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Parenting

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Original poster

Is it ok for a toddler to graze? Do you have a grazer?

22 replies

CharCharGabor · 13/01/2009 12:42

DD is 17months. She's having a growth spurt atm so is eating well but normally she likes to eat little and often throughout the day, then eat a big dinner. How do I manage this? I want to let her trust her own appetite but worry about setting her up with bad habits etc. Does anyone have any experience of this? TIA

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dustbuster · 13/01/2009 12:48

My DD is younger so I'm not really an expert, but I believe this is totallynormal. Bumping for wiser eyes....

NotSoRampantRabbit · 13/01/2009 12:49

DS (3.7) is, and always has been, a grazer. I have sort of structured the grazing by having fairly consistent snack times (10am/3pm) and never saying no to certain things (fruit, raw veg if we are cooking).

Our fridge is below the counter, so he can go in and nose around. Often emerges with a piece of cheese or a tomato.

I think the key is not to have too much of the biscuit/crisp/cake thing in the house and to trust their appetites.

There was a good thread ages ago about having a 'snack box' - think it was Franny's idea. Basically a box or drawer filled with foods/snacks you are happy for them to eat that they can access whenever they want.

Good to teach them how to regulate their own diet IMO!

LackaDAISYcal · 13/01/2009 12:50

My DD, 19 months, definately prefers to graze rather than eat three meals.

she has breakfast at 7, then small meals consisting of sandwich or crackers and some fruit every hour and a half or so throughout the day and then eats a reasonable meal at 5.30. We also don't fret if she doesn't eat a meal, just let her take what she wants and then take it away.

she has recently started asking for things specifically and telling me herself if she is hungry which makes it a lot easier.

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Original poster

CharCharGabor · 13/01/2009 12:50

Thanks dustbuster I'm sure it probably is normal, but then I don't know whether to just go with her or try and structure meals and snacks a bit more. Plus I worry about giving her bad eating habits by letting her snack all day. It's all healthy food, but still. Ah it's a minefield, this parenting lark!

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LackaDAISYcal · 13/01/2009 12:51

I like the idea of a snack drawer

llareggub · 13/01/2009 12:52

Mine is the same. I just try and make sure I always have healthy snacks in the house and keep serving him small meals with the rest of us. I have found that he much prefers having a small amount of food on his plate, as he then always asks for more. If I pile it on he rarely touches it. Some days it worries me, but he is energetic enough!

NotSoRampantRabbit · 13/01/2009 12:52

Not the original snack box thread, but explains basic idea...

snack box

MegBusset · 13/01/2009 12:52

DS is 22mo and will generally eat a big breakfast, then graze all day (on healthy stuff) then eat a small tea at 6. He seems to prefer to live on bread/cheese/fruit/rice cakes rather than hot meals.

boogeek · 13/01/2009 12:54

I don't think this necessarily is a bad habit - don't they say it is the best way for everybody to eat?
Todllers have tiny tunnies so IME this is quite normal even if they eventually turn into a proper 3-meal-a-day eater.

Original poster

CharCharGabor · 13/01/2009 12:55

xpost, thankyou. DD shakes the cupboard door and asks for 'cheese, cracker, fruit!' which is her favourite meal I try to offer a range of healthy foods and I just let her eat what she wants. Looks like it's ok then, good! I was wondering about a snack box, I posted about it a while ago but someone said they didn't think it was a good idea. I might make one up and keep offering the meals and snacks with that there to pick at. Lord knows she needs the food, she's shot up recently and is losing some of a baby fat. I had a bit of a wobble over that but then remembered dp and I were skinny children so she's just like us. She still has about 6-7 bfs a day too so I suppose there's that too. Thanks again

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Original poster

CharCharGabor · 13/01/2009 12:57

xpost again, thankyou. I feel very reassured now. I'll keep up with the grazing then and let DD eat as much as she wants. I might cook some veg and pasta and things tonight so she's got a range of foods to pick at. I'll have a look at that thread too.

