How do you keep your kids fed?!?!

[T'smom]

I am soooo sick of listening to kids whine about being hungry. Because it is constant. We were out of the house this morning and the kids (4 and 7) were whining about being hungry. I told them they were out of luck until we got home. When we got home, they had lunch- a pbj, half a can of tropical fruit salad, and a cheese stick. 30 minutes later they wanted yogurt. 15 minutes after that, they wanted another one, 15 minutes after THAT, they wanted another one but I told them that two yogurts was enough for one day. So they ate a pear. One each. Then they each had a bowl of graham crackers and some fruit snacks they found left over from snacks at soccer games over the weekend. Then they had Nutella sandwiches. They are STILL whining about being hungry. I am soooooo sick of it. I want to fix something that can just be grabbed/fixed by themselves that will keep them satisfied for longer than an hour. They are pretty high energy kids, but this afternoon they weren't doing anything particularly energy burning. Weight is not something I am concerned about with them. They are also incredibly picky and rarely eat much of whatever I fix for dinner. But the whining isn't after the dinner they don't eat. It's all.day.long. Ideas?

[SparklyUnicorn]

Could be too much sugar.  But my kids were both like that at that age no matter what I fed them.

 

 

[regentrude]

We have the main warm cooked meal at midday;  that's when everybody is hungry.

 

After dinner there is just a short time until people go sleep - no need for a big meal in the evening.

[Miss Peregrine]

That sounds like a lot of sugar/simple carbs and not much substance.

[mommymonster]

See if you can get them to eat more protein with less sugar? The snacks you listed were all pleasantly sweet... when I eat that way, I want to snack all day. If I go for things like boiled eggs, a protein shake, cheese sticks, I feel much less like snacking.

 

That all being said, we've gone to six meals a day for my kids... they are just that hungry... Pancakes and sausage for breakfast, protein muffins, meat and cheese sandwiches (one at noon, one at 3), full dinner, second round of full dinner 2 hours later... Hopefully it just lasts another week or two. Then I get to buy all new clothes for them, as they will grow 2-3 inches each....

[Happy]

My boys grew FAST and tall--they needed fuel. My tallest needed lots of protein to feel full for any length of time....as in at five years old, he could pack away two full sized burgers from a local burger joint. I usually split one of those with my husband.

 

I love the idea of a warm meal at mid day.

[SparklyUnicorn]

My boys grew FAST and tall--they needed fuel. My tallest needed lots of protein to feel full for any length of time....as in at five years old, he could pack away two full sized burgers from a local burger joint. I usually split one of those with my husband.

 

I love the idea of a warm meal at mid day.

 

Mine too with the burger!  It's crazy the amount he can eat.

[Happy]

Mine too with the burger!  It's crazy the amount he can eat.

I should have mentioned he topped out at close to 6'10"....which explains why he was ravenous most of his childhood. ;)

[regentrude]

Just wait until they are teens. What they eat now pales in comparison to what they will eat then.

[fairfarmhand]

1. High protein foods

 

2. Have a BIG balanced breakfast.

 

3. Snacks are celery sticks or carrots. Something boring, non-sweet. If they don't want that, they aren't that hungry.

 

4. They need to drink lots of water.

 

5. Alternately, have planned snack times. At 10:30, there's a relatively boring, non-sweet snack planned. They can eat breakfast, boring mid-morning snack, boring afternoon snack, supper, perhaps dessert. These are the only eating times. If they continue to whine, they can sit in their rooms.

[T'smom]

Hmmm. Switching the main meal to lunch is an interesting thought. I'll bring that up with dh.

[Upennmama]

They're maybe getting too much sugar and carbs. I started feeding mine sausage, eggs, cheese, natural PB, etc, and that helped. Also, just say no. I think kids get used to grazing and I have found ti better to give my kids three larger meals and 1 after school snack per day. I only offer fresh fruit, veggies, hard boiled eggs, and whole milk low sugar yogurt between meals. I have reminded my kids that being hungry doesn't kill you, and  they stop complaining if I am consistent in saying no. I want them to learn to wait and not just eat the first time you''re hungry. 

