How much lunch and snacks

[Awonderfuldayinthepark]

Just wondering how much lunch and how many snack parents are
taking out with them on a day out??

So from about 10ish until 4.30.

Children are S7, D5 and S3 for reference
Typically I take for each:
Full 2 slices of bread sandwich for the 7 and 5 year old. Half for the 3 year old
Soreen/pancake/carbi snack
yogurt
apple
banana
berries x2 types
chocolate biscuits/party rings type thing
a carton of juice
cucumber
tomatoes
carrot
crips

And they are all still STARVING! I can’t keep up with the demand for food.

Breakfast normally 7:30/8 then dinner once home. Today they had a snack before we left the house at 9.45 then a snack again at home before dinner at 4.30, dinner at 6.

What else can I take, do you think I need to pack more… I think it’s more than enough!

Could you keep them fuller for longer by taking some protein rich foods, instead (or as well as) of the carbs and veggies?

Hard boiled eggs, cold sausages etc?

I’m really interested in this (and may have to start my own thread) aa I have a 6 year old who is always asking for more food. However, I think it’s more the desire to snack/hope for something sweet than actual hunger.

I don’t really give snacks (sometimes fruit) so for lunch on a day out I’d pack:
sandwich with 2 slices of bread
yoghurt
apple
small biscuits or a handful of Pom Bears or similar.

I can’t gauge if this is typical for a 6 year old. It’s more than I have for my lunch!

@Batbatbatty hard boiled eggs and cooked sausage is a good shout.
thanks x

Easy one would be to make more sandwiches!
Where are you going, is there nowhere you could stop for a ‘proper’ and by that I mean hot/cooked, lunch so you could stop leaving the house weighed down with so much food and snacks? Could also be a good deterrent, “we are having lunch at 12, you can have some fruit at 11 and some biscuits at 2 and that’s all you’ve got!”.

More protein. Mine loved apple and peanut butter, cubed cheese and apple on cocktail sticks (the cocktail sticks are apparently essential!), cheese and ham roll ups, flourless muffins etc

Double or triple the sandwiches

My DS (nearly 4), doesn't really eat sandwiches so I'd probably take a cold pizza for his lunch along with his water bottle and maybe a smoothie. I'd probably take some biscuits or a cereal bar in case he needed it in the afternoon but wouldn't really expect him to need it if we were coming back at 4.30 or so.

As above - they’re getting a constant stream of sugar. Swap the snacks to boiled eggs, cocktail sausages and cubed cheese, and the snack demands will drop right down.

It's not much to drink, maybe water. Dc often confuse thirst with hunger. I'd add a pack of crackers or breadsticks - cheap, light to carry and pretty boring so they will only actually eat if hungry. A protein snack is ok too but not as easy to keep fresh etc

Water. One carton of juice is not enough. Maybe they are thirsty rather than hungry.

Also, are they bored and eating instead of playing?

What do they have for breakfast? Porridge and/or eggs will be more filling for longer than rice krispies for example

You could also make little egg muffins (add cheese/herbs/chopped vegetables), or increase the fillings in the sandwiches - try chicken and avocado, or egg mayo etc.

More fat, more protein.

DOn't feed little kids the MN 'massive salad'. It's not filling!

Up the fat! Dd is a gannet if it’s carbs/salt/sugar, but fat and protein with carbs and sugar fill her right up.

For a picnic/day out I do ham, cream cheese & cucumber or pate and cucumber sandwiches (the only fillings she eats so adjust to your children)
Hummus & carrot sticks & seeded pretzel chips
Peanut butter & apple slices
Chunks of cheese/babybell/Cheesestring
Pork pie
Fruit (usually watermelon or berries)
A cake bar or flapjack or cookie from the supermarket bakery.

Plenty of variety, not ott healthy and Dd never complains of hunger after all that. Unless we drive by a McDonald’s on the way home of course

Mine love samosas, cheese & crackers, I sometimes replaced a sandwich for large scotch egg or a pasta as they end up leaving all the crusts so hardly eat any. Cold meatballs.... sandwich & crisps always leave me hungry after a few hours too

They do all have their own water bottles refilled in the day.

The food listed was split, lunch 12ish and a snack about 2:30. We do eat out, now and then but with 3 of them it gets too expensive over the holidays. My general rule is the event is free we buy lunch if it costs to get in we have pack up.

But I do think it also has something to do with them not feeling like it’s a real “lunchtime” when we are out and about. I do try to find a bench table if we can’t sit and have a picnic.

Breakfast is normally porridge/yogurt & granola, fruit and a slice of toast with peanut butter as well. They also ate a full dinner, homemade Mac and cheese, green veggies and chicken with a banana, yogurt and honey for dessert.

Going to take more protein and hummus for the veggies when out and cheese & crackers. Agreed with the sugar intake being too high when out.

If we are at home that day for lunch we have egg and beans, things on toast, ham toasties, omelette, leftovers all with cucumber, carrot, tomato or peppers.

They are all slim and constantly on the go (like most kids!) They are eating me out of house and home I’m this summer!! 😂