Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

my 4 year old eats too much - she eats adult sized portions and still wants more

62 replies

franklymydear · 04/08/2009 17:39

she eats and then stops and then wants more.

Just eaten a bowl of pasta (adult portion) then seconds (3/4 adult portion) and wants pudding but is refusing a piece of fruit

she's not fat, she is tall (probably size of average 6 year old) and she is "solid"

what do I do?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

timmette · 04/08/2009 18:48

I think that means she's in proportion doesn't it - I am sure there is someone here who knows more than me.
I agree with the thirst thing how's her water intake.

msled · 04/08/2009 18:49

I disagree. I think light mayo is a perfectly good choice for a four year old who is fairly large - or any four year old. They don't need lots of fat.

luckylady74 · 04/08/2009 18:54

Tbh if she's those centiles then surely she's perfectly in proportion and should continue as she is.
Do you use wholewheat pasta/bread/brown rice as that's more filling.
I have read somewhere that a 4yrold needs about 1500 calories a day(I think it was on nhs or somethiong-google it) - which is 3/4 of ewhat I need - which if you take away what I eat in the evenings means they should eat about the same as me at meals- my 4yr old twins do -one is a rake and one is solid.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General parenting

BecauseImWorthIt · 04/08/2009 18:57

Sorry, fmd, I was only trying to help.

luckylady74 · 04/08/2009 18:58

By the way I feel like I'm constantly badgered for food so I do understand it can be stressful.
I think I must be the only person who likes wholewheat pasta- it has more bite for me!

ScummyMummy · 04/08/2009 19:00

If she's 92nd percentile for height and 91st for weight she's perfectly in proportion then, isn't she? Not overweight at all. A strong, healthy girl who likes a range of yummy food- brilliant! I think you need to do absolutely nothing. You've already said you'd be unconcerned if it was one of your boys. You don't want to give her food issues- she sounds healthy and fab.

Original poster

franklymydear · 04/08/2009 19:06

BecauseImworthit I'm sorry you read my response as scathing. I was just trying to respond and I am grateful for your attempt to help (and you bothering) I was just being honest in my response.

The Change4Life site says you should feed children food portions according to their size ie size of fist. I cannot imagine for a moment any of my kids being happy with that amount.

OP posts:

Pitchounette · 04/08/2009 19:55

Message withdrawn

Pitchounette · 04/08/2009 19:56

Message withdrawn

OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper · 04/08/2009 20:09

I thought the size of fist referred to the protein content of a meal - ie for an adult, a chicken breast or a couple of sausages.
It's true that protein fills you up and sustains you for longer, especially when combined with brown carbs.
I'd recommend trying short grain brown rice - you can only get it in healthfood shops, but it's much more palatable than the long grain stuff from the supermarket.
My DCs much prefer it to white.

EachPeachPearMum · 04/08/2009 21:10

Roffling @ 'size of their fists'... right... my DD (3.6) eats more than me some days- she is like yours- always hungry, and she seems to be genuinely hungry- ie will eat whatever I offer her- even if it's more vegetables!

She has just had a growth spurt (from 50th centile up to 75th) and her weight has stayed more or less the same for last 12 months, so I'm not worried... just wish I could spend a little less time (and money!) feeding her

I have tried what BIWI suggested- coercing encouraging her to drink more... but then I have a meltdown at bedtime when she is soooo hungry her 'tummy hurts'

My brother and husband were exactly the same as children, so I know it's not really abnormal.

mellifluouscauliflower · 04/08/2009 21:27

I always say to my food wolfing monster that if he is still hungry in 15 minutes he can have an apple or slice of bread (never anything more interesting).

I explain to him that it takes 15 mins for the "full" message to get from his tummy to his brain. Sometimes he wants the apple / bread etc (and gets it), other times he just moves on and forgets about it.

Hope this technique helps.

FAQtothefuture · 04/08/2009 21:29

lol EachPeach I was thinking the same thing about the fist - hmm DS2's fist would be maybe 1 and a bit sausages..............3 thick ones is more like it (with mash, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans and egg with them) .

NotanOtter · 04/08/2009 21:35

wholewheat pasta is not like shit it is fine

mine eat brwon pasta and brown rice and no one moans at all

pasta is so nice not grtiity like the old days

mine eat an awful lot including my 12 month old - i find i am constantly looking for low calorie optins but would never use low-fat alternatives

pudding usually fruit or unflavoured greek yoghourt admittedly with passion fruit or fruit compote etc

cereals low in sugar or porridge/ready brek with no added sugar are eaten alot here

i try the water thing and also try adding more water when cooking stuff ...not sure if mine have over stretched stomachs

if they eat dinner at a friends they always come home.......and then eat dinner again!!!

Original poster

franklymydear · 04/08/2009 21:38

wholewheat pasta is fine for your taste then but not for mine or ours

OP posts:

FAQtothefuture · 04/08/2009 21:51

wholewheat pasta just takes getting used to (as with rice).

DH never used to like either at all - he wasn't used to it - it was only white rice where he grew up - and I'm don't think he'd eaten much pasta at all (certainly not a "common" ingredient where he grew up).

He's not overly keen on it - and if given a choice would choose the white - however now he's used to it he'lle at it quite happily.

I love brown rice (again used to hate it - having grown up on white stuff) and it's so easy to cook.

EachPeachPearMum · 04/08/2009 21:57

Are you not supposed to give little children too much fibre though? I thought the 0-5 book said no wholemeal bread, rice or pasta, as it is too fibrous for young children

FAQtothefuture · 04/08/2009 21:58

oooops - DS3 (2) loves his wholemeal and granary bread . (and pasta on the whole is generally white as I often buy the value stuff again)

NotanOtter · 04/08/2009 22:04

i get really that whole wheat pasta and brown rice are more £

FAQtothefuture · 04/08/2009 22:07

ahh now I don't really notice the difference in the price of brown rice v white - as I don't buy cheap white rice - I buy basamati (sp) - it's just the pasta (500g for the 5 of us) I can't afford to pay the extra. I rarely buy "normal" price pasta (that's when I'm feeling flush ) - so wholemeal pasta is very rarely bought as it's more than "normal" pasta .

giantkatestacks · 04/08/2009 22:10

Maybe they all have worms...

I find my ds has an upset stomach if he eats too much fibre - but he easily eats more than me in a day and looks like a stick so I would just keep on doing as you're doing.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 04/08/2009 22:13

Brown rice is lovely - grew up eating brown long grain and I never buy anything else. The white stuff is horrid.

Pasta is a different thing altogether. I buy wholewheat spaghetti and use half and half if I'm doing a bake of some kind with it, but apart from that we have normal pasta.

EachPeach - does it really say that? DS (1) has always had wholemeal bread and brown rice. Surely they are not advocating feeding 6 month olds sliced white?

Original poster

franklymydear · 04/08/2009 22:15

my kids were weaned on granary toast and have never eaten white rice - you can forgive us the pasta surely

I have decided I am going to put DD on a strict diet and try and get her down the centiles

ROAR

OP posts:

KTNoo · 04/08/2009 22:25

Should they really not have wholemeal bread under 5?! I have never given them white bread. They get it as a "treat" at grandma's - they like moulding it into shapes. Yuk - I hate white bread.

msled · 04/08/2009 22:29

That is just rubbish about wholemeal bread! Nonsense.

Flip

1 2 3