[Upennmama]

I also offer air popped popcorn as a snack. it's super filling, low calorie, and cheap. You can offer a baked potato too, similar qualities. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Regarding stuff like have a big meal.  I tried that.  The problem was my kids just didn't eat big meals.  They would eat until satisfied and that might be very little.  It didn't seem right for me to insist they scarf down a big meal.  So that didn't work. 

 

They are 9 and 13 now and no longer want to eat every 1/2 hour. 

 

Although lately there are days the 13 year old can't seem to get enough food.  He still will eat 2-3 large meals rather than peck several times throughout the day. 

[Mergath]

I agree that from what you posted, they need to eat more nutrition and fewer empty carbs.  Could you keep healthy snacks in the fridge for them?  Chopped vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, stuff like that.  The fiber in the vegetables will keep them full for quite a while.

[happypamama]

Upping the fat and protein can help, but sometimes kids just need a lot of calories if they're growing a a lot.

 

But I would try adding more fat and protein first: lots of cheese, smoothies, nuts, lots of peanut butter, eggs cooked in butter or with cheese, avocados, banana bread with PB, meat, black beans, oatmeal with raisins, milk, and nuts, homemade mac and cheese, full fat dip or hummus for veggies. . .

 

We usually eat breakfast (and I seriously limit grains and sugar then), with a snack 2-3 hours later, and a lateish lunch. If they're hungry in the afternoon and can't wait until dinner, they generally get a cheese stick, a banana, sometimes PB on bread, or popcorn with butter.

[T'smom]

Just wait until they are teens. What they eat now pales in comparison to what they will eat then.

I know. But hopefully, they will be a little more self sufficient then! They can fix their own sandwiches. I felt a little despair at the thread about a 16 year old that wouldn't fix her own food though!

[fairfarmhand]

Regarding stuff like have a big meal.  I tried that.  The problem was my kids just didn't eat big meals.  They would eat until satisfied and that might be very little.  It didn't seem right for me to insist they scarf down a big meal.  So that didn't work. 

 

They are 9 and 13 now and no longer want to eat every 1/2 hour. 

 

Although lately there are days the 13 year old can't seem to get enough food.  He still will eat 2-3 large meals rather than peck several times throughout the day. 

 

Yes. This is true.

 

I find that I can offer to get out a plate of lunch/supper foods and suddenly people aren't THAT hungry.

 

For me, it was having easy to grab items in the fridge. Of course, my kids like the easy to grab sweetened yogurts better than the plate of chicken tenders with green beans.  But having it handy for me, meant that I could easily offer something that was less appealing but more healthy. The genuinely hungry kid will accept my offer.

 

I don't mean to offer nasty food. I mean to offer foods between meals that are something other than a cookie, cracker, chips, or sugary snack. Even fruit can be problematic in too large quantities, especially because it seems in my kids to trigger a constant craving fro sweet stuff.

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I know. But hopefully, they will be a little more self sufficient then! They can fix their own sandwiches. I felt a little despair at the thread about a 16 year old that wouldn't fix her own food though!

 

I feel your pain.  I felt like a freaking cafeteria.  LOL

[Ellie]

I am soooo sick of listening to kids whine about being hungry. Because it is constant. We were out of the house this morning and the kids (4 and 7) were whining about being hungry. I told them they were out of luck until we got home. When we got home, they had lunch- a pbj, half a can of tropical fruit salad, and a cheese stick. 30 minutes later they wanted yogurt. 15 minutes after that, they wanted another one, 15 minutes after THAT, they wanted another one but I told them that two yogurts was enough for one day. So they ate a pear. One each. Then they each had a bowl of graham crackers and some fruit snacks they found left over from snacks at soccer games over the weekend. Then they had Nutella sandwiches. They are STILL whining about being hungry. I am soooooo sick of it. I want to fix something that can just be grabbed/fixed by themselves that will keep them satisfied for longer than an hour. They are pretty high energy kids, but this afternoon they weren't doing anything particularly energy burning. Weight is not something I am concerned about with them. They are also incredibly picky and rarely eat much of whatever I fix for dinner. But the whining isn't after the dinner they don't eat. It's all.day.long. Ideas?

