Eating Me Out of House and Home

Are they fat? If they are over weight, I would limit their snacks but if they aren't over weight, then I would say that have a high metabolism and they are probably hungry. Maybe they don't eat much at one time. I know it is expensive... I have raised 3 boys. I use to cut other things for mayself just to let them have a hole pizza each or feed their friends. I guess that is what moms do..... unfortunately as they get older they don't appreciate it.
I guess it is really a judgement call for you.

Lots of great advice from others. Just one other thought I wanted to throw out there. Are they getting plenty of sleep? Kids often think they are hungry, when they are in fact tired and they are eating to keep themselves awake.

It may be just a phase, like an oncoming growth spurt.

I had my son on a routine and kept to it to make sure he ate properly at mealtimes.

At that age, we had breakfast around 7am, then a morning snack at 9am, lunch around 11:30, then nap from 12-3. Afternoon snack was usually around 3-3:30 and then we had dinner at 5:30. He had another snack around 7-7:30 and went to bed between 8 and 8:30.

Even now, if he finishes his meals and then is hungry later, I let him eat a snack. If he doesn't finish his meals then he doesn't get a snack - that way he will be hungry enough to eat well at the next meal. Also try giving them high fiber and/or high protein snacks and not anything high in carbs or sugars - the body will shoot through carbs and then they will be hungry more quickly. Fiber and protein take longer for the body to breakdown so they wont be as hungry as quickly.

Also make sure they are getting enough to drink - at that age my son had 1 cup of juice a day, three cups of milk, and usually 2-3 cups of water... if he needed it.

Eating small meals all day is actually ideal. They always say that children eat perfectly, they stop when they are full and eat small meals all day. But if you feel it is not that way, maybe they are eating foods that are not filling them. Try apples, cheese and crackers, and one thing I do a lot is make a mix. They love when I take a bowl and mix things like peanuts, raisins, goldfish, cheerios, etc All healthy and filling. Give them oatmeal and a piece of wheat toast, fiber filled foods, wheat crackers, make sure they are drinking enough. Drinking fills them up as well, water and/or milk.

W. M

I agree that this is a very normal and healthy eating pattern. The only thing I have to add is to be sure they are getting the correct amount of fluids. Sometimes the body can mistake thirst for hunger - even in adults. Give them some water occassionally if you question whether it is hunger. But do not let them fill up on water if they are really hungry. I say water, because juice is just empty calories - you're better off to let them eat the fruit. And too much milk can deplete their iron.

My mother is a dietician. She told me that little children need to eat differently than adults because their bodies are growing at such a rapid pace. Children need breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, snack after nap, supper, snack before bedtime. Choose healthy snacks--glass of milk, peanut butter and crackers, cheese and crackers, fruit, yogurt, ice cream, veggies and dip. Children eat less at meal time because it takes less food to fill up their little stomachs. As a result, children need snacks between meals. Children will eat when they are hungry and most of them do not tend to over eat.

Where we go wrong as parents are the food choices we give them. Do not have food in the house that are "empty calories." They can't eat it if you don't buy it. The only thing my mom had in our home to eat were healthy food choices. I did not drink a soda or eat a candy bar until I was in high school. I grew up thinking that fruit was a dessert and veggies and dip was a snack and you drank a glass of milk before supper when you were starving and dinner wasn't ready yet.

My mom says that it would be healthier for all of us to eat like children naturally do. When your children are extra hungry it usually means they are getting ready to have a growth spurt. I have two sons, aged 18 and 16, that are now 6 ft tall and weigh 215 and 190 pounds. They did not grow up to be strong healthy athletic young men by not restricting their food intake. If you think it is bad when they are little just wait! My sons have been eating me out of house and home for YEARS. My sons take three sandwiches in their lunch every day--two for lunch and one for before ball practice. My oldest son is going to UT Knoxville this fall and we got him the UNLIMITED food plan. I think the unlimited food plan will be cheaper than feeding him at home. :o)

I am a diabetic now and my doctor told me that the old idea-- to eat three meals a day and not snack-- is out. Doctors now think that it is healthier to eat smaller meals more times a day. I was told to eat 3 small meals and three healthy snacks every day to keep my blood sugar regulated. I grew up with that old idea of "eat three meals and day and no snacks in between meals." It has been really tough for me to change as an adult because I am not a snacker. So, eating like children naturally do is the healthiest way to go!

