kids eating all day...

[knittingk]

My kidos snack all day long as well. I actually cut the snacks about 1 hour before meals. I usually have cut apples and dry cherrios out they are able to eat anytime and leave them sitting on the table so they don't ask till the bowls are empty. Sometimes I will give suprise them and give them goldfish. I just found they ate way more fish crackers and would not eat meals as well..figured out they limit themselves on apples/oranges and cherrios.

[Melinda29]

My kids used to do this. Honestly, I think asking for food had become a habit, rather than a need. If they could go 3-4 hours between nursing as EBF infants, eating a total of 4 times a day, without a fuss, they can do it now on table food

I finally put my foot down and we eat four times a day, total. Breakfast at 7:00, lunch at 11:00, snack at 2:30, supper at 6:00. Kitchen is closed the rest of the time. They (usually) don't even ask anymore, unless I start caving, then they totally revert back. I can't believe how much food they will eat at a meal now that I insist on this. And how much healthier. They devour their vegetables.

My rules:

They can eat as much or as little of anything served that they want, but I will not make different food to suit someone if they don't like what I serve.

We only eat whole foods. Nothing processed. They can have water whenever they want.

When they leave the table, they must ask to be excused and then that is it, no more food until the next meal (we had a lot of wandering around the kitchen prior to that rule).

Holidays and parties are free for all. I don't worry about when they eat or what. We all need a break sometimes

[BNC]

My kids can have fruit or fresh veggies without dip (less mess) whenever they want. One of the drawers in the fridge is their snack drawer and it has cut veggies in it and apples, and grapes. Then on the counter is always bananas and other fruit.

They are 20months, 3 and 4. They all get their own snacks (the baby sometimes needs help, but usually is ok)

[oneduckstuck5]

Originally Posted by Melinda29 My kids used to do this. Honestly, I think asking for food had become a habit, rather than a need. If they could go 3-4 hours between nursing as EBF infants, eating a total of 4 times a day, without a fuss, they can do it now on table food I finally put my foot down and we eat four times a day, total. Breakfast at 7:00, lunch at 11:00, snack at 2:30, supper at 6:00. Kitchen is closed the rest of the time. They (usually) don't even ask anymore, unless I start caving, then they totally revert back. I can't believe how much food they will eat at a meal now that I insist on this. And how much healthier. They devour their vegetables. My rules: They can eat as much or as little of anything served that they want, but I will not make different food to suit someone if they don't like what I serve. We only eat whole foods. Nothing processed. They can have water whenever they want. When they leave the table, they must ask to be excused and then that is it, no more food until the next meal (we had a lot of wandering around the kitchen prior to that rule). Holidays and parties are free for all. I don't worry about when they eat or what. We all need a break sometimes

This sounds like our house! I homeschool and so I think it's even worse when they're here all day. They think they can just wander in and munch whenever they can't think of something else to do. With 6 kids it makes for a constantly messy kitchen and an empty pantry sooner than it needs to be. I try to make sure they have good filling meals and usually offer fruit or veggie for snack in between meals. If my kids are really hungry they'll eat the options I give them, if not they'll make it to the next meal. We do build in special treats (like a special dessert for Fri. night movie night), holidays, and sometimes Sun. mornings before church.

[stephbrown13]

I'd try to do a bigger, more protein filled breakfast. Like the cheesy eggs and maybe some bacon, or at least switch around the eggs with the cereal. I'd also try to cut out some of the carbs and replace with more protein it really helps keep them fuller longer and keep blood sugar levels regulated. Some easy snacks are yogurt, cheese, lunch meat, jerky, nuts.

[Celeste]

What about a snack basket? Your kids eating habits/schedule sound a lot like mine. I have a basket of snacks that I will let them grab in between times. I keep raisins, Clif bars, fruit leather, stuff like that in there. I also have grapes and carrots washed and ready to go in the fridge. It just makes it easier for them to grab something healthy on their own, with little to no help from me. They have to ask first, though. My kids are 2,3, and almost 6.

[twood80]

I leave out "indicators" of Cheerios and sometimes grapes. If LO is hungry, then those start disappearing, and it also helps me figure out why they're cranky. But then again LO isn't big enough to be attempting to raid the fridge on their own yet.

[mickerz]

Originally Posted by Melinda29 My rules: They can eat as much or as little of anything served that they want, but I will not make different food to suit someone if they don't like what I serve. We only eat whole foods. Nothing processed. They can have water whenever they want. When they leave the table, they must ask to be excused and then that is it, no more food until the next meal (we had a lot of wandering around the kitchen prior to that rule). Holidays and parties are free for all. I don't worry about when they eat or what. We all need a break sometimes

Totally love this, I want to copy it and put it in my kitchen!

[ummsmiley]

Originally Posted by beckstar maybe try the cheese eggs first? i know if i eat a carb-y breakfast, i get hungry a lot faster than if i eat something high in protein first. you are offering lots of whole foods, so that is good. just limit sugar and refined products (there is corn syrup/sugar in a lot of condiments, as well) and hopefully their appetites will be more sustained and for longer periods.

I was thinking this. Protein first.I think another mama said this too. Cold cereal is one of the worst things to have 1st thing in the morning. Seems like your doing a great job with whole foods but I do think there's room for improvement. Maybe oatmeal,or cream of wheat in the am with a hard boiled egg. Easy homemade whole wheat banana muffins make great snacks and are filling. If no one is allergic to nuts, how about some trail mix? I have five kids who use to ask all day,but after some trial and error AND several conversations with a nutritionist I realized that a lot of tweaking makes a difference. My kids are allowed to snack on veggies without having to ask and water. I always keep a bowl of baby carrots,celery,cut up red pepper,ect in he fridge that they can snack on. Protein first thing in the morning has made the biggest difference. I boil a couple dozen eggs,peal them,and keep them in the fridge for mornings I don't feel like,or have time to cook hot eggs. Home fries scramble is another staple here for breakfast....it's cut up potatoes,onions and peppers(optional), and crumbled up ground turkey,seasoned and sautéed on med./high. You can put whole potatoes you've forked stabbed in a tightly tied closed plastic grocery bag for 10 min. in the microwave to make the potatoes in advance...then just cut up when needed. We also do egg frittatas some mornings. Scramble 8-10 eggs and pour into a deep dish pie plate,add cheese,crumbled sausage,spinach,grated zucchini,mushrooms,whatever you want or have on hand...bake on 350 for a half hour or knife comes out the center clean. It can also be made the night before and reheated in the am.You can buy the liquid egg beaters or egg whites only to make it even easier and cholesterol free! Those are just a few suggestions, but you need to give them more slow releasing foods that digest slowly and keep them fuller longer.

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[thekuligs]

UGH My kids were driving me crazy with this too. We now have designated snack time--which they do not get if they do not eat meals--I am not a short order cook, you eat what we eat or you don't. We also have a fruit bowl where they can have whatever they want, whenever they want; but I put it away before I start getting meals ready.