 

We have scheduled meal times (well, *loosely* scheduled, but still). We all eat together, and then we're finished until the next meal. No random snacking. No eating 30 minutes after a meal. A "snack" must be at least an hour later, and that's all the food until the next meal.

 

In our house, they ate what I fed them. The end. No whining. Of course, neither had any food or sensory issues, so I didn't have to worry about that.

 

Your meals look like not enough protein, and not enough healthy fat, and too many carbs.

 

I understand your wanting them to be able to feed themselves, but in my house, 4 and 7 would have been too young for that. Also, random eating makes life in general too scattered. That's what you have now.

 

I would be tempted to institute meal bootcamp: meals served at specific times (every three hours would be good); we all eat together; no in-between-meal snacking; no whining allowed; children who say they're full and want to get down from the table may do so...but there will be no more food until the next meal, so they better be sure they are full. 

[fairfarmhand]

 

I understand your wanting them to be able to feed themselves, but in my house, 4 and 7 would have been too young for that. Also, random eating makes life in general too scattered. That's what you have now.

 

I would be tempted to institute meal bootcamp: meals served at specific times (every three hours would be good); we all eat together; no in-between-meal snacking; no whining allowed; children who say they're full and want to get down from the table may do so...but there will be no more food until the next meal, so they better be sure they are full. 

 

A schedule/routine helps SO much,

 

Also, if I have preplanned snacks it helps me not feel like the McDonalds cashier. For instance, every day snacks at 10:30 is usually a piece of fruit. Snack at 3 is often a little more junky, like chips or cookies. But it is typically the same thing every day and the same thing for everyone.

 

You can take what I offer at this snack time or not. But no complaining if Iyou say No Thanks.

 

[purplejackmama]

A protein packed breakfast has really helped my kids. Not only did it cut down on the all.day.long munchies but they focus better, attitudes are in check and everyone seems happier.

[Annie G]

Our kids would occasionally snack so often that it seemed they grazed all day. I couldn't take that.  Between the four of them, SOMEONE was always eating.  So we (like Ellie mentioned) did a boot camp and revamped our meals and snacks. 

Three meals, three snacks. Planned. If we were out of the house or they otherwise missed a snack, tough.  We found that after a week, most of the time two snacks were all they asked for. Now they are all grown and I'm not in charge of them. But none of them snacks much.  We had to do this several times, though, because sometimes we'd get busy or stressed and fall into the snacking habits.  Fair warning: The week it takes to change the habits is difficult, much like when you institute new bedtime rules. 

 

Our grandkids are the same way- they are constantly asking for food. And then eat little at dinnertime because they never let themselves really get hungry so never 'need' a full meal. It drives me crazy.  But honestly, dd thinks it's easier to just let them snack when they are hungry. Nope. She's wrong. A week of bootcamp would solve that problem, as long as she changed WHAT they snack on and was consistent. 

 

BTW, the grands are super skinny and eat tons of fruit, tortillas with peanut butter, etc.  Just because they're skinny doesn't mean they need to graze. 

 

Some people do better with grazing. But I'm talking about changing the habits of kids who graze for entertainment, thinking they are hungry.  

 

Protein, veggies...water to drink...limit sugar and simple carbs like bread and crackers. 

[Zinnia]

I do scheduled meal/snack times, too, for the same idea that between the 4 of them....someone was always eating.  My oldest is 8, which means 4 kids that still need help in the kitchen and aren't great about cleaning after themselves.  It makes me nutty. 

