Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe you shouldn’t have three children if you can’t afford to feed them. It’s extremely poor parenting to consider giving your kids an eating disorder so you can cut back on groceries.

OP - I just don't understand how kids eat so much. I don't think I ever did as a kid. I probably eat around 1300 calories now as an adult and I work out every day. I have to consciously work to eat 1500 calories.

You are a full adult who only eats 1300 calories a day? That’s not normal. Get your thyroid checked. That’s not enough calories for your body to function. Not to mention you workout.

DP
1300 calories is actually normal for petite middle aged women. I'm 5'4" 118lbs. I was an athlete my whole life and now in my 50s my basal metabolic rate is about 1000 calories. My body is so efficient with energy that when I'm not exercising 1200-1300 calories is all I need. At my peak athletic performance (late teens early 20s) I ate 3000-5000 calories a day. I was the same height and 115 lbs. I've literally never been unhealthy over or under weight. Metabolism changes with age and those of us in tune with our bodies can just listen to the signals to know when to eat or not. And yes, I have my hormones check every year as part of my executive physical. I'm extremely healthy.

Op - I am 5’7” and 135 pounds. I lift weights 3 times a week and walk 15,000ish steps 7 days a week. I typically eat 1300-1500 calories a day. Never more than that.

i’m calling BS on this. That’s about 3 hours of walking a day. There is no way you have time for that, plus also lifting weights and working full time. Plus you are running after your kids? You don’t have toddlers by the nature of your post so I can’t imagine “running after your kids” is actually a thing. I have 3 kids-only one of them is younger than school age and I only work part time and can’t get that amount of movement in 7 days a week.

Scale back now so you can afford the food bill when they are teenagers.

I have 3 kids with a similar age spread and they aeat a similar amount. I am also appalled by the grocery bill. Here are a couple of things that have helped:
1. Frozen strawberries and blueberries. My kids will eat these from those giant bags and fill up on them, way more cost effective than the fresh fruit.
2. Shopping at Costco or Sam’s Club. For a family of 5 you just need large quantities of food and it is so much more cost effective.
3. Recognizing that they probably fill up at home because they barely eat at school. So I let them eat as much as they want when they get home(within reason).
4. Cut up some vegetables and put them out with snacks and meals. They get eaten along with the other things and I don’t feel so bad!

Aldi.

Anonymous wrote:I don't limit food, but we buy in season. We also talk about healthy choices and not taking large amounts and leaving none for the rest of the family.

Chicken should be a relatively cheap protein unless you are buying something locally grown/organic. Bacon is not terribly healthy so buy enough that everyone can enjoy some but they can't fill up on that.

Agree on buying what is in season for produce. If you can't afford berries every day, just buy what you can afford and when it is gone it's gone. Apples and oranges are your best bets right now, watermelon will be in season soon.

If yogurt prices bother you, you can buy milk and make your own.

Agree w this approach

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It really depends on your kids. I have one kid that is great at self regulation, and one that isn’t. The one that isn’t is borderline overweight. She just wants to eat a lot. I stopped buying processed snack foods because she would eat them in large quantities. But even heathy foods, I will sometimes guide her to balance her eating. Instead of eating 3 banana, eat one banana and a cheese stick. Things like that. Or instead on a second heaping serving of pasta, have a small second serving and some more chicken.

There is research that says this prevents kids from learning to recognize their own satiety signals and increases the likelihood they will be overweight in adulthood.

We all grew up with reasonable limits on meal and snack times. The kitchen wasn’t open 24 hours a day and my mom only shopped once a week. None of us kids are overweight adults. Probably because our parents aren’t.

Anonymous wrote:It really depends on your kids. I have one kid that is great at self regulation, and one that isn’t. The one that isn’t is borderline overweight. She just wants to eat a lot. I stopped buying processed snack foods because she would eat them in large quantities. But even heathy foods, I will sometimes guide her to balance her eating. Instead of eating 3 banana, eat one banana and a cheese stick. Things like that. Or instead on a second heaping serving of pasta, have a small second serving and some more chicken.

There is research that says this prevents kids from learning to recognize their own satiety signals and increases the likelihood they will be overweight in adulthood.

Why did you have 3 kids if you can’t afford to feed them?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Buy cheaper food. Strawberries are expensive and out of season.

This is peak week of strawberry season.. what are you talking about.

Peak so they are tastiest. But the local farmers starberries aren't a $1 a quart. And more expensive than store bought ones. Which are maybe 2.50 a box at best. All the labor intensive fruit is pricey no matter the season.

Wait til OP's kids discover the container of Whole Foods smoked mozzarella pasta salad!

It really depends on your kids. I have one kid that is great at self regulation, and one that isn’t. The one that isn’t is borderline overweight. She just wants to eat a lot. I stopped buying processed snack foods because she would eat them in large quantities. But even heathy foods, I will sometimes guide her to balance her eating. Instead of eating 3 banana, eat one banana and a cheese stick. Things like that. Or instead on a second heaping serving of pasta, have a small second serving and some more chicken.

Join Costco OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Buy cheaper food. Strawberries are expensive and out of season.

This is peak week of strawberry season.. what are you talking about.

+1. Definitely the right time of year for strawberries

Anonymous wrote:Buy cheaper food. Strawberries are expensive and out of season.

This is peak week of strawberry season.. what are you talking about.

That amount of food per day or week (as described) does not seem like a lot to me, at all. And my kids are not huge eaters, either.

The yogurts are maybe a bit much but 2 yogurts/day for a kid isn’t totally crazy either. Yes, most kids like yogurt and fruit and will gobble those foods up, if available 🤣

I do agree with the suggestions to add more protein/fat to their meals/snacks. It is possible they might do better with heartier meals than you have usually served, as they get older. I tended to serve lighter meals when my kids were very small and definitely had to adjust as they got they a bit older. They also need a lot more calories and heavier meals than I need now (teens), so I tend to cook with them in mind and then adjust down a bit for myself.