Children and snacking

Im_NotPerfect

My kids would rather snack than eat meals. But typically...when we're home, they get their 3 meals and that's it. however...if they're at Grandma's it's a different story.

If they do ask for snacks though, we always let them have fruit, cheese sticks, yogurt, or pull out a pack of grape tomatoes (which they will eat until the cows come home). We only keep "snacky" food in the house for things like saturday lunches and such. Also if they say they're hungry in between meals, I'll make them drink a cup of water before getting anything.

We do allow them to eat in the car. Especially my son and breakfast because he's never usually done before we have to leave to take his younger sister to day care.

chrystee

My son eats about 8 meals a day. He is skinny and has a high metabolism. I was raised with 3 meals ONLY and large meals and wound up fat. I limit juice, and he eats pretty healthy snacks.

Mommareed4

my kids eat basically all day long. My boys are on the lower side of average but my girls are very small (my youngest is dx as failure to thrive so the more fattening and frequent the better for her) the older ones get pretty healthy snacks..like now they have strawberry banana smoothies and string cheese.

Alexstrasza

Snacks can be an important part of a child's nutrition. IF they are given healthy snacks. Kids use a lot more energy than we do.

My son eats when he's hungry. When he wants a snack I give him some fruit, or a half a peanut butter sandwhich, and sometimes he gets graham crackers or something.

He also drinks at least 3 sippies a day of water, 2-3 of milk and 1 of juice.

He's far from obese. He's the skinniest little thing ever, but not from lack of eating. He just eats healthy.

kyrstensmom

My kids eat 3 meals and have a snack after school while doing their homework. I give them several options for snacks: apple, string cheese, greek yogurt, organic kids Z bars (Clif), or fresh veggies. If they don't want one of those things, they wait for dinner (they never refuse a snack!).

blink1021

My son eats 3 meals a day and has a snack in the afternoon after school. He does not eat before bedtime and neither do I. If he is hungry he can have a snack anytime of the day, but its a piece of fruit. No little debbies, cookies, candy, crackers etc. If its someones birthday at school they have a cupcake in the afternoon. I do not get upset by this because it may happen once a month.

Sabresgal63

My daughter can eat all day long like that. I actually think if they were provide HEALTHY snacks its actually better than the way I was raised (also 3 meals & 1 snack...well until I was old enough to rummage through the kitchen).

Ha! I have locks on my pantry and fridge..............they have to ask.

FindingSamMon

My toddler needs to snack throughout the day. He's going through one of those picky phases and only wants sit down meals sometimes. I offer him his meals (when he's home) and healthy snacks (his faves are bananas, whole grain toast, cheese and yogurt). He'll eat some of his meal and will graze on his dinner or his snacks when he's hungry. This isn't always the way we do things but this phase is a killer! The only thing he wants in the car are crackers.

mandycasey

Yes my kids have snacks usually 2 a day, 1 is healthy other 1 not. They are both very active kids and love to play outside - weather permitting. xx

odusgolp

My five year old has snacks all the time... There's a shelf in the fridge and a shelf in the pantry of stuff he can easily grab (although he always asks first). If it's close to dinner, I may so no, but otherwise I don't care. He eats fabulously. He's naturally low carb (don't ask me why), and will choose a cutie and edamame as his ideal snack any day. He won't eat bread or pasta *shrug* He's not a kid I need to worry about... Well, except the heroin. I wish he'd quit that.

Angie80281

I don't think the issue is so much snacking but *what* is given as a snack. My kids know that if they want a snack between meals, their only options are something healthy, such as fruit, peanut butter, or cheese. After dinner, they usually have one or two treats before bed, such as candy or chips, and a small cup of chocolate milk. Kids needs fuel to get through the day just like we do, but it needs to be the right kind of fuel.

dme1977

my 3 year old son has A snack ( animal crackers, raisins, fruit, goldfish crackers etc..) after he wakes up from his nap in the afternoon... and he drinks milk, juice,or water, .
he gets ONE oreo ( or some type of cookie or treat ) after dinner sometime before bed as his ''dessert" .
he is at the top of his height for his age and his weight is balanced by his height, but he is not overweight. the doc says he is the right weight for his height :bigsmile:
I was NEVER allowed to eat oin the car and the rule goes the same for my son (usually) but on a rare occassion I will let him eat his french fries hot if we get a happy meal ( which is also a once a month thing for us)

Angie80281

He's not a kid I need to worry about... Well, except the heroin. I wish he'd quit that.

