LisaKinVA Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I seem to be the only person in my circle of family and friends who allow their children to have certain snacks ANY TIME (regardless of if it's 5 min. before dinner, or 1 hr. before bedtime). My list includes: fresh raw broccoli, carrots, snap peas, apples and pears. We have these on-hand all of the time. The children do have to ask permission -- as I want to be aware of what they are eating, plus when they say they "don't want that" I can say, "well, you probably aren't really hungry then, have a glass of water and go find something to do." I do have one child, in particular, who thinks of raw broccoli as "natures candy", and is very excited when he gets to have it (he does not like cooked broccoli or cooked carrots though). I feel like I'm instilling good eating habits -- they don't "snack" all day, but honestly, what's wrong with a child eating fresh fruits and veggies any time? I've been called "too permissive" about snacks.... I could see this if they were snacking on candy and junk any time they want -- but fresh fruits and veggies? Really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I allow mine to snack pretty much whenever, unless I think they are eating because they are bored. I have one ds in particular who needs to eat every 2 hours or so to function well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 although I do tell DS not to eat a snack right before a meal. But other than that, he tends to snack pretty frequently (he's 12.5, and growing like a weed!). I've always assumed moms who have lots of kids need to be more set about snacking, just because of the expense. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Well, if you're weird, then so am I! We have a variety of fresh veggies, fruit, yogurt, nuts, and some frozen fruit as well. They can have them almost any time. I do ask them to wait until dinner if I'm putting it on the table at the time though. I think it teaches them to eat when hungry and teaches them good snacking choices/habits. Very rarely will a child overeat fruit and veggies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 We have set meal and snack times spread 2 hours or so apart. I do not let them eat in between those times because they then don't eat their meal and/or have a habit of forgetting to eat all together. The other problem I ran into with my oldest is eating all of the snack food in the house in one sitting leaving none for the rest of the week, I can't afford to buy it everyday. I offer the same things as you, healthy choices not junk but he has virtually no impulse control so he will eat all 24 packs of yogurt for example, or the entire box of oranges etc. By having the meny posted with set snacks at set times I have not had to deal with all of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 You are allowed to snack on raw veggies any time of day. Fruit-most of the time. If dinner will be on the table within the next 20 minutes you can have a carrot or wait it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Except no candy before lunch, and no candy just before dinner... Other snacks are fine, but I'll remind him if it's just about a mealtime that we are about to eat anyway, and he'll generally wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I don't limit any foods at any time. I'm trying to help my children learn how to deal with food. No one will limit their food when they are adults and can buy it themselves. Ask me how I know. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 As long as it's fruit or raw veggies, I don't care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 No, not weird here! I don't limit fruits and veggies at all either, and I don't really limit any snacks unless they've been eating too much junk overall. Mostly, this applies to my DD3 at the moment. DD6 is pretty good at self-regulating. We bought a bag of candy at one of those choose your own candy places early last week, and I think she's had four little items out of it. She has it hidden away in her room away from her sister, of course, but I'm amazed at how she's being so careful with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I don't think you're weird at all. In fact, I think you're doing really well. Don't let the naysayers get you down--it's great that you are teaching your kids to enjoy healthy snacks and to regulate that themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I don't think you're weird at all. In fact, I think you're doing really well. Don't let the naysayers get you down--it's great that you are teaching your kids to enjoy healthy snacks and to regulate that themselves. Hear! Hear! I'd think you were too permissive if you permitted those who choose to criticize your good choices to get you down or start questioning yourself. I happen to agree with you, though. I let my daughter snack at will if it's fresh fruit/veggies. I do have one restriction: save one for me! I like to snack on fresh fruits and veggies, too. I buy enough for everyone to have two or three but it's no fair if they're gobbled up and I don't get one, too. So I get several apples, several oranges, et c. and at least one of each has to remain in the bowl for mom. I usually only get enough to last a couple of days and then my husband stops on the way home on Wednesdays and picks up more fruit, usually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I'm wierd, too. Mine can have fresh veggies anytime of day, or nuts or seeds of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Thank you... I didn't think there was anything wrong with this -- but sometimes, the looks I get :D Of course, I DO think my 5yo who is "addicted" to raw broccoli is a little strange... but I'm not going to tell him that!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profmom Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I don't think you're weird, but I have a different perspective. I want all of us to eat at the same time, and I'd rather have the kitchen closed in between meals and snacks (no limit on drinks). We have lunch a little early (dh's choice) and a snack at 3:00. If they eat much past 3:30, they aren't hungry for dinner. However, if I'm in the kitchen preparing lunch or dinner and the kids want to munch on some of the fresh veggies I'm cutting, I'll gladly let them. If they say they are starving at a different time (which is rare), I will let them have a snack, but I ask them what they ate at the last meal (usually breakfast) and suggest that they change it up (such as adding more protein) to help them last until lunch the next time. Based on this thread, I'm the weird one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnetteB Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Snack times here are set at 10:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. now by drs. orders to maintain even blood glucose for dd. It works nicely to avoid the feeling that the kitchen is always "Open" which annoyed me with several children opening and shutting the fridg! Teen boys follow another set of rules, though :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 My kids can have fresh fruit, vegetables, or raw nuts whenever they like. Barring a medical reason to regulate their eating, I certainly don't think it's permissive to allow children to have healthy, natural foods whenever they like. Tar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I don't limit any foods at any time. I'm trying to help my children learn how to deal with food. No one will limit their food when they are adults and can