghurt or fruit and it will encourage bad habits.

I think if we make a big deal out of insisting he finishes everything it will make problems where there are none.

Please settle this disagreement with your wisdom!

OP posts:

lulumama · 15/04/2008 15:19

i think at 8 months old you should not even be remotely worried about puddings and mains etc.. if he eats, and is full,then stop giving the food! he does not know one is main course and one is pudding,it is all just food

there should not be 'good' and 'bad' foods at this age

let him guide you and eat, savoury or sweet , until his appetite is satisfied

Kathyis6incheshigh · 15/04/2008 15:19

I'm with you.
The pudding should be just as nutritious as the main. If I give a pudding it's not a treat, it's food. So whether dd has eaten the main or not isn't really the issue.

mistlethrush · 15/04/2008 15:20

We have a rule that if ds makes a good go at main course and has something of everything he gets pudding - and if we're struggling getting things down due to tiredness, may come up with the 'if you eat x more spoon fulls you can have pudding', but we never insist on a clean plate. Also amount of pudding depends - if he has cleared his plate he will get more as he is obviously hugry, if not done as well, smaller, and if its been a struggle due to tiredness, small pudding - but if he's just being plain awkward, no pudding!

micci25 · 15/04/2008 15:20

i would but then im not fussy my sis is obbsessed with doing everything 'right' and she doesnt allow them dessert if they dont eat their mains but she does sometimes give them dessert first so that they dont see it as a reward for eating yuccky veg!!

if mine wont eat her main course (this doesnt happen v often she usually eats and and everything in site) i give her a spoon of dessert then two spoons of main! they never know which is coming next so will open their mouth incase its the sweet stuff

mistlethrush · 15/04/2008 15:22

(my ds now 3 though) (at the age of your lo, he could go through mountains of natural yoghurt with or without added fruit)

Anna8888 · 15/04/2008 15:22

Yes.

I agree with Kathy - the sweet course should be just as nutritious as the savoury course - yogurt, stewed fruit etc.

Original poster

Pennypops · 15/04/2008 15:28

Thank you all - sounds like we're on the right track generally. Will gently discuss with dh!

OP posts:

Anna8888 · 15/04/2008 15:29

Try introducing your DH to the idea that you do not have to "start as you mean to go on" and that effective child rearing means adapting to the different stages as they come

Kewcumber · 15/04/2008 15:30

at 8 months he is eating as much as he wants - why would you want to force feed him more with a reward if he does? Classic way to cause obesity in later life if you ask me (which you sort of did) - and I speak as one who is obese and raised in exactly that way - like there was some kind of triumph in clearing your plate.

Kewcumber · 15/04/2008 15:31

also agree that at 8 months sweet course is just another different kind of nutricious food (or at least should be) to encourage him to try differnt tastes textures etc. its not like he's "holding out" for choclate ice cream!

pinkyminky · 15/04/2008 15:31

We generally go that if they have a good attempt at eating their main, give them pudding- they need their fruit etc as much as the other stuff. I'm not so accurate on potion size, so wouldn't expect people to clear plates. A bit of both is fine at this age, I'd say.

nailpolish · 15/04/2008 15:32

he is only 8 months old

too little ot be worrying about portions and clean plates IMO

Original poster

Pennypops · 15/04/2008 15:34

Kewcumber, I'm not force feeding my son and wouldn't dream of doing so. I specifically stated that I don't make a big deal out of food one way or another.

OP posts:

Kewcumber · 15/04/2008 15:34

Naily - I don;t worry about it at 2.4! If DS is hungry he clears his plate if he isn't, he doesn't he still gets whatever I've planned for desert (which is often just fruit which he loves)

Kewcumber · 15/04/2008 15:35

sorry wasn't implying you do - was referring to the approach of "you have to eat everything on your plate to get desert". It encourages child to force themselves to eat it when they don;t want to which IMO is less healthy than letting them eat what they want and giving them a healthy pudding however muich they;ve eaten. Particularly at 8 months!

Anna8888 · 15/04/2008 15:37

I'm still OK with not finishing main course before having pudding, and my daughter's 3.5.

We went out for lunch today, and she had a little sandwich with cheese/ham/cherry tomatoes in it. Half way through her sandwich she said she'd had enough, and wanted a pudding - so I got her a slice of chocolate cake.

She ate half the chocolate cake and then said she'd had enough and wanted to go.

But she wanted to take her half-eaten sandwich with her, for later (and she has just asked for it, now). She didn't even think twice about taking the uneaten half of chocolate cake - she abandoned it of her own volition.

nailpolish · 15/04/2008 15:38

I have a pudding sometimes without finishing my main course...

Original poster

Pennypops · 15/04/2008 15:39

Agreed Kewcumber. Apologies if I overreacted slightly.

OP posts:

Kewcumber · 15/04/2008 15:39

naily you rebel you.

it Ok Penny I can see how you might have read it that way.

Original poster

Pennypops · 15/04/2008 15:40

Yes, nailpolish and so do I - a fact I pointed out to dh earlier when we were discussing this!

OP posts:

nailpolish · 15/04/2008 15:40

Blu · 15/04/2008 15:40

I wouldn't ever start on a 'one sort of food as a reward for another' system, and especially at 8 months. He doesn't really need pudding anyway, unless you are using it to balance his meal as a whole. I wouldn't instil the whole 'savoury then sweet' as a predictable thing. Sometimes have it, sometimes have another savoury taste or contrasting texture etc etc.

Kewcumber · 15/04/2008 15:41

given the choice I would have a pudding followed by a pudding.

Anna8888 · 15/04/2008 15:42

Blu - here in France there is received wisdom (for which I haven't yet uncovered the theory - but I generally find the French theories on eating very sound) that you should finish a meal off with a pudding (something sweet) as it helps you to last out to the next meal and not snack.

francagoestohollywood · 15/04/2008 15:45

what kathy and lulu said.
Also why "pudding" should be nicer than a "main" dish?

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