Snackers

[alias]

E is a snacker.  He doesn't ever eat a lot at one time.  And when he's done, he's done.  Throwing food, screaming, done.  But, he's walking and growing and seems to be constantly hungry.  This is very annoying, because it is lots of small meals and snacks.  And, I'm trying to keep milk in a cup and while he's sitting, but he never drinks a whole cup at once.  He'll drinking like 1/2, then want to get down and play, then drink a little more, then play, then finish it, over the course of an hour or so.  

Does anyone have a kid like this?  He's small, he's hungry, he needs to eat/drink, but it's super annoying.  Any tips?

[shevacc]

I gave G until ~18 months and then started to be pretty strict about food once I knew she understood what I was telling her. Most of our "rules" come from Ellyn Satter. We only eat at the table for set meals and snacks. And she can only choose from the food at the table (though I make sure there's at least something she usually likes). Leaving, making a mess, or wasting food means she's done until the next set mealtime. Of course I offer breakfast 8ish, snack 10, lunch noon, snack 3ish, dinner 6:30. Sometimes we do 2 afternoon snacks...so it's only a few hours to the next mealtime.

Before 18 months, I would offer a special meal if she refused dinner and I forgave a lot more playing around. I still had her eat at the table, though.

[dana86]

I wanna say around 15-18months I cracked down on that. I tried keeping a 3 meals and 2 snacks a day schedule before and if she didn't eat much at lunch her second snack might have become more of a meal but then about 15 months I kept to the meal plan. She could eat what was offered at each time or wait till next meal. Depending on how much she would leave behind for her big meals the leftovers might have become the snack. As for milk M would have a constant flow of milk through the day. It was all she drank and to this day it still most of what she drinks. If she is eating she is sitting at her table and she stays there until she is done either the food is gone or she doesn't want anymore.

[alias]

He eats at the table, but there is a lot of up and down. Although, I occasionally let him have a bite of something I'm eating b/c otherwise I can only eat when he's asleep. Milk is usually sitting, but sometimes snuggling w/ me. He also drinks water and sometimes juice.

[dana86]

I think the up and down is just something that comes with time. Has he has the free range of getting up and down on his own for a while, or is it something kind of new still?

M still gets distracted with things sometimes and will run from the table during dinner and we just remind her to sit until she is done. She also has her own little size table to sit at and she will sit better if I sit with her.

[stretchad]

We are seeing a nutritionist for DS because he's not gaining enough weight. DS was a bit of a grazer, but the nutritionist suggested that we consolidate feedings so that he actually has some time to build up some hunger for a meal. Rather than snack all day, focus on Breafast, Lunch, Dinner plus a couple snacks. Limit liquids until AFTER eating, minimize things like water, juice because for him, they're somewhat empty calories.

Maybe that would help?

[shevacc]

Aug 28, 2014 10:19:48 GMT -5 stretchad said:

We are seeing a nutritionist for DS because he's not gaining enough weight. DS was a bit of a grazer, but the nutritionist suggested that we consolidate feedings so that he actually has some time to build up some hunger for a meal. Rather than snack all day, focus on Breafast, Lunch, Dinner plus a couple snacks. Limit liquids until AFTER eating, minimize things like water, juice because for him, they're somewhat empty calories.

Maybe that would help?

Hunger also works wonders for decreasing the pickiness that often pops up around 14-16 months!

[alias]

He can't get up & down on his own, but he can make it clear he's done & wants down. Then, about an hour later he gets fussy, so I put him back up to finish his dinner.

It's it simuch that he's picky as that he gets full or tied of eating and then hungry again. Mostly, this is an issue in the evenings when he's cranky. But, daycare has said he's eating his normal meals and snacks this week, but still hungry.

The juice is only a little & because the whole milk constipated him. I give hi water and/or milk w/ or after he eats, mostly after. He definitely is drinking more milk than I'd like and is rather more good, less milk, but I can't figure out the transition.

It probably would help if he'd take a nap when we get home, but he won't. He always falls asleep in the car on the way home, but its a short rude and he wakes up when I get home. Then he's tired and hungry and cranky and its a mess.

[ilovebed]

Blb eats constantly it seems. We have no real set schedule on weekends. She wakes up anywhere between 7-8:30. She'll want something to eat right away so I usually give her a little something and then then H and I are full functioning we'll eat a larger late breakfast together. She usually will take a nap between 11-2 so she sleeps through lunch but is starving when she gets up so she'll eat a full lunch at the table. Then maybe a snack around 4. Then we eat dinner around 6/6:30.

[shevacc]

One more thing -- G often eats a big breakfast, a decent lunch and snacks, but then falls apart before eating much dinner. I just go with it. Dinner isn't her most important meal of the day...she's very often more tired than hungry. So I would judge success or failure across a day or week's eating, not just one meal.