How to deal with snack culture if you follow Ellyn Satter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don’t understand parents like you that don’t let their small child have a snack. Their belly is small and can only fit so much so they get hungry faster than adults do. It’s pretty cruel to deny them a snack if you ask me.

I don’t either. Humans were designed to graze, not gorge and fast. My dad, a pediatrician, says it is healthier to eat small amounts more times throughout the day than 3 big meals with nothing in between. We have relatives who allow zero snacks, even healthy ones, for their young kids and are very controlling about their kids’ food. It’s very stressful to be around. Just make sure you provide healthy food & model healthy habits for your kid. Lighten up. Don’t make food an issue.

[Anonymous]

We have 2 snacks a day 10ish and 3/4ish. And 3 meals. All snacks are at a table or park bench or some other dedicated sitting and eating spot.

[Anonymous]

Holy hell in a hand basket…so many food control freaks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell in a hand basket…so many food control freaks.

Right? My kids are allowed to go into the pantry or fridge and eat anything they want at any time. I want to teach them how to eat when hungry, not gorge themselves when food is available because God knows when they'll get another snack. If you don't want them eating certain things don't buy them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ellyn Satter talks about 2 - 3 snacks a day, so if you're committed to following her guidance. The goal if for kids to come to meals a little hungry but not super hungry.

I'd schedule a mid morning snack. It doesn't have to be served at home at a table. Ellyn definitely believes in picnics, for example. It just needs to be served sitting down, with others eating as well, and be a time limited event (e.g. right now we are eating, as opposed to eating while running around). So, if you're on an outing, and the other kid gets a snack, you pull out your snack and say "let's sit down and eat". If the other family wants to sit with you and trade food that's fine. If the other family wants to trade food, and let their kid run around, you say to your child "let's go to the bench and eat together there." Then after the snack, your kid goes back to playing. If they want to keep eating you remind them that they had their snack and lunch will be "in just a little while" as Ellyn says.

+1 we were strong adherents to the Satter approach but at 2 yrs old the kids definitely had a mid-morning and a post-nap snack. Really, the mid-morning snack continued during the preschool years.

Same here. We had a mid-morning and a mid-afternoon snack. They were just part of the regular routine. Little kids have little tummies, and they burn a LOT of energy. And it was an easy way to get more fruits and veggies.

[Anonymous]

I HATE that so many toddler have snack cups attached to their hands in the playground. It’s gross. Of course my 14 month d wants whatever they’re eating and although we explain it to her she still wants it and is so distracted by it.

[Anonymous]

I was like this with my first child, but completely different with my second child.

My first child just didn't seem to need a morning snack, and barely needed an afternoon one either. She was better about sitting at the table for like an hour until she had eaten her whole meal. She also wasn't as active as my second child, and also slept more. I would get annoyed when people offered morning scacks because that usually meant she was too full for lunch, AND I did (and still do) find it inconvenient to take a snack everywhere I go.

Anywayyyy fast forward to my second child. Just a totally different kid. Eats two bites of his meals then is done and zooming around playing. Just more of a grazer - doesn't want to eat big meals. Definitely needs a morning snack and an afternoon snack or will melt down. So that's what we do! And by this age my daughter seems to need them too because she's older and a lot more active than she was as a toddler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was like this with my first child, but completely different with my second child.

My first child just didn't seem to need a morning snack, and barely needed an afternoon one either. She was better about sitting at the table for like an hour until she had eaten her whole meal. She also wasn't as active as my second child, and also slept more. I would get annoyed when people offered morning scacks because that usually meant she was too full for lunch, AND I did (and still do) find it inconvenient to take a snack everywhere I go.

Anywayyyy fast forward to my second child. Just a totally different kid. Eats two bites of his meals then is done and zooming around playing. Just more of a grazer - doesn't want to eat big meals. Definitely needs a morning snack and an afternoon snack or will melt down. So that's what we do! And by this age my daughter seems to need them too because she's older and a lot more active than she was as a toddler.

Oh, but I will say, I still don't let them run around with snacks. Like I wouldn't let them walk around a playground or museum with a snack container. Playground snack, they come to me and I get their snack container out, then they eat a little and go back to playing. I do like to keep it fairly discreet, too, because yes I understand it's a distraction for other kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell in a hand basket…so many food control freaks.

Right? My kids are allowed to go into the pantry or fridge and eat anything they want at any time. I want to teach them how to eat when hungry, not gorge themselves when food is available because God knows when they'll get another snack. If you don't want them eating certain things don't buy them.

In 30+ years OP's kid is going to be post asking for strategies for visiting Grandma and dealing with "the kitchen is closed". Love insane FTMs and love this thread! BTW, sitting here reading this while sitting at my desk finishing up a snack of a mini diet coke and some left over halloween candy.

[Anonymous]

OP I think you probably need to loosen up. If you’re this rigid with ANY system, it’s too much. Your kid is just going to go bananas as soon as they can break free.

[Anonymous]

Different things work for different kids or for different families.
I think one issue with all these different philosophies for parenting (which are mostly developed so people can sell books) is that they make people feel like they should be more rigid than real life allows. My advice is to lighten up a bit and do what works for your kid in the moment, which sometimes might involve sharing a snack with friends and something might be “no thanks—he has an apple before we left home so he is all good!”

[Anonymous]

Lot of weird eating issues in these parts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell in a hand basket…so many food control freaks.

Right? My kids are allowed to go into the pantry or fridge and eat anything they want at any time. I want to teach them how to eat when hungry, not gorge themselves when food is available because God knows when they'll get another snack. If you don't want them eating certain things don't buy them.

In 30+ years OP's kid is going to be post asking for strategies for visiting Grandma and dealing with "the kitchen is closed". Love insane FTMs and love this thread! BTW, sitting here reading this while sitting at my desk finishing up a snack of a mini diet coke and some left over halloween candy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell in a hand basket…so many food control freaks.

Right? My kids are allowed to go into the pantry or fridge and eat anything they want at any time. I want to teach them how to eat when hungry, not gorge themselves when food is available because God knows when they'll get another snack. If you don't want them eating certain things don't buy them.

In 30+ years OP's kid is going to be post asking for strategies for visiting Grandma and dealing with "the kitchen is closed". Love insane FTMs and love this thread! BTW, sitting here reading this while sitting at my desk finishing up a snack of a mini diet coke and some left over halloween candy.

The kid will be fine- he can always have a nice juicy pear on the porch

[Anonymous]

The obsession is crazy. Regulating when they eat. Orthorexia. Whatever you call an obsession with your kids eating the most exotic foods available. This is gonna be a very interesting generation.