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Original poster

Snack plates for dinner

268 replies

Goodnightelizabethgoodnight · 03/02/2025 16:27

I'm sure it's just an older generation mindset of needing 3 hot square meals a day, but my gran was shocked ( 🙄 ) that my 3 year old had a snack plate for his dinner.

Plenty of nights we do have a hot meal together but I'd say at least once, sometimes twice a week, he happily sits and eats a little snack plate in front of the telly. He's been at nursery 9-3, outdoors for much of the time, he's tired, and he just wants to chill. I know the feeling myself! So after two helpings of curry with rice for his lunch at nursery I don't think it's a problem to have a snack plate for dinner.

He's having the same snack plate today as he did yesterday which has breadsticks, oatcakes, humous, salami, smoked cheese, raspberries, strawberries, chopped cucumber and peppers. He might have a small bowl of soup after too. Tbh I think he's living the best life with his little platter in front of the telly and I think it's great 😁

Breakfast was porridge, lunch was curry and rice, tomorrow for dinner we're having chicken risotto, and the next night we're having spaghetti bolognese.

Anyone else do the same with their kids?

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Caspianberg · 03/02/2025 16:33

It’s one I do similar
If my Ds is tired he won’t eat a full
meal anyway, but will often eat random bits on a plate.

HamandCheeseSandwich · 03/02/2025 16:35

YABU for having him eat in front of the TV.

As for the food, it's fine. Food is food.

hideawayforever · 03/02/2025 16:36

Sounds fine to me

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Bristolinfeb · 03/02/2025 16:36

HamandCheeseSandwich · 03/02/2025 16:35

YABU for having him eat in front of the TV.

As for the food, it's fine. Food is food.

This is my thinking too.

mitogoshigg · 03/02/2025 16:36

Yabu to have him sit in front of the tv. Sir with him at the table and converse, it's good for their speech development and one of many factors that's peas to increased speech issues in the U.K. (see also screens rather than reaching and talking to them)

Elpheba · 03/02/2025 16:40

I think that’s totally fine- like you say it’s all balanced and other nights will be hot. Today my DD (7) is having a similar dinner- with wrap, veg sticks, nuts, cheese, pretzels etc and watching her iPad. Tomorrow it will be a family hot dinner of spag bol. Our rule is tv/screen is only allowed twice a week but tbh it was more than that when they were toddlers as we were all so knackered by the end of the day. Now I miss them during the day as school/activities are longer so I actively want to hear about their day but at 3 I feel like we all just needed a rest!

Original poster
Goodnightelizabethgoodnight · 03/02/2025 16:44

Don't see the problem with the telly. At least 5 nights a week we eat together at the table with no telly.

He has no telly at any other point in the day. Don't see the problem whatsoever.

OP posts:
Sauvblanctime · 03/02/2025 16:46

Middle kiddo only eats snacky plates 🤣

Original poster
Goodnightelizabethgoodnight · 03/02/2025 16:46

mitogoshigg · 03/02/2025 16:36

Yabu to have him sit in front of the tv. Sir with him at the table and converse, it's good for their speech development and one of many factors that's peas to increased speech issues in the U.K. (see also screens rather than reaching and talking to them)

My son has the most advanced speech of any of his peers. Not a brag, he simply does. He plays a lot of small world games and I hear him quoting lines from his favourite books or tv programmes and incorporating the story lines into his play. It's lovely.

Couldn't care less what anyone thinks of him watching telly sometimes as he's clearly a very bright little boy.

OP posts:
Original poster
Goodnightelizabethgoodnight · 03/02/2025 16:48

Sauvblanctime · 03/02/2025 16:46

Middle kiddo only eats snacky plates 🤣

Honestly, I'd quite like to live off of snack plates too! A dinner of olives, cheeses, breadsticks and dips is just fine by me!

OP posts:
PrincessHoneysuckle · 03/02/2025 16:48

Absolutely nothing wrong with a bit of telly after a hard day.His snack plate sounds lovely.

Original poster
Goodnightelizabethgoodnight · 03/02/2025 16:51

PrincessHoneysuckle · 03/02/2025 16:48

Absolutely nothing wrong with a bit of telly after a hard day.His snack plate sounds lovely.

