2.5 year old diet

[milkyman]

My ds loves fruit - just wondered if this too much:

Today's food so far:

2 bananas
2 apples
1 Kiwi fruit
4 strawberries
Pasta, bolognese, cheese
Rice cakes
Sandwiches
Cornflakes, toast, shredded wheat

And it's only 2pm....

Has he been snacking and grazing all day on that? That's what would concern me the most, fruit is so sugary so it's not good for the teeth to be eating it constantly. If it was a giant breakfast and a giant lunch then no, I wouldn't be worried that it was too much. How old is he?

Are you being serious! It seems like he's constantly eating, I mean it's good he's getting fruit but that seems like way too much for a 2.5 year old!

Just noticed he's 2.5 - that's a lot of food! If he's not overweight then I don't think you've anything to be concerned about, he may be going through a growth spurt. what sort of portion sizes are you talking about when you mention sandwiches, bolognaise, cereal etc?

For comparison, on monday DS ate;

Half bowl of rice krispies
Ham Sandwich (two slices bread, one ham)
Banana
Satsuma
Yoghurt
Popcorn
Half a small milky way (with me!)

He was then so stuffed from the mammoth lunch, he didn't want any dinner.

DS is a good eater and usually eats everything on nursery days but that's usually cereal and a small square of toast, a couple of fruity snacks, a warm meal at lunch and then a small dinner (fruit loaf, salad sticks etc)

He will often have a banana and a bit of toast for supper at nursery dinner is at 4pm.

he's 2.10. If your DS carries on eating like that all day, it's a lot but if he's like my DS, he couldn't carry on at that pace.

He's not overweight, but a big, tall boy who's very active. The pasta was a small portion and very small amounts of ceteal and toast for breakfast.

He went to the dentist this week and he's fine after all that fruit! He won't east vegetables so at fruit must help!

The point is there's no need for him to be constantly eating like that. Hes going to develop unhealthy eating habits as he grows older if he's constantly eating (which he must be to fit all that in before 2) why are you giving him so much?

I tend to agree about the constant grazing on fruit being bad for teeth. My son will eat porridge with hand a banana and some blueberries cut into it for porridge at about 8.30 am. Then around 1pm something like a boiled egg and soldiers and then a baby yogurt and dinner is lots if vegetables and some protein. For snacks I let him have a few small zoo biscuits, milk and water.

*half a banana

Gosh, going by that list my dc hardly seem to have eaten anything:
-Cereal and milk for breakfast
-Half a bar of chocolate apiece
-An enchilada each for dinner with a yoghurt for pudding

They'll probably have half a can of cheesy beans for tea and then some cereal and milk for supper.

I can't comment on the sugar content of the fruit because I know that mine have had loads of sugar (in a not-so-healthy way) but I do think that almost constant grazing isn't a great habit to get into because it can then lead to eating food simply because it's there or to relieve boredom rather than because they're actually hungry.

Try to forego some of the fruity snacks and perhaps offer a more substantial, protein-heavy meal instead if that's possible?

Seems like a lot, and also low on protein and veg.

DD is 2.7 and today has had:

Handful of shredded wheat and milk
Few spoons of yoghurt
Piece of toast

Half a satsuma and a few cheese crackers

English muffin pizza with ham, cheese, sweetcorn, peppers and red onion
Half an apple

Probably won't have an afternoon snack; dinner will be a piece of barbecued chicken, two or three new potatoes, a piece of corn on the cob and some peas.

I wouldn't normally say this (I'm usually a "let them eat" type) but yes, that's a lot of food. Cornflakes, toast, shredded wheat, bread on sandwiches, pasta and rice cakes plus maybe six portions of fruit is lots. Is it all just available, do you offer or does he ask for it?

It sounds like a lot to me, where does he find the time to eat all that food?! DD has had Greek yoghurt, half a slice of toast and 3 strawberries for breakfast and half an omelette with ham and cheese for lunch, with some cucumber, carrot and tomato on the side.

When were the sandwiches? Sounds weird to me. Is this a 'I just can't be arsed' day or is this standard for you?

