How do you deal with hungry kids before meals?

[iamgrace]

I want Henry to eat his meals, so I try to avoid snacks for 2 hours prior. He just begggggged me for a banana and i gave in. We will eat in an hour...and of course, he won't eat anything now. 

He ate lunch and was offered a snack when he came home from daycare at 3, which he refused. 

[ijack]

If he has a weight problem I would let him eat the snack. If he doesn't I would hold firm to the schedule and let him know at 3 that this was his last snack before dinner.

[8675309]

My son is a NIGHTMARE before dinner. As soon as we get home from the sitters he's at my leg and screaming at me. I give him veggies as a snack to hold him over until dinners officially ready.

[papie]

I let them snack on fruits or yogurt. I figure it is as healthy as whatever we are eating anyway.

[papie]

Oh and Sophia snacks at 3:30 at daycare and Anna snacks at 2 and 4 at school. They are still starving by the time we get home at 5:30 and we eat dinner at 6:30.

[flutterfly]

I give them a cheese stick or some carrot sticks with dip to much on. They'll drive me insane while I am trying to cook if I don't feed them something.

[Deleted]

Yeah, I do healthy stuff and don't worry if they don't eat as much dinner (obviously my guys don't have weight issues though).

Unless I'm literally in the middle of making it, and then I might toss them food over the gate like puppies (like A cracker or a piece of cheese or a piece of whatever I'm making) but that's it. No full snack if I'm in the process of making your food.

[papie]

Nov 11, 2013 16:46:23 GMT -5 @booby said:

i just let him eat. BUT, i still feed him before we have dinner. b/c i like to eat in peace. lol

Lol
I miss those days. For us they ended when Anna turned three and refused to fall asleep before 9:30. Now we are going through the same thing with Sophia.

[kristie]

I let her snack. String cheese, yogurt, fruit, whatever. Sometimes she eats dinner, sometimes she doesn't but I know she is starving when she gets home. Since I am not here half the nights anyways I am not strict with a schedule.

[Deleted]

Nov 11, 2013 16:46:59 GMT -5 papie said:

Oh and Sophia snacks at 3:30 at daycare and Anna snacks at 2 and 4 at school. They are still starving by the time we get home at 5:30 and we eat dinner at 6:30.

The boys' last official snack is 4 but they give the late kids (pickups between 5 and 5:30) something.  Or, they must, b/c while the boys are hungry after daycare they are rarely so hungry that Jake has to feed them before giving them dinner.

It's usually weekends where things are a little off that they start to beg, or growth spurts.

[miss.colorado]

If our kiddo is hungry before dinner, she can have fresh fruits or veggies. As much as she wants. Worse case she's then not hungry at dinner, it's because she's full of fruits and veggies. good luck!

[Deleted]

I offer yogurt or string cheese. Works most of the time. He eats less at dinner, but doesn't seem to be hungry later.

[DotAndBuzz]

I give them a healthy snack and turn on the tv so they're distracted and not focusing on ZOMG! I'M BORED AND TIRED AND HUNGRY AND NOT TOTALLY FULL SO I'M GOING TO WHIIIIIINNEEE. Yeah, I'm that mom. Whatever. They're quiet, and I count whatever I give them as part of their dinner. I used to get all crazy about snacking and not eating big "meals," but toddlers and food are so weird. Some days they're bottomless pits and eat for 3 solid hours, and others they won't eat anything.

[revolution]

Nov 11, 2013 16:46:59 GMT -5 papie said:

Oh and Sophia snacks at 3:30 at daycare and Anna snacks at 2 and 4 at school. They are still starving by the time we get home at 5:30 and we eat dinner at 6:30.

Yep.  WHen we get home the kids are starving, so they usually get a snack of some kind so I can actually make dinner.  We get home at 6, they have a snack and we eat at 6:30 or 6:45.  I try to do a healthy snack so if and when they don't eat dinner, I am ok with it.  

[iamgrace]

Okay, this makes me feel better. He's a shrimp, so I don't want to starve him. Lol. I usually give him the option of fruit of fruit or veggies before dinner. I'll KOKO.

[eddy]

I hate this hour of the day. BOth boys act as if they haven't eaten in days.

My solution lately is to feed them dinner before 5 pm. Rarely do we get to eat with H as he can't get home quick enough. We eat breakfast together so I count that as our family meal.

[eb777888]

If my kid would eat fruit, I'd let him have it whenever he wanted.

I usually make David wait and tell him if he's really hungry, he can have a yogurt. Sometimes he'll take me up on that, sometimes not.

[angelaa73]

Gouter a ok!

parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/why-french-parents-are-superior-in-one-way/
www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1082311-french-children-don-t-snack

[lulu13]

We do the fruit too. In fact my daughter just asked if it was okay to have a banana. She knows better than to ask for anything but fruit (she doesn't ask for veggies) after a certain time of day. My mom would always say "I don't want you fill up (on crap) before dinner."

[karinothing]

Cheese sticks and apples. But DS will still eat dinner after either of those. But normally I just say "go build mommy a tower!" and he yells "yeah!" and runs off forgetting he is hungry.