Snacks at nursery?

[Natzer]

DD (14 months) goes to nursery between 12pm and 5.30pm just twice a week, we send her with a packed lunch and the nursery give her tea at about 4.30, she then has about 4/5 oz of milk at 6.30 bedtime.

However, on a few occasions recently she hasn't eaten her tea at nursery, she's not particularly a fussy eater but when her teeth are sore etc she doesn't like things that are too hard. This had led to her waking at 5am hungry.

So, she has her lunch at 12.30, normally a sandwich a yoghurt and fruit, and then tea at 4.30. Is this a long gap, do babies this age normally have a snack in between?

At home if she doesn't eat her tea I make sure she has other bits like more fruit or an extra yoghurt so that she is full.

the crap they feed them at nursery is a whole other story

Yes, I think babies at that age do normally have a snack mid afternoon, in fact my 4yo dd does too, and is ratty if she misses it. Nursery usually give them bread sticks or crackers with fruit.

Yep. My dc are 3 and nearly 2.

They have lunch between 12/12.30 and dinner at 4.30. They also have a snack at 2.30pm and then something small before bed at around 6/6.30 so a small bowl of porridge or slice of toast or yoghurt & fruit if they haven't had any after dinner.

They are definitely "little and often" children here.

DS (16 months) has lunch at 12ish (or 1ish when he goes down for his nap at 11am some days) and then a snack at 2.20 - 3pm. I am keeping this light, so he can have a small pot of fromage frais, or a bit of apple, or a couple of bread sticks. Tea is at 5 or 5.30pm, depending on the time of the snack. He normally can't go for more than 3 hours without a bit of food, but he is always on the go, not sitting still for one minute.

I would say just go with your baby. If she doesn't seem to be starving when she has tea at 4.30pm, then she might not need a snack. Try giving her a snack, by all means, but if she doesn't want tea later (and not because of teething or not feeling 100%), then I think you can skip the snack. DS has always screamed the place down when he is hungry, even since he was born, but my DN (2) has never cried for food. It's all guesswork, isn't it?!