 

The scheduled times (and fairly boring snacks) really helped us a lot.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

1. Whole grains

2. fats such as butter, nut butter, avocado, olive oil

3. Proteins such as legumes, chicken (not nuggets or tenders but drumsticks), pork chop, hard boiled or scrambled egg

4. serving fat or protein with fruit snacks

5. Homemade yogurt - the grocery store yoplait style is sugar and chemicals - or some of the Greek or natural brands

6. Make sure they're drinking enough water -- dehydration sometimes feels like hunger to children

7. Consider more ritual and presentation around meals and snacks - serving instead of having them just grab the food 

[Shellydon]

Just say no. There was a time when people ate 3 meals each day and did just fine. 

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Just say no. There was a time when people ate 3 meals each day and did just fine. 

 

If parents do this without providing adequate nutrition at those three meals their kids will be in trouble. The children need enough calories, protein, fat, fiber, fluids, fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals every day.

[GailV]

Just say no. There was a time when people ate 3 meals each day and did just fine. 

 

Some cultures are still this way.  For example, France.  I don't think children are keeling over in the streets from hunger.  

 

Of course, the adults involved emphasize good food and socializing with family during meals  rather than grab-and-go.

[hornblower]

Have you ever actually written out what they're eating & added up the calories?  I think kids that age will be around 1600 or more.

FWIW, I'm an active perimenopausal woman & over 1750 I start to gain weight, so they'd be eating about the same as me. 

But with smaller tummies, they would likely need to eat more frequently.

if they're not overweight, it's possible you're just not feeding foods high enough in complex carbohydrate, protein & a bit of fat.  Maybe you need to look at more dense foods. Breakfast burritos, cooked old fashioned oatmeal. Lots of fruits and veg. Anyone hungry gets fresh fruit or veg (the canned fruit salad doesn't count as even low sugar ones are just too sugary...) Same with many yogurts etc - tons of added sugars.


Also - is it boredom or a delaying tactic to get out chores/school/getting ready for outings etc..?

[prairiewindmomma]

The fact that they don't eat much of the dinner you make is a red flag. You've gotten some great advice up thread.

 

I have skinny hungry kids....my teen needs about 3500-4000 cal a day right now (off the growth chart in height, 50% in weight and growing a lot right now). Even he doesn't get endless snacks. When he does snack, it is something like a turkey sandwich + red pepper slices or nuts + Apple or a breakfast burrito......always protein or healthy fats.

[Farrar]

Seconding a lot of the good advice up above:

 

* Consider making breakfast a hot, protein heavy meal.

* Think about making lunch the main hot meal of the day.

* Get more proteins in general and also more whole grains and healthy fats.

 

And I'll add... I think snacking is fine as part of a routine and I don't have anything really against things like graham crackers and nutella and some of the other things mentioned as one of the occasional snacks. But the main anytime snacks to me should be grapes, carrots, bananas, apples, celery, mini cucumbers, etc. Just fresh stuff. I feel like that's my meter for if they're really hungry - my kids like all that stuff and will always eat it when they're hungry... but they'll eat nutella or graham crackers when they're not hungry, because it's sugary sweet.

[regentrude]

Some cultures are still this way.  For example, France.  I don't think children are keeling over in the streets from hunger.  

 

but the French would never consider a pb sandwich and canned fruit a meal. Not to mention that they would be horrified at what counts as "cheese" in this country.

[Ausmumof3]

If parents do this without providing adequate nutrition at those three meals their kids will be in trouble. The children need enough calories, protein, fat, fiber, fluids, fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals every day.

My elderly neighbour ate this way and now has diabetes. She needs to snack but can't make herself as she had a very strict three meal upbringing. Most experts believe young kids need at least one if not two snacks.

[Ausmumof3]

Some cultures are still this way. For example, France. I don't think children are keeling over in the streets from hunger.

 

Of course, the adults involved emphasize good food and socializing with family during meals rather than grab-and-go.

