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Original poster

6 year old daughter snacking in the night

11 replies

Always9Oclock · 22/04/2023 08:12

Hi everyone, my daughter who is 6 1/2 and in year 1 has started getting up in the night and snacking. We live in a flat, and the kitchen is next to her bedroom. I started finding wrappers under her bed a few days ago and when I spoke to her about it, she said it's because she gets so hungry 😞

She eats a good breakfast and dinner at home, and has a snack after school, but I am wondering if she is not getting enough food at school? This has started since she went back after half term this week. They are only allowed to snack on fruit/veg at school which is great, but does not fill you up. Also their school dinners are quite small and I'm not convinced she eats it all. We may have to resort to packed lunches, but they are so heavily policed by the school I'm not sure this will be much better.

She is on the 50th centile for height and weight and has always eaten well and relatively healthily. No health issues. She's allowed some unhealthy snacks at home so we aren't being too strict with that.

Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what did you do? Of course I can and will move the unhealthy treats to where she can't get to them, but I want to solve the problem of her hunger.

Thank you!

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overitunderit · 22/04/2023 08:13

What do you give her for dinner when she gets home? If she's only having lunch at school then she will need a dinner and then possibly supper/snack or milk before bed too

GonnaBeYoniThisChristmas · 22/04/2023 08:13

Give her a bowl of porridge or weetabix before bed.

glitterisntgendered · 22/04/2023 08:14

A healthy snack before bed seems like the answer. Bananas? Peanut butter?

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LeavesOnTrees · 22/04/2023 08:15

Ours have milk before bed.

WhoHidTheCoffee · 22/04/2023 08:15

We haven’t had midnight snacking but my 7 year old has also been starving after school this week. It does sound as though lunch portions are not enormous.

We’ve decided to look at his intake over the whole day as he was eating the equivalent of a second dinner for “supper”! So encouraging a bigger breakfast, and a more substantial snack on getting in from school, as well as supper if he wants it (we have a fairly early dinner around 1700). We’ve also been sending him with a packed lunch on the days where based on the menu, he won’t pick the most substantial choice (he’s quite fussy).

mamnotmum · 22/04/2023 08:32

GonnaBeYoniThisChristmas · 22/04/2023 08:13

Give her a bowl of porridge or weetabix before bed.

This is what we do. 715pm - a bowl of porridge or weetabix. Then start getting ready for bed.

If you introduce a healthy supper then she's still snacking in the night I'd remove snacks from where they are accessible as Id be sure she didn't need to eat and was developing bad eating / sleeping habits. I'd also be concerned about her teeth as I'm guessing she isn't brushing them before going back to bed.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 22/04/2023 08:35

Supper before bed and put the treats on a high shelf.

Iminthemoneylife · 22/04/2023 09:30

Add some protein in with supper.

Original poster
Always9Oclock · 22/04/2023 12:07

Great advice everyone - thank you!

OP posts:
Jifmicroliquid · 22/04/2023 12:10

Cereal for supper? I used to always gave cereal at night as a kid.

Dollmeup · 22/04/2023 12:16

Definitely a decent supper. I'm like this too, I always have cereal before bed or I wake up starving in the middle of the night and eat biscuits!

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