Hahaha, thanks for the laugh, I needed it!

KatFierce

Yes we have snacks...and alot of them. My toddler eats how I eat, and I nurse the baby on demand!!!
We wake up, small something to eat, like some yogurt, and I have coffee. Then a while later a breakfast of eggs or pancakes or oatmeal someting like that.
Then another snack.
Nap for him cleaning and lunch for me.
Then he wakes up, snack while I cook lunch ( fruit generally).
Then he eats lunch, snack around 3 , dinner around 5.
Snack around 7, bed by 8.


Snacks are usually: some fruit/veg juice combo, fruit ( grapes, apples, banana, fruit cocktal, peaches, blueberries,strawberries), Cheees sticks, peanut butter with fruit and crackers, 1/2 a pb and jelly or fluff sandwich, greek yogurt with fruit(yep my 3 yr old looooves greek yogurt), motts medleys fruit snacks, granola bars, apple straws, veggie chips with onion dip made out of greek yogurt.



Snacks are great as long as every snack you have isnt junk. We eat maybe one or two junky snacks but I think its fine.

JennW130

my kids typically get 2 snacks a day. one between breakfast and lunch, and one between lunch and dinner. it varies though. sometimes its cookies and crackers and such, sometimes its fruit. When we go to the grocery store i usually let them get an extra little treat. Normally its a candy my 4 yr old picks out and he shares it with his little sister.

openskybeach

I have 9 year old twins. A boy and a girl. They both snack. I think snacks are good and normal, however when they want to oversnack it freaks me out. I don't want them to grow up like me, overweight. My daughter usually eats healthy foods, she loves veggies etc., so that rocks, but my son won't touch em. I am concerned of how to break him of his bad habits. Carb, carb, carbs. He is so picky, so its very difficult. If anyone has any idea's please message me. I have been worrying over this some.

mlb929

When my kids were in daycare (a private home, but she was licensed and my kids were the only ones there) - she was required to feed them - breakfast (even if I had fed them), Am Snack, Lunch, PM Snack, and Dinner (if I was later than a certain time). It really frustrated me, I didn't think my kids needed to eat constantly. Fortunately, for me, she made everything homemade and balanced everything out. But I was really taken back that this was a state licensing requirement.

My kids are both extremely thin, they both have celiac disease, so it makes just grabbing any snack hard. We talk a lot about portion size, food choices, and fitness. They are bothered by the overweight kids in their school. They also are frequently injured by these "big" kids, my 70 lb 13 yo can't play an organized with the 205 lb 13 yo w/o my kid getting injured. It's a huge problem. I'd love to be able to get on the band wagon to keep kids fit, but think that other parents just like the quick fix of a snack and fast food too much.

We have rules - only eat in the kitchen or at the table, drink only water and water first if you think you are hungry, and take only what you think you will eat, no more. We also don't eat in our cars.

Oh and any snacks are typically fruit or nuts at our house. I just don't buy things that "I" wouldn't eat.

tiamaria3

Yes I give my kid snacks, but please don't tell child services.

yep yep me too!!

odusgolp

He's not a kid I need to worry about... Well, except the heroin. I wish he'd quit that.

Hahaha, thanks for the laugh, I needed it!

:bigsmile:

sweet_lotus

Yes I give my kid snacks, but please don't tell child services.

[Eyeroll]. I didn't mean it was abusive to feed your kid a snack! I just noticed a cultural shift in how kids are fed and was curious about it.