I agree. He's not stopped all day, he's a very energetic little boy! We're enjoying some chill out time together now just side by side on the couch, him with his snack plate on the side table. It's lovely. Soon we'll have a little play time and bath time before bedtime stories. Plenty of time for chatting and interaction. We both just want to zone out for a little while.

OP posts:
InTheRainOnATrain · 03/02/2025 16:52

It’s only once or twice a week! Of course it’s fine if you’re doing normal family meals at the table with no TV the rest of the time!

I don’t do it after preschool, because older sibling with a longer school day means the least fuss free thing is a family dinner at 6-6.30pm, but every Saturday night the kids have a snack plate in front of a movie and later on we have a takeaway or cook something they wouldn’t like. They love it. We have our one night where we can divulge from the usual family favourites. Everyone’s happy and if it’s harming their speech or table manners I certainly haven’t noticed…

Original poster
Goodnightelizabethgoodnight · 03/02/2025 16:53

InTheRainOnATrain · 03/02/2025 16:52

It’s only once or twice a week! Of course it’s fine if you’re doing normal family meals at the table with no TV the rest of the time!

I don’t do it after preschool, because older sibling with a longer school day means the least fuss free thing is a family dinner at 6-6.30pm, but every Saturday night the kids have a snack plate in front of a movie and later on we have a takeaway or cook something they wouldn’t like. They love it. We have our one night where we can divulge from the usual family favourites. Everyone’s happy and if it’s harming their speech or table manners I certainly haven’t noticed…

Your Saturday nights sound amazing 😍

OP posts:
MedusaAndHerFavourites · 03/02/2025 16:56

Absolutely fine as far as I'm concerned.

recklessgran · 03/02/2025 17:01

Good Lord OP of course it's perfectly fine! 5DD's here and if we got to the end of each day with "everyone fed and nobody dead" as DH and I used to say we were all good. Take no notice of the odd judgy pants here - I have been know to prep 5 different meals for my lot - you do what you need to do to get through! Bet your boy is really chilled and happy sitting with his lovely Mummy and feeling loved.

neverthelastone · 03/02/2025 17:05

That sounds absolutely fine - great in fact! I used to do the same with DD if she had had a hot lunch and wasn’t especially hungry. In the summer in particular it’s very nice and chilled.

CurlewKate · 03/02/2025 17:06

One of my children's happy childhood memories is of the occasional dinner composed entirely of Iceland party food. That will horrify your grandmother!🤣(I'm probably about her age, too!

ItGhoul · 03/02/2025 17:19

mitogoshigg · 03/02/2025 16:36

Yabu to have him sit in front of the tv. Sir with him at the table and converse, it's good for their speech development and one of many factors that's peas to increased speech issues in the U.K. (see also screens rather than reaching and talking to them)

Who are you, the parenting police?

It will do a child zero harm to watch TV for half an hour while eating once or twice a week. Get over yourself.

My own speech and language development was happily unaffected by having my little toddler lunches in front of Bagpuss and Jamie & His Magic Torch on a regular basis c.1979.

MoodEnhancer · 03/02/2025 17:19

Ignore the pearl clutching “no TV” types. Utterly bonkers.

A snack plate is fine. A healthy meal, whether hot or cold and whether in the form of a recipe or in its constituent parts, is what matters.

ItGhoul · 03/02/2025 17:22

Tbh I think he's living the best life with his little platter in front of the telly and I think it's great 😁

Absolutely this. If anything, I massively envy him!

Shergill15 · 03/02/2025 17:23

His snacky dinner sounds great! DD is nearly 10 and often requests a dinner like that, she has a cooked lunch at school most days and I've never understood the fixation on 3 hot meals to be honest.

Billyblue47 · 03/02/2025 17:24

Absolutely, we call it baby tapas. Although, we never eat in front of the telly or with the telly on. I'm really careful that we sit, eat and chat. It's not a screen time thing more a mindful earing thing.

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 03/02/2025 18:02

We don't mix meals and TV in our house. Snacks on the sofa - like a bag of popcorn is fine. But meals, even picky meals are at the table.
Mainly because I hate mice!

DJrocks · 03/02/2025 18:04

My DS had this for dinner when he was little too except we called it a carpet picnic. Sometimes, after a full day at nursery, a cartoon and something to eat was what kept him awake until bath and bed.