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nickytwotimes · 13/01/2009 12:58

DS is a grazer too.
He is 2.5. He eats a farily healthy diet, so I am quite happy that he 'graze'. Set meal times are only a social convention, so npot important from a nutritional point of view. However, I do feel eating together is an important social activity, so he always eats at mealtimes, but I never force him to eat more than he feels like.

Kids are better at regulating their appetites than us, imo.

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 13/01/2009 13:04

DD1's nutrionist actually advised leaving foods accessable to her so that she could graze on them. Sadly she choose to feed them to the dog instead

Recommended grazing foods for dd1 at that age were cheese cubes, chicken bites, crackers, toast triangle with butter, mini sausages, apple pieces with yoghurt to dip, yoghurts, bananas etc.

She still doesn't eat three meals a day but never did eat much.

DD2 eats all of dd1's grazing foods and her own meals and dd1's meals too fortunately she is also a very active so burns it all off.

The nutrionist said grazing is fine but offer meals too.

NotSoRampantRabbit · 13/01/2009 13:17

I think it's still important to "do" meals too. Once they reach school age they can't be chomping on snacks all day!

DS has a really good breakfast (porridge, toast, fruit), a smaller lunch (sandwiches etc) and then a more substantial dinner.

In between he has substantial snacks and if he still wants to graze I rarely say no (unless it's 10 mins before a meal).

To be honest, DS is a bit fussy at mealtimes, so snacks are a great way for him to have some control over what he eats, and for me to get lots of really nutritional food into him.

I have tried banning the snacks to see if that reduced fussiness at mealtimes and it doesn't. So we are carrying on with our little routine.

Original poster

CharCharGabor · 13/01/2009 13:24

Thanks. I do still do the meals as I like us eating together but I'll do a snack box for her I think. What kind of box do you use? And where do you store it? Thanks for the ideas sssbts, DD likes most of those.

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HSMM · 13/01/2009 13:30

My DD (age 9) is still a grazer. She has proper meal times - breakfast, lunch, tea, but also has a mid morning snack, after school snack and small supper. My DH thinks I am crazy when we go out for the day and I have a box of healthy nibbles with me. If she doesn't eat between meals, she gets really grumpy - probably something to do with blood sugar, or something (or over indulgent mother). I don't know. I just believe that on the whole children know when they need to eat.

LittleMissNorty · 13/01/2009 13:34

My DD started a fussy stage a couple of months ago (she's 19 months now) and I let her graze if she asks for food (by hanging off the kitchen gate!) and offer smaller meals - but still do the 3 meals a day thing....for my own sanity! I was getting so worked up, and like others have said, their stomachs are only small.

Original poster

CharCharGabor · 13/01/2009 13:50

I've always tried to be relaxed about food with her. She's quite a good eater, will try anything but just eats small amounts. Looks like it's not uncommon, glad to know other's dcs are the same Now I can let her get on with eating as usual.

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ohdearwhatamess · 13/01/2009 14:05

Ds1, 2.8 is a grazer. He has a big breakfast (weetabix or oatibix, then toast), seems to need bits of food all morning, but by dinner time won't eat much.

I just go with the flow, but don't know if that's right or wrong. I do struggle to get him to eat proper food (potatoes, pasta, meat etc).

The only time I deny him snacks is around bedtime. Then it seems that his claims of 'I'm a bit hungry' or 'I need a little something' are more about playing for time than hunger.

nappyaddict · 13/01/2009 14:27

Can she walk? have you thought about a snack box? ds has had one since he was about 20 months. Otherwise how about a snack plate? a plate that is out constantly with a variety of snacks on that she can help herself to as and when she pleases? ds has always had one of these ever since weaning began!

nappyaddict · 13/01/2009 14:27

doh should read the thread before posting. this has already been mentioned.

Original poster

CharCharGabor · 13/01/2009 15:30

Thankyou She is walking (and running and climbing and generally trying to injure herself majorly ) So I think she does burn off a lot of calories. I think I am going to make a snack box, but I'm not sure what to use. I can't clear a drawer as we've only got 3 so it'll have to be a box of some kind. I might try and get a biggish Tupperware box and fill that. We've just been to the fruit and veg shop and bought a load of fruit, she goes through tons of the stuff. I'll see how she goes tomorrow with a snack plate and see if it works.

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