The french also have the main meal at lunch at school and a smaller dinner. I think the problem is due to everyone's lifestyle we have the main meal at the end of the day. It's not ideal as you need the fuel earlier in the day to provide energy not just as you are about to sleep. I do a cooked lunch but then I also have to do a cooked tea for Dh. But it does cut back on the kids snacking (and mine).

[AMJ]

I am soooo sick of listening to kids whine about being hungry. Because it is constant. We were out of the house this morning and the kids (4 and 7) were whining about being hungry. I told them they were out of luck until we got home. When we got home, they had lunch- a pbj, half a can of tropical fruit salad, and a cheese stick. 30 minutes later they wanted yogurt. 15 minutes after that, they wanted another one, 15 minutes after THAT, they wanted another one but I told them that two yogurts was enough for one day. So they ate a pear. One each. Then they each had a bowl of graham crackers and some fruit snacks they found left over from snacks at soccer games over the weekend. Then they had Nutella sandwiches. They are STILL whining about being hungry. I am soooooo sick of it. I want to fix something that can just be grabbed/fixed by themselves that will keep them satisfied for longer than an hour. They are pretty high energy kids, but this afternoon they weren't doing anything particularly energy burning. Weight is not something I am concerned about with them. They are also incredibly picky and rarely eat much of whatever I fix for dinner. But the whining isn't after the dinner they don't eat. It's all.day.long. Ideas?

 

If this were my kids I'd suspect a massive growth spurt in the making, and I would plan to postpone any clothes shopping for them for at least a month.  I'd also be desperately digging out the hand-me-downs hoping to have some ready when they wake up suddenly too big for all of their current clothing.  In my family kids turning into bottomless pits meant they were fueling up for the body to expend a lot of energy on growing the body and developing the brain.  They might also start to tire a lot more easily and early, if it proves to be growth spurts coming on.  After the body changes they might also be a lot more clumsy as they get used to their "new" bodies.

 

Kids grow while they are sleeping.  I don't recall who did the studies, but someone measured kids every morning and every evening (followed the same 1000+ kids for more than two years) and discovered that they grow most during the big sleep through the night.  This is why kids seem to suddenly grow out of their clothes, especially the new sneakers you just bought them last week.

 

When my two were younger allergies would play havoc with their appetites, especially eldest DD's.  When we were out running around I took to carrying around jerky (because she likes it), nuts, protein bars, fiber bars, and/or the occasional Snickers so I would be ready if/when she was able to eat more.  Other than that I insisted the kids must have protein and fiber at breakfast each morning.  That seemed to help a lot.

[Artichoke]

Are they drinking enough water each day? Sometimes we're actually thirsty but think we're hungry. You could require a glass of water and x amount of minutes before allowing another snack. When our kids were little, we had the three meals along with a mid morning and afternoon snack. Sometimes they'd have a bedtime snack and sometimes not. If they wanted food at other times, I'd get them a glass of water and set the timer for ten minutes. Usually, they'd forget to come back for a snack when the timer went off.

[redsquirrel]

two things come to mind: my kids at that age grazed all day. Now they are older and they eat at much more regular intervals and it is very easy to predict.  So, I think this is the season. They are both growing a LOT and it will slow down. It will be gradual and you won't see it all at once, but it does happen....and then it PICKS UP, lol.

 

the second is that that is a lot of sugar. Nutella is frosting, it isn't like peanut butter. My kids will go through an entire jar of that in two days if I allowed it in the house. Try switching out the nutella for peanut butter. There is even a chocolate peanut butter with the same amount of sugar as non-chocolate peanut butter. But, unlike Nutella it has protein and fat. 

 

Now, I don't complain about fruit. My younger boy, who has a big sweet tooth, will eat several pieces of fruit while we do school. He ate a pear, a clementine and an apple this morning. But he had a light lunch and then several hours of activities so it balances out. Is the yogurt plain or do you sweeten it yourself? Vanilla or whatever type of yogurt has a tremendous amount of sugar, on top of the naturally occurring milk sugars. Try switching to plain and adding some frozen berries.

 

And, if they just ate, it is ok to tell them to go do something different. Kids, like adults will eat if they are bored. It's ok to ask them if they are actually hungry or if they are just looking for something to do. I have absolutely said "are you hungry? If you are hungry then please eat, but if you are just wanting something to eat because it is tasty or you are looking for something to do, then get out of the kitchen".  I am surprised at how often they have honestly said they are not hungry. It is a skill that some people have to learn and that's ok.

[Guest]

I feed zero snacks. We do big, protein and fat heavy meals. Too much starch and sugar and my kids get hungry fast. If they are still hungry after a meal I allow apples, hard boiled eggs, and cottage cheese as additional food options. But they eat big, solid meals and do great. The only snacks we do, if at all, wre when we are away at dance or sport events where they are running around for long periods of time and need more fuel.

[LucyStoner]

More nutrition in each meal and snack is key.

 

Another thing I do is what I call the snack trough. It's on the table and whatever is in there is up for grabs. No need to tell me, ask me, seek permission or whatever. Generally this has some mix of nuts, fresh fruits and veggies, dried fruit and the rare treat, I re-fill it every morning. I have a portable version of this for on the go.

 

My kids are skinny. They need to eat regularly rather than in spaced out intervals. They do have sensory stuff and one has autism but I have near zero fussing about food like this. And I don't need to make that a rule, that's just how it is.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Agree with the others.  Snacking should be minimal.  Popcorn or fruit is our go-to snack.  Require them to drink a glass of water before eating or even in between meals.  We don't allow much snacking, but keep the same water glass per person out all day.  Even my 4 year old fills hers when she's thirsty.  Make sure the foods are full of fat and protein.  No low-fat or fat free foods.  Those terms on labels are code words for chemical laden.  If a child is still hungry after a meal, by all means offer more food.  If they are only hungry for dessert or the main dish they aren't likely hungry.  Offer up a tray of vegetables.  If growing children are hungry they will gladly eat them.  You can always make it more substantial by offering a dip of Ranch dressing or hummus.  Good fill-em-up snacks to keep on hand: air popped popcorn with real butter, a pot 'o beans, baked potatoes, nuts and raisins or craisins, or fresh fruits and vegetables with or without a filling dip.

[mamaraby]

I also offer air popped popcorn as a snack. it's super filling, low calorie, and cheap. You can offer a baked potato too, similar qualities.

This works for us. Fiber fills bellies and keeps folks regular. I think most Americans eat too much fat and protein and a whole bunch of folks are under on their fiber intake. Plus, fiber is exclusive to plants so there's lots of phytochemicals and vitamins/minerals to go along with it.

[Guest]

If they have a lot of sugar and carbs, they will be pickier at dinner and not hungry for the nutritious food they need to fill them up. Agreeing with others that you need more nutrition to stop the carb-munchy eating.

 

And wow, teen boys do bring a whole new shocking understanding of eating like a horse.

[LaxMom]

Mine do that when they're about to hit a growth spurt. They're grazers anyway (which is fine, but annoying on days like that), and they have protein with every meal and most snacks. Still, they have my dad's metabolism (like a race horse. I resent them all, deeply) and are athletes; adding the growth spurt energy just pushes them over the edge.

 

Does it help to know that, in a few years, they'll be randomly making themselves tuna melts in the middle of the morning, or eating through hummus and veg like locusts?

[Cottonwood]

Honestly, this was us until I did two things: make SURE I was giving them foods really high in nutrition and set a bit of a food schedule.

 

By this I mean....

