Snacks and constant demands for food

[Clever Clogs]

Hi all

Again have not much time to reply to other posts (haven't been on the forum for a while) so feel a tad guilty asking for advice. Sorry!

Just wondering what you all do regarding snack time and dishing out food? I have two in particular who the minute I pick them up ask for a snack, what are we getting for lunch/dinner etc? I give them a snack of banana, apple etc as soon as we get in and straight after they ask for a biscuit or yoghurt etc. One little boy is three and these are his requests:-

In house at 11.30 - Can I have a bis (biscuit) so I give him banana etc
Lunch is between 12 and 12.30 where he has maybe a sandwich, cheese cubes, cucumber sticks or carrot, followed by fruit (grapes or tangerines etc) followed by a yoghurt. He then asks for another yoghurt which I give him and sometimes a third. When finished asks for another to which I more often refuse. Asks for a biscