How many snacks?

[Anonymous]

Do you have a limit on snacks on the way home? My 2.5 year old is forward facing and I have started offering a snack on our 25 minute drive home. Nothing too exciting, apple sauce, pirates booty, etc. Last week he wanted 2 snacks (an upgrade from the prior weeks). This week he has wanted 3 snacks on the way home. I’m not someone who really “polices” eating and it doesn’t seem to effect his appetite for dinner. I feel like this is a dumb question, but do other people limit snacks? He is definitely a creature of habit and I feel like the number I give is the number he will then expect going forward. I would think it’s boredom and he isn’t actually hungry except for the fact that he still eats dinner.

[Anonymous]

He sounds really hungry. I don't restrict food, this teaches them to gorge when food is available. If he's hungry offer food until he's full, just offer healthy stuff.

[Anonymous]

I'd offer something with protein combined with another food group. If still hungry after that I'd offer vegetable until he felt full.

[Anonymous]

Don't daycares usually do an afternoon snack?

I would play it based on appetite for dinner, but I can tell you my kids would pick at dinner if they got 3 snacks a couple hours before.

[Anonymous]

He’s clearly hungry so I’d give something with more staying power that also won’t yuck up the car too much: cheese stick and apple slices; peanut butter crackers and a banana; homemade smoothie with full fat yogurt, etc.

[Anonymous]

It’s the over snackification (tm) of American children. Snacks all the time!

It sounds like you need to offer him one protein heavy snack. Some kids might be hungry some kids just a little gluttonous. You know your child and deep down you’ll know if he’s hungry or really just wants to eat for the sake of eating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s the over snackification (tm) of American children. Snacks all the time!

It sounds like you need to offer him one protein heavy snack. Some kids might be hungry some kids just a little gluttonous. You know your child and deep down you’ll know if he’s hungry or really just wants to eat for the sake of eating.

Seriously, this kind of attitude bugs me. Not everyone adheres to three squares. I’m not American, grew up long ago, and I have never been a meal person. My natural inclination is to graze, and that’s what keeps me healthy and happy. I don’t understand the concept of forcing someone to be hungry, and to eat a certain amount, at a specified time. This is especially true for growing bodies constantly in motion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the over snackification (tm) of American children. Snacks all the time!

It sounds like you need to offer him one protein heavy snack. Some kids might be hungry some kids just a little gluttonous. You know your child and deep down you’ll know if he’s hungry or really just wants to eat for the sake of eating.

Seriously, this kind of attitude bugs me. Not everyone adheres to three squares. I’m not American, grew up long ago, and I have never been a meal person. My natural inclination is to graze, and that’s what keeps me healthy and happy. I don’t understand the concept of forcing someone to be hungry, and to eat a certain amount, at a specified time. This is especially true for growing bodies constantly in motion.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't daycares usually do an afternoon snack?

I would play it based on appetite for dinner, but I can tell you my kids would pick at dinner if they got 3 snacks a couple hours before.

Yes, he gets an afternoon snack at school at 3 (protein + carb). I pick up at 5:30 and then we have dinner around 6:30pm.

I’ll try to bring carrot sticks too and just give 2 of my normal snacks and offer carrots after until he stops asking.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Just feed your kid. We jokingly called our kid snack monster for the first several years of her life. She is 8 now and doesn't snack that much and is a very healthy weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s the over snackification (tm) of American children. Snacks all the time!

It sounds like you need to offer him one protein heavy snack. Some kids might be hungry some kids just a little gluttonous. You know your child and deep down you’ll know if he’s hungry or really just wants to eat for the sake of eating.

Seriously, this kind of attitude bugs me. Not everyone adheres to three squares. I’m not American, grew up long ago, and I have never been a meal person. My natural inclination is to graze, and that’s what keeps me healthy and happy. I don’t understand the concept of forcing someone to be hungry, and to eat a certain amount, at a specified time. This is especially true for growing bodies constantly in motion.

It bothers you that I suggested a protein heavy snack? Or that I have an opinion that kids eat too many snacks? Because I never suggested she let her child go hungry. Because both things are true. I do think we give kids too many snacks and I think you should give him a snack since he’s hungry.

[Anonymous]

I think as long as they are healthy he can snack!

Apple slices + cheese, a clementine, some nuts...snack away! (although some of those are kind of choking hazards for a car drive so just be aware)

[Anonymous]

Sure! Bring some clementines, apples slices, thickly cut carrot sticks, cucumber slices.

My kids know--if you're hungry an hour before dinner you're welcome to as much produce as you want.

[Anonymous]

Stop feeding him in the car on the way home. He can wait 25 min it takes to drive home. Bad habit. He is just bored in the car. Bring a coloring book.

We do t give out snacks in the car unless it is a road trip

[Anonymous]

Protein and produce until dinner. Cheese or Greek yogurt in a (reusable) pouch, plus apple, banana, orange, berries, carrots, cucs, peppers, etc. No nuts or other choking hazards in the car until he's older. That's what we started with our toddlers and what we still do with our now elementary aged kids. We have always given "real" food for snacks and saved stuff like pirate's booty as a treat.