Snack ideas for a constantly hungry fussy 5 year old

[Strawberries4days]

I am at a loss on how to fill up my 5 year old.

She is constantly hungry even after a full portion for tea, lunch and breakfast. I'm just thinking maybe the snacks I'm providing isn't enough so was wondering what else to give her.

The only problem is that she is quite fussy with food. Hates eggs of all kind, cheeses, gone off cucumbers and carrots (will eat cooked carrots but will not eat cold cooked carrots don't blame her for that one), doesn't like savoury things such as cheese twist pastries or savoury muffins, etc.

I can't keep giving her fruit bars, crisps and biscuits because it's not great for her! She's gone through a whole pack of bread sticks in 5 days! She is great with fruit but I'm noticing she's turning her nose up at that recently unless it's the last thing to eat!
I'm going for a food shop tomorrow so just looking for ideas or something that is slightly healthier and savoury that's in Tesco's or lidls or easy to make!

Nuts?

My 5 year old daughter is really enjoying nuts at the moment- peanuts and pistachios especially. She also loves snacking on cold water prawns, hard boiled eggs or buttered seed toast. Buttered malt loaf is also a hit, and petit fllous yoghurts. Watermelon and cherries are also a special fruit we buy when she gets bored of the usual fruit bowl ones. She also loves a bowl of porridge with a spoonful of strawberry jam in when she needs a more substantial snack like after school. If I can be bothered to make it- toast with banana and cinamon warmed up in the oven is a really popular treat.

Take her with you and show her different things maybe?
how about pasta?

give some examples of meals she eats. You could increase portions ?

if you make the scones yourself you can control the salt content. Snacks can be mini sausage or veg or fruit and yoghurt?

Is she drinking enough? Could she be thirsty or bored rather than hungry?

Porridge for breakfast with a side of toast. Or egg and sausage. I’d go for heartier breakfast and then fruit and veg snack time or toast/ cheese toast etc

Are you sure she is actually hungry? If she has just had a meal it seems unlikely?

Have 2 clear snack times, morning and afternoon. Say no the rest of the time, she is asking out of boredom if she’s turning down most of the offerings.
For us a morning snack cheese and nuts, or some pieces of cold cooked meat left over from a dinner, the afternoon would be something like cucumber and yoghurt or a small bowl of popcorn.

The more snacks you offer, the fussier she'll get and the more used to eating at "snacktimes" means she'll be more hungry between meals.

As in if you eat everything 3hours your body gets used to that and will then be hungry every 3hours. If you eat every 12 you get used to that.

What are your actual meals? Maybe they're not filling her up?

In the meantime, I'd offer 2 items of healthy foods that shes previously eaten- no crisps or junky party foods. If she's actually hungry she'll eat them.

Mine currently obsessed with prawns in marie rose, always loved yogurt/ chia puds. Heathy oats bars, homemade cakes etc.

Thanks everyone. No she doesn't like nuts, which would be a great snack choice!

For breakfast she normally gets 2 Weetabix with milk and honey drizzle, a fruit after and breadstick.

Lunch ATM has been ham sandwiches, even though I have been trying the school dinner menu but apparently it doesn't taste the same🙄 would be a sandwich, olives (surprisingly for a fussy eater) some crisps and would have a yoghurt after.

When she still hungry like an hour later, I do have those fruit roll ups in the drawer to give her but she'll come back for more food, even after eating all that at lunch time🤦🏼‍♀️

Tea time today was homemade lentil and red pepper thick soup with a special bread shes chosen. I didn't have anything in for desserts as I'm due a shop but I had one of those rice crackers around so she eat that. Normally dessert would be strawberries or small jelly pot but not every day.

I have thought it was thirst but she's a terror to drink and even with a bit of juice mixed with water she hardly drinks it all. I'm putting it down to boredom and our of routine with the school summer holidays maybe

Mine only had snacks is they had been swimming or something like that. Or a biscuit with a cup of tea, that sort of thing, They did not form a part of an ordinary day. They ate, and still do as young adults, at meal times. I would try to get her to eat more at meal times.

When she still hungry like an hour later, I do have those fruit roll ups in the drawer to give her but she'll come back for more food

That’s not being hungry though, that’s just wanting sweets and junk.

Sounds like your current snacks are quite sugar loaded - can't blame her as I would prefer malt loaf to cucumber sticks!

Watermelon- absolutely loads for little money. Add fried haloumi if you can hide the cheese factor!

Crackers with houmous, peanut butter, philli cheese (will she eat that?), sliced tomato.

Healthy ish plain cereal e.g Rice Krispies.

Homemade potato salad

Greek yogurt with frozen (defrosted) berries, sprinkle of granola and drizzle of honey.

I loved fried potato leftovers as a kid (my Mum always cooked extra potatoes), either sliced potatoes or mashed potatoes fried until the edges get a bit crispy and served with tomato ketchup! (I must introduce DH to that delight!)

Your children didn’t take a snack to have at break time in school like pretty much every other child?

Yeah I have noticed since being off from school it is a bit sugar loaded ATM and want to stop it before it gets worse. Just used to chuck things in my bag and go off where ever we go.

Ooohhh that leftover potato snack sounds great! Will need to give that a bash!

She'll get a shock tomorrow as she's coming shopping with me😂

If you are constantly eating, the feeling of not being stuffed full makes you think you’re hungry.
The hunger hormone is activated by insulin dropping. If she’s having fruit roll ups (high sugar), she will think she’s hungry again shortly after.
This will set up poor habits for life and the inability to recognise her own brain signals accurately, leading to overeating and obesity.

Ensure her 3 meals are nutritious and filling and allow max 2 snacks a day. E.g 1) hummus and carrot sticks and 2) peanut butter and apple.

It’s ok for her to feel hunger before her next meal. This is normal. But becoming rare in this snack obsessed society.

My suggestions depending if she will eat

greek yoghurt with banana and a honey drizzle ( tiny bit)

hummus on oatcakes

home made flapjacks or as someone said buttered malt loaf

coyple of thise instant microwaveable pancakes with a small smidgeon of Nutella or jam

in all fairness though, some kids say they’re hungry when they aren’t really hungry, they are just greedy or bored. ( plenty of adults like this too - I’ve been like it myself if bored)

Give more of the meal e.g. lentil soup and bread, give pasta with some peas, wholemeal toast with butter, fruit/veg, plain yogurt.

Stop offering 'snacks' and offer more healthy food.

Raisins? Some dry cereal? Or, bulk her meals out a bit more if she’s getting starving inbetween.

It does sound like boredom eating!

If you genuinely think she hungry I would make a quick ham sandwich or something else plain and savoury. If its something boring she'll only ask if shes genuinely hungry!

Try making fruit infused water, if you think its thirst. Get her to help picking different fruits to put in. Mine loved doing this, and it ticked the boredom box too, without adding sugar to their diet. Im pretty sure I picked up a cheap bottle (with a bit in the middle) from Lidl.

For snacks you want to offer the food that they'll only accept if they're really hungry so fruit and cucumber by the sound of it.

If she's not really hungry, she doesn't need a snack. She's likely just looking for treats in that case.

I'd try and up the protein in her meals. You can also try increasing her portion size a little.

(Obviously, if she's dangerously underweight or has a medical condition you haven't mentioned then disregard this and get advice from a Doctor).

My son loved those yoghurt coated raisins when little !! In fact they were the snack of choice.

Raisins
red pepper cucumber with humous
bread sticks and the onion garlic dip
watermelon always goes down well

malt loaf

my kids would eat me out of the house, if they say their hungry not long after a meal I ignore and say why don’t we play this and they soon forget they were ‘hungry’

I can sometimes eat for the sake of it tbh

If she doesn't want fruit she isn't hungry.
I would stop all these treats and focus on main meals and healthy snacks. She won't be happe but you will get there if you stick to it.

DD loves still frozen peas and sweetcorn straight out of the freezer especially on hot days. Cold, crunchy and sweet, also cold cooked corn on the cob. I just cook up a whole load and store them in the fridge.

Tesco sells these really cute teeny tiny cucumbers which she eats even while turning her nose up at normal cucumbers (they taste the same)
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/323330680

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/323330680