Also for comparison DS who is 3.5 and who in contrast to all his friends eats tonnes has had:

A boiled egg and soldiers for breakfast with a homemade peach and yoghurt smoothie
A satsuma
Vegetable lasagne (MASSES) with some cucumber and tomatoes
He might have a snack of an apple and some naice peanut butter
Supper will be chicken and mushroom risotto with broccoli and he'll eat a fair whack of this.

Oh dear, I am feeling terrible now! Yesterday was nursery day and they had sandwiches in the park as I mid morning snack - no idea what was in them or how many he had.

He had a very active day yesterday, today less so and he has had a lot less fruit - 2 small strawberries, 1 small apple and half a pear over the course of the day in terms of fruit. He just refuses vegs so have to hide them in bolgnese. Feeling a terrible mum now though - was thinking fruit was better than the biscuits and chocolates I see lots of other children eat.

Whole fruits are fine, smoothies and juice are not so I wouldn't worry about that.

It seems a lot but I suppose it depends how big the portions are.

Well of course they're better than crisps and chocolates but it doesn't mean he has to eat constantly OP. You're not a bad mum at all, it's not easy especially if they'll constantly eat.

Fruit is not ideal drip fed throughout the day

I don't like snacking from a weight and tooth perspective. My DH is acdebtistaa and has seen a marked increase in decay in otherwise "naice" middleclass children in the last 5 years due to snacking on fruit - although smoothies/fruit juice are the worst. I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old and they don't have snacks. They do have a cup of milk mid-morning and mid-afternoon (which is drunk in pretty much one go) though and maybe a bit of cheese if they hadn't had much to eat at the previous meal. A snack is more for a "treat" if we're out at the weekend at the zoo or something

From an intake perspective, my DS is the same age. He's off the centiles for height and 95% for weight. I think that quite a lot to eat but I think you have to look at it over the course of a week. Some days DS eats more and some days less but it all seems to balance out.

They do eat plenty of fruit though, but with meals so I'd try and keep it to then if you can

Also - sorry, there doesn't seem to be much protein in what your DS is eating. If he's hungry, you could offer him some ham and cheese between meals but I would try and focus on him eating g properly at meals and not grazing all day

Finally, is he s tually mistaking thirst for hunger? Does he have easy access to water?

For comparison

DS (2) has had

8am 1 weetabix with milk and a tbsp of raisins, a small banana
11am tbsp of grapes, 1/4 apple, 2 Heinz biscotti
1pm ham sandwich with 1 slice bread, tbsp cheese, 3 tbsp salad

And for dinner he will have 1/4 chicken breast with 2 tbsp mixed vegetables and 2 tbsp rice. Then a yoghurt.

Water throughout the day

Thanks all. Yesterday was probably a big eating day. He's eaten a lot less today. I think it's good advice to look it over the course of a week. Trying to address protein - I'm a veggie and on my own with him all week. He has tea at 5pm as he is always tired for bed at 6.30. Does anyone have any suggestions/recpies that are tried and tested for meat/veggie refusing toddlers? As for not offering snacks, I don't know how people do that. He had always has a huge appetite. The first day he was born the midwives commented on the amount if milk he drank while I was in there for a week!

I've tried offering all sorts if things but they get thrown on the floor... He's a very happy boy though so hopefully I'm not doing everything wrong! I had pnd and always try and do what it's best for him.

Oh fogot to sdd he's offered water throughout the day

Does he have rough times for eating? My DD (3) would eat me out of house and home at breakfast time, 8am, but after a bowl of cereal, slice of toast and a piece of fruit I tell her thats it til lunch. 12 she will have a sandwich, fruit, crudites and yoghurt. 4pm dinner, a plate of what dh and I had for dinner the previous night, plus a portion of jelly or a bit of chocolate. 6.30pm porridge before bed.

If we go to the park etc, a snack is a drink of water and a tangerine or banana.

Re:veg, could you "chip" sweet potato or squash instead of potatoes? Or Parsnips?

Make a pasta sauce with loads of veg blended down.

Make muffins or loaf cake with corgette or beetroot etc in.

My ds was always a grazer, he ate little and often and never at set meal times, it's just the way he was, and still is at 14.