Now, as for food prices. Find the closest discount food store in your community. Aldi's grocery store is the cheapest in my neighborhood. I quit my job and stayed home when my children were young. I was able to afford to do it by switching grocery stores.

Kids do go through growth spurts, in which they eat and eat and eat. As long as you give them healthy foods that are cheap, then it shouldn't be a problem -- a bag of potatoes is very cheap, a bag of potato chips is very expensive. If they're really hungry, they'll eat what is served. If their "meals" are healthy and their "snacks" are junk food, of course they're going to want the snacks more.

It is difficult, though -- my younger son pitches a fit when I don't give him chips (he knows which cabinet we keep them in), but he won't always eat the food I give him, even when I know he's hungry. I guess he's just not hungry enough! (No, I'm not being cruel -- I don't starve him -- but if he doesn't want to eat what I'm offering him *now* then he can wait an hour or so until the full meal is served.)

Maybe they are more thirsty then hungry. Try giving them more to drink then food whether it be milk, juice or even just water. If they are eating enough at meal times they probably just need something to drink.

Hello, Kristen! I didn't read all the other responses, but I have a similar issue. I have 3 children, but my middle child started this when he was about 5 years old that he needed to eat every 30 minutes. He is now almost 9. He would literally throw himself on the floor and tell me he would die if he didn't eat! LOL!! The doctor told me that he is within a good weight and to just make sure I have good choices for him to eat. As long as I make sure I have fruit and cheese and other healthy things for him to eat, he will be okay. He is a growing boy. I am also trying to make sure that he eats more protein than carbs, so I don't mind frying up some scrambled eggs with some meat, but not every time. I also started to keep protein bars in the snack basket so he has the option to grab one of those. Yes, I have a snack basket and I keep it where all the kids can get to it, they just have to ask first. There is a mixture of healthy and not so healthy snacks. But the healthy snacks usually go first. I am not a big fan of making my kids eat ALL the food on their plates because that is how I was raised and I am an overweight adult because I don't have self-control to stop eating, I MUST clean my plate and not waste food because that is how I was raised. Don't make that mistake. They do need to TRY everything on their plates. So, as I am trying and trim down and learning about carbs and proteins, I am helping my children to make those decisions now so they won't have the same problem I have later in life.

I think it's very normal for a child to be hungry every 2 hours.Our kids eat very healthy meals full of fiber and protein, but still need a snack ater 2 hours or so.. If your daughter if hungry after 30 min, make sure that her meals are not just empty calories.Whole grains and lean proteins do a great job keeping tummy's full. Our kids do drink a lot though... 2 cups of milk and 2 cups of juice( but since we water juice down it comes to total 8 sippy cups of liquid a day)

I'd get the 3 yr old on a set schedule, maybe with one snack, and if he doesn't eat enough at meals, too bad. He'll get the idea. But, his body's trained to eat every two hours so it will take some time.

The baby let eat as much as she wants as often as she wants. At least that's my pediatrician's advice. My daughter eats breakfast at 7:30, snack at 10:30, lunch at noon, snack at 3:00, dinner at 5:00 and occasionally takes milk before bed at 7.

Additionally, I would definitely mention it to your ped next time you're there and get her opinion.

Good luck!

From my experience your children's eating habits seem to be very normal. As long as they are eating healthy snacks and their weight is normal I really wouldn't worry. They are literally running around and burning their energy up as fast as they can get it into their systems! Maybe you should consider what they are snacking on instead, is it filling, say like cheeses and fruits or quick energy cereals? I basically left a plate on a low table through out the day with fruits, cheese and nuts for my little girl and she snacked all day, but not the same amounts everyday. Same for dinner and lunch, some days more than I think she could hold and then what I considered to not be enough! Drove me CRAZY! She is 3 1/2 now and I basically let her tell me when she is hungry and "done" with something. As for the price of food, I think we are all in the same boat. Only suggestions I have is use coupons, shop when items are on sale and buy in bulk and make small snack size portions in snack sized Ziplocs (these are great for all members of the house!). Pretty soon the Farmer's Market will be in full swing and that is a nice way to pick up local goods for less.

Kids are expensive! I have two boys, 2 years and 10 months, and they both eat more than I do! (I think I am going to have to be rich to feed them through their teenage years if this is where we are at now. >.<) Kids eat often. Really, we as adults should, too, we have just trained ourselves not to. Try buying things that you know will last. Buy celery and carrots and sweet potatoes, then use them as the snacks they eat throughout the day. This is really much less expensive because you get so many at once and can use them in various different ways. Then, encourage them to eat ALL their dinner. They don't get up from the table until they eat. Keep that in mind as you dish food out onto their plates, but you'll be surprised how much just sitting at the table will encourage your child to eat his/her meal. I hope this helps some. Thinking ahead and shopping smart is really the best advice I can give you, because as growing kids, they are going to eat. That's just what they need!

Maybe you could try feeding them more protein? Satisfies you longer than fruit, veggies, carbs, etc. Just a guess.

Are they eating enough protein to keep them from being hungry? (eggs, peanut butter, other nut products, beans) If so, maybe the older one in particular is going through a growth spurt.

T.

I agree with a lot of the moms. Children need to eat more times than what we thought to be normal. Eating habits have changed a lot through the years and doctors feel it is healthier to eat healthy snacks between meals.

Now, what I do not agree on is giving a child a snack if they did not eat all their main meals. I love my daughter's rules, 'No one is allowed to leave the table unless necessary to go to the bathroom until everyone is finished eating.' The reason for this is that if your 3 year old is done eating and goes to play, then guess what the 14 1/2 months toddler wants to do. She does not care it is mealtime, she is going to want to play, then we as mothers automatically think 'Well, she/he was not hungry enough,' and we let them get away with it.

So when they are hungry 30 minutes later, you think the kid is crazy or whatever. I suggest trying this rule as well. I also will say that normally at this young age children get easily bored feeding themselves, sit next to her and help, when you see her quit. Make it a family fun time at main mealtime and set the rules. 'No snack if you do not eat your food and No exit from table until everyone is finished,' and that includes parents and older siblings. I hope this helps.

My daughter is 6 and skinny as a rail. She has been since she was born. She will eat something between six and eight times a day. She eats very small portions at a time. Example: She usually will eat either a pop tart or a snack sized ziploc of dry cereal for breakfast. She prefers dry to cereal with milk. She then will eat half of her sandwich, cup of applesauce, and a handful of goldfish for lunch. As soon as she gets home, she eats the other half of her sandwich and the rest of her goldfish. Half an hour later, she is hungry again. I allow her one juicebox a day, with her lunch. Occasionally, I will allow her one with dinner, but mostly it is water or a glass of milk. When she starts a spurt, she usually will eat larger portions for about a week and then go back to her tiny portions. I call her a nibbler. I think she is one of those lucky ones. If she cuts back at all on her eating, she loses weight rapidly. She had bronchitis last week and from Monday to Friday lost 1 lb.
I have to agree with the responses that it sounds perfectly normal.

My son was the same way and at times still is ,...you may try increasing their protien ,...this will keep their blood sugar regulated and not make them think they are hungry ,..when you eat only carbs. or empty calories your blood sugars go up and down so quickly protein keeps them level. Hope that helps . M. Teague ,mother of a son 14 and a daughter 6

If you are feeding them healthy snacks (versus healthy meals and then goodies for snacks) I wouldn't worry about it. Kids have more of an appetite and typically don't develop eating out of boredom until a few more years (again, assuming snacks are as healthy as lunch... you can't expect them to eat veggies when they know Fruit Roll Ups can be gotten in an hour!)

Good luck!

All the comments are great. I just want to say that my kid that ate every two hours (the other 4 kids, ate 3 times a day with 2-3 snacks)continues this behavior as a 20 year old. When he was in high school, I packed the trunk of his car every week with healthy snacks (granola bars, juice, trail mix, loaf of bread with peanut butter and jelly packets, etc) so he could have a snack whenever he wanted one. He is not at all fat, quite thin, but never sits down and eats a big meal like the rest of us. Be prepared!

The other thing I suggest to my daughters for their hungry kids, is to make all the snacks in the morning or the night before. Put them in a shoebox tub in the frige so they can see what they have to chose from and you can see that they are having a well balanced diet every day. In the tub, I would have: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich cut in half and put in two seperate bags, applesauce, baby carrots, granola bar, 1/2 - 3/4 cup of dry cereal, fruit, raisins, healthy muffins, yogurt, etc. Have all of these in individul baggies so they can choose one when they are hungry. Sometimes they aren't eating as much as you think, they are just always wanting to eat. If they only eat a forth of the sandwich, put it back in the baggie so they can choose the other part later. This does a couple of things. It lets you see how much they are eating. You won't feel like you are always in the kitchen. You get to think ahead and have healthy snacks instead of reaching for the cookies or stuff like that. It gives the kiddo's a choice and teaches them about making good choices. Hope this helps.

This is normal for children this age. There stomach is very small so what you may think is just a little bit is filling to them. They are supposed to snack all day. Although if they are drinking alot of juice I would suggest to cut way back. Children that like to carry around a sippy cup or drink alot of juice fill up on the juice and don't eat all the yummy foods they are supposed to. Hope this helps.

My kids are 4 and 6. If they don't eat at meals, they have to wait until the next meal. The kitchen is closed in between. I sometimes give them a small snack when my son gets home from school or if they have been very active (swimming, etc) but that is it. They frequently will ask for more 30 minutes to an hour after a meal and i tell them no. Hope this helps.

My children are 4 and 20 mos. They are the same way. I tried at first to not let them snack, but they were still eating their meals. I didn't want to think about them being hungry. I agree about the food disappearing quickly. We can't keep bananas. I don't think it's unusual if you are confident they are a healthy weight and are having healthy snacks. Do you have a garden? Fresh veggies in the summer are a nice snack for the older one and cheaper than the store. Have you even been to McCoy's Salvage grocery on John B Dennis? It's not always the same items, but good prices and sometimes it's just what the kids need. If you'd like specifics about it my email is ____@____.com Luck

wanting to eat every 2-3 hours is very common. children have higher metabolisms than adults and burn off calories faster than we do. as long as you are giving them healthy snacks and not junk food, you're doing the right thing. it have been found that even in adults, eating smaller portions more often is healthier because is helps to maintain glucose & blood sugar levels, supports brain function and maintains a healthy metabolism.

Your children are eating how we all should eat, little bits every couple of hours. As long as you keep it healthy I would have no worries. When they growing slows down, so does the eating! (around the age of 21 ;)

Well, actually 3 full meals and 2 snacks a day should be the norm for a growing child. My son has the same issue and his metabolism is so fast, he has to eat at least five times a day. And if he doesn't get his regular snack on time, he'll come to me and say he has to eat because his legs are shaking.. he just needs the fuel to keep up with his body.

I have children ages 14, 11, 9 and 3mos (baby) and a stepson part itme that's 12.....(5 kids at home out of 8) so I know about the food prices, we spend better than $500 a month... big time. And I don't feed junky snacks. I stock up on the large box of yoplait yogurt, large pack of string cheese, several boxes of "whales" (generic for goldfish (they are so expensive), cheese crackers, chewy granola bars, nutragrain bars (generic though), fruit cups, applesauce, puddings, fruit snacks, trail mix.... you name it, you'll find it at my house. I also get pretzels instead of chips, and I get a pack of cookies occasionally.

Is it expensive? Yes, but that's the price we pay for having children..... they just have to eat... they are growing, so I would try real hard not to get frustrated and don't cut back on their meals, just provide healthy snacks in between instead of any empty calorie snacks that will just drop there blood sugar and make them more hungry.

I do feel for you.... we're broke to, I just had a baby, I quit work and I am racking up GIGANTO student loans being a full-time student in college.... so I feel your pain.

Another option is look for local deals around you at some of the mom and pop grocery stores, buy in bulk and buy generic if it's cheaper.... I find it is even cheaper than buying the name brand with a coupon. Oh! And grow a garden this year, we are.... produce is getting more expensive by the minute!

Good luck.... we're all in this together....