buy it themselves. Ask me how I know. :o We are the same way here and my kids are incredibly well regulating. We also don't believe in the "clean plate club" either, we encourage them to try each item we serve, but they by no means have to eat everything, they eat until they feel they are full. I wish this is how my parents were, my dh comes from a family of "plate must be clean" folk and it took a long time for him to adjust but I just don't think that's healthy. I mean if you're full after only a half serving then you're full right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 We are the same way here and my kids are incredibly well regulating. We also don't believe in the "clean plate club" either, we encourage them to try each item we serve, but they by no means have to eat everything, they eat until they feel they are full. I wish this is how my parents were, my dh comes from a family of "plate must be clean" folk and it took a long time for him to adjust but I just don't think that's healthy. I mean if you're full after only a half serving then you're full right? Yep, same here. We allow snacks of healthy foods anytime and when they are gone then they are gone until the next shopping trip. The kids are good about only taking one item per snack and they generally only eat a few snacks a day unless we are really busy and active. Some of our family gets frustrated by this, and they don't get to keep the kids because they hassle them about it. They are all on diets from being life time members of the 'clean your plate club' too (no snacks so they eat big meals to 'hold them over until the next meal'), but my kids are all a healthy weight. So, if you are strange, then I will join your club! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
profmom Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Ok, I'm sorry I posted, but I just want to say that we're not "clean your platers," even though we don't do snacks at any time. I really do try for balance. I think there are people with both (or all) snacking philosophies that are overweight (and healthy weight). I'm sorry that any of you have felt judged by others on this issue, and I know that all of us are just trying to do what we feel is best for our kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 :DI think the best advice for meal-time I ever received was... think about how much your child will eat, and then put half of that on their plate. We do say "no seconds" unless certain foods are eaten (meat & veggies). My family loves bread... so if I didn't have at least the meat & veggies rule they'd fill up on that. Usually, it does wind up that the children eat about 5-6 small meals a day. Breakfast is at 7, snack is about 9:30, lunch is about 11:30, snack around 2:00... but now we're trying to have dinner at 6, so we'll probably have to add in a second snack around 4:00, or I'm going to have whiny kiddos for dinner. But, if we had dinner at 5 (which is what we have been doing), they are hungry around 7pm... when I'm trying to get everyone ready for bed. Just glad I'm not the only one. I don't like food & meal times to be a battle. And we're definitely not in the "clean your plate" category. We try to be matter of fact, talk about healthy food choices -- that sweets are fine, but we need to make sure we eat plenty of fresh fruits, veggies, etc. too. I also try to make sure that they get adequate protein (cheese, yogurt, peanut butter/nuts) as part of their snacks -- because it's important to keep them from being constantly hungry. Sneaking whey powder into a fruit smoothie is another trick I've gotten pretty good at :D So, we're in good company -- at least in the virtual world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I've been called "too permissive" about snacks.... I could see this if they were snacking on candy and junk any time they want -- but fresh fruits and veggies? Really? Kiddo has his father's (and my brother's) hollow leg, and he starts to cry and can't say why when he suddenly runs out of glucose. Since I am cinching up his slim pants, I feed him whenever and whatever he likes. He loves broccoli and cabbage, and beans and chili, and edame and tofu. I put cheese sauce, peanut sauce or olive oil on everything I can. My only rule is that if he has left anything on his plate, he doesn't get a fruit bar or granola bar. He can have an apple. My mother fed us meat, and had every meal on the table ON the DOT. Our stomachs knew what to expect. Hubby doesn't cook, only warms up what I have in the fridge, and I never know when he'll eat. So, until he looks meatier or starts demanding junk, he gets to eat anything he dang pleases. BTW, my extremely strict mother always had a bushel basket out with either apples, oranges or grapefruits in it. We could eat those any time, any amount. I'm willing to bet anyone on this board I had the strictest food-mother here....so strict that I nearly fell over at a dog show in Canberra at age 9 because I would not eat a sandwich made with white bread my friend's mother bought me, because white bread was verboten. I'd never *had* a slice. (I politely pocketed the thing, didn't complain, felt woozy, and brought it home to give to my parents. It had vegamite on it. My mother was ready to put it, reluctantly, in the trash, but my father said he would never waste food, and ate it instead of dessert. I kept waiting for the thunderbolt to descend, but it didn't.) My mother did, however, feed me kirsch cake in Canberra, and later on made Prune-o on the counter to spoon over custard and such. Prune-o! That's what they make in prison!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 I've been called "too permissive" about snacks.... I am sorry, but this must be said: This, my dear, is when you deliver the Please pass the bean dip line. (I couldn't resist.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 She is naturally very thin, and doesn't eat all that many different foods, but her snacks are always healthy ones, and she has a very healthy diet. I find that when I restrict her, she just wastes away; and as she is not defiant or particularly strong willed, I respect that this is an area where if I force her I will do her harm. I do not want to end up with a kid with an eating disorder on my hands, and given her history, that is a distinct possibility. I expect her to sit with us whether she is hungry or not, and to make polite conversation, and that if she is hungry she eats a balanced meal with us or a balanced snack without us. Balanced means fruit or vegetables (sometimes both--no limit), carb, and protein. (In other words, if we are eating together she does not get to say that she just had a balanced snack, so now it's time for her to eat dessert.) However, when some other family is eating together, and she is a guest, the rules are: She is to go and sit down with the rest and take some of whatever she can eat that they are serving. If they don't have anything that she can eat, she is to say 'No thank you.' If pressed, she is to say that she is not hungry. (This is the one and only social fib that I condone.) (And that way they don't go out of their way to make up something specific for her, and she doesn't undermine their family rules about their children eating what is served.) She can't say anything negative about any food anywhere. No yuck, no bad faces, no indication of anything but pleasure, gratitude, and polite lack of hunger. If she says that she is not hungry, she can't eat there for at least 2 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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