Is this normal toddler behaviour?

[catfart]

My 23 month old DS has a huge appetite, all I seem to be doing is cooking or running back and forth to the fridge and I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong as he's always wanting more food. Everyone comments on his appetite when they come round in amazement. I live in the middle of nowhere so have to be really on it in terms of cooking and having my cupboards full and I just find myself worrying, I need easy snack ideas, things I can make in batches and freeze (I do this for his meals and some lunches).

Anyway, this is a typical day...

6.30 am - Big bowl of cereal, cheerio's/weetabix/rice crispies
7 am - slice of toast with butter
7.30 - Big Banana
9 am - big glass of yoghurt, fruit and granola
10am - He's bleating for more so I give him nuts...I'm at a loss, sometimes I just give him an early lunch or he has a cooked breakfast of 2 sausages, 2 bacon and baked beans.
11am - Big plate of pasta (piled high side plate size) and roasted vegetables or big bowl of soup
SLEEP - AMEN

1.30am - He's after more lunch...try and fob him off with an apple or another banana - If not he has a homemade fruit smoothie ice pop
between 2-4 I am pestered constantly for snacks, any ideas? I was making savoury muffins.
5pm - evening meal with us, so fish pie and veg or Moussaka etc possibly desert
6.30pm up for a bath and he's yelling to be taken to the fridge for more snacks.

There is also lots of cheese nibbles in there.

Is this normal? He's not overweight, he's happy....not got worms! Its just my entire day feeding him.

Does anyone have any really easy simple snack ideas I can just whip out the bag to save this constant feeding frenzy?

Thanks

imonlydancing - He only has bacon/sausage breakfast once a week if that, and I tend not to do baked beans much either really only if I'm at a loss - I don't think its that tbh. But you are right, in that one sitting of bacon he is hoovering up an awful lot of salt so I'll make sure I restrict it.

I make soup with reduced salt Kallo, for example yesterday he has a mexican style soup full of kidney beans (unsalted water), courgette, Sweet potato, Carrots, Onions, Aubergine, Avocado, Cheese etc, he also likes butternut squash soup and I whack carrots and sweet potatoes in with it. He had a big bowl of that soup but was hungry an hour later so had some nice salads as a top up. I love lentil soup, was making it before Christmas lots so will get back on that again. And good idea with the breadsticks, I can have them on standby in the cupboard.

I'll keep a closer eye on his salt intake, I make bread so see the salt that goes in there as well, about 7g salt a loaf.

I'd agree with trying more protien.
DS1 (3) has always eaten a lot judging from other peoples comments, but not as much as that (were on 2 breakfasts, snack, lunch, snack, dinner).

These banana muffins freeze well, and have always been popular with my kids.

Fruit cake?

Will carry on thinking, and let you know later, when I'm not at work, if I come up with anything else clever.

Brilliant, I'll try those banana muffins and having them on standby in the freezer will be a huge help, anything like that.

Fruit cake - I made one last week, had a fair bit of sugar in it...

I have also printed out the banana muffins, have some bananas to use up.

I also identify with the comment about thirst and do often get my DS to have a drink and then tell me if he's still hungry in ten minutes.

I need to think more about salt too. I am aware baked beans are one of your five a day, but hadn't thought about the salt. I expect even the low sugar/salt ones have a fair bit in them.

I'm beginning to think this thread is a bit of stealth boast about how good your DS is at eating vegetables! Mine seems to be able to detect them in anything and make sure they are spat right back out at me. Am very . In all seriousness though, if this has come on recently perhaps your DS is going through a growth spurt - as long as he is active and eating healthily I wouldn't be too concerned

Oh, yes. I half the sugar in those muffins, with no detrimental effect.

If you want even lower sugar, what about veg muffins? We do a corugette and cheese (salt!) one, but not sure of the recipie. And never tried freezing them.

Cheese and crackers, tho it sounds like you already do that.

We make biscuits, and then eat them, having rolled them out (50g sugar, 100g butter, creamed, 150g plain flour, roll out and cut into shapes. Gas 4 / 180 deg C for 12 mins, can flavour with cocoa, ground ginger etc). Freeze cooked, or uncooked.

surburbandweller - lol, honestly no, I'm just exasperated with the cooking and finding snacks that fill him up that are healthy.

I did manage to get him to eat porridge this morning!!! I read him Goldilocks last night and planted the seed. He ate a big bowl with currants, ground hazelnuts and honey and to be fair he didn't snack quite as much this morning (only one banana, 2 slices of toast on top).....

Glad to hear he ate porridge, catfat!

Liking the banana muffin recipe: I intend to try that soon. Mind you we don't have many spare bananas in our house as DD loves them and they're so handy as a snack.

It does sound like you are missing some protein. How about some pieces of chicken and grapes as a snack or a boiled egg? You need to include protein with his lunch as it sounds like you may be missing some. Even rip up some meat and put it on top of his soup? I do find I stay fuller for longer when I eat protein.