If there is just a little nutrition in a higher volume of food, the body is going on the nutritional value and will be hunger pretty soon for more nutrition.  If I give foods high in nutrition, the body asks to be fed less often.  So, I make a lot of their snacks, or make sure there is plenty of *healthy* fats in the food.  Grassfed butter, coconut oil, etc.  There are also factors that food scientists have found to decrease the nutrition in foods we think are healthy.  Some grains need to be 'soaked' 7  hours or more in order to raise their nutrition levels.  Knowing this, I do several things..ONe being: I make oatmeal in a 1 qt. crockpot overnight on low with a generous amt of coconut oil in it.  I also add a cup of frozen fruit.  The kids have a bowl of that oatmeal with plenty of coconut oil (makes it yummy also!) a glass of raw milk (full of nutrients too) and I swear to you, they do not even ask for anything until around noon (bfst is at 8).  If I want to make pancakes the next day, I mix up the batter the night before.  ... Just a couple of examples of making sure of a high nutrient meal/snack. I also make homemade granola bars out of raw nuts, healthy fats.  A small square is a snack.  They might eat two.  They don't ask for anything else.  I was skeptical about this approach till I tried it.  Now I swear by it.  I can now tell ..........just from my kids response........what is high in nutrition and what isn't just by how fast they are hungry again after.  And they are in that 'eating me out of house and home age'.  If it's dense in nutrition, the body will not ask as soon for something to eat, as it is satiated for a time.  A friend asked me how I could afford to feed growing kids as her 3 eat every 15 min as well. I gave her some of my recipes and ideas that seem to be working here and she can't believe how the kids aren't begging for food now.  She would give them a handful of celery sticks and they'd be hunger real quick.  I suggested she add a good amt of peanut btr (the kind with only peanuts and salt) and don't drain off the oil.  Just mix, smear on the sticks.  Stuff like that is working for her too.  OH and yes, thirst is sometimes mistaken for hunger.  In between eating times (below) if they are hunger, I suggest they drink a pint of water and very often that works.  However, during growth spurts, sometimes these things don't work as well and I'm not worried about it then.  I just try to do our best to give them what the body needs to grow.  

 

But I can't emphasize the eating of healthy fat enough.  Not tons and tons, but something regularly.  When reading up on this, I couldn't believe how many body functions RELY on healthy fat.  The brain is largely fed by fat and hormones are helped along by fat as well.  My kids doc (not crunchy at all) also told me that proper growth during those spurts depends on healthy fats first, protein second.  I thought that was interesting. and I don't mean gobs of fat, just fat accompanying most meals/snacks.

 

Food schedule here:

Bfst: 8 am  (as nutrient dense as I can muster)

 

Lunch noon or 1.

 

 A snack if you must;  mid morning.  Ironically, my kids have NOT asked for a snack mid morning on a school day since increasing nutritional amounts in their breakfast.  So I don't even need this here anymore.  However, because I've said this ..it will likely change tomorrow. lol  So: snacks between meals or after dinner must be fruit and milk or fruit OR milk.  You don't even have to ask!  Just go get it.  Oh...you don't want that?  You aren't hungry I guess!  (this dodges the "I'm bored, thus I"m hungry" syndrome we seem to have).

 

3 pm - the only time for pantry food.  I actually give the kids free reign at this time.  I buy groceries every two weeks and put healthy food (the healthiest I can find/afford as processed food goes) in there.  They are told that I will not buy any more until DH gets paid again in two weeks and I absolutely stick to it.  At their age, they can gauge the food consumption, I've found.  And I want them to learn to self regulate with out me.  DH and I don't eat the stuff in the pantry so it's completely up to them, whether or not it will stretch for two weeks.  I'm pretty generous too.  I"ve watched them negotiate whether to re-portion a snack that day as they've noticed the snack food is almost gone!  They self-regulate and put stuff back sometimes. Awesome!  I also make a few homemade things and add to the pantry.  They also have a jar of popcorn kernels to pop if they run out and they have had to do that a time or two.  They are told they can use the butter they need to flavor it, too (healthy fat, yeah!).  Win win.  

 

Dinner is at 6.  If they are hungry before that, same story..........fruit and/or milk.  Then nothing after 4:30.  Period.  

No snacks after dinner until right before bedtime (because they will intentionally skip a healthy dinner in order to snack right away).  If you are hungry right before bed..fruit and/or milk.  

 

Fruit can be peanut butter/banana (yes I'll allow peanut butter with the fruit if need be), apples and peanut butter, fruit smoothie (I keep frozen fruit of all kinds on hand for this and they can get creative with it if they want), veggies and dip, just an piece of fruit by itself even.  We don't buy canned fruit because of the syrups added and because I'd rather them have raw fruit for nutritional content.  Now and then I'll include raw nuts in this if there's some sitting around.

 

Having specific times to eat here and sticking to it has REALLY helped  and they have learned to drink water in between sometimes.  My DS told me he didn't believe that thirst feels like hunger sometimes until he started drinking water between meals.  Now he can tell this was happening to him.

 

Having a "3 oclock only" pantry food/snack time has really helped.  They can opt for fruit at this time , too.  

 

Now we have a pretty relaxed flow of when food gets eaten around here and there is virtually no issues.  They know what to expect, when and when they can go find something to eat on their own, and what to look for.  I would adjust slightly for youngers but I would think the same sort of thing would apply here.

 

 

 

[SKL]

If my kids ask for more carby food after having already had enough, I will tell them they need to first balance out what they've eaten by having some fresh fruit/veg and/or some protein.  Frequently they drop the subject at that point.  Which tells me they weren't actually hungry.

 

We don't graze and we don't normally eat anywhere (at home) but the kitchen table.  Therefore they are not in the habit of thinking of snacks as a remedy for boredom.

[Desert Strawberry]

I cook 2-3 large meals a day. Mainly of the beans and rice variety. Often eggs and something. We have a case of apples, carrots, or other fruit/ raw veg for snacks. 
I'm busy with the baby in the morning. Aries serves up cold cereal with almond milk to the little ones. They are limited to one bowl and one fruit, or they would eat until it's gone/lunchtime.
If we have a snack time, it's usually of the fruit and nuts type or popcorn. 
My kids do eat a ton. Buying in bulk helps a lot. 
 

 

[ChocolateReignRemix]

A lot of good advice (and as usual some not overly useful advice) but one thing to keep in mind is that kids are different, and some simply have different needs.  Rather than making multiple radical changes at once, make a a change or two (more protein early would be a good place to start), see how they respond, and then adjust accordingly.

 

[TammyinTN]

I find that my grand-baby (almost 3)  does way better on protein.    

 

8 amBreakfast :  egg with cheese, bacon and 1 slice of toast, 1 cup of whole milk

 

12pm Lunch:  Pb&J, cheese stick and jello with fruit, 1 cup of whole milk

 

3:00 -snack peanuts, goldfish and 1 cup of apple juice (1/2 apple juice and 1/2 water) 

 

6:30 pm Dinner:  chicken, green beans with bacon, apple sauce, roll and 1 cup of milk with a chocolate chip cookie

 

This was our day today and she was fueled and not cranky! 

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

A lot of good advice (and as usual some not overly useful advice) but one thing to keep in mind is that kids are different, and some simply have different needs.  Rather than making multiple radical changes at once, make a a change or two (more protein early would be a good place to start), see how they respond, and then adjust accordingly.

 

Very true.  One thing I avoid is making food some sort of major issue and problem.  I chalk it up that this is just one of those damn annoying things that requires a lot of effort as a parent.  Add to that fact my kids are home all day and not eating elsewhere once in awhile like many other kids...it's no wonder I get tired of it.

[pehp]

My children eat more than I think is humanly possible, but they typically do it in three meals with maybe 1 afternoon snack sometimes.

 

I like to make them a good breakfast (oatmeal for my daughter, something high in protein for my son).  

 

They eat large regular meals, if that makes sense.  Today for lunch, for instance = salmon burgers, cashews, raisins, apple slices.  

 

If they complain of hunger half an hour after eating I will assume they did not have a sufficient meal.  If they complain of hunger half an hour or an hour before we eat they can have nuts/a bit of cheese and some fruit or vegetable but not enough of anything to spoil their mealtime appetite.

 

So I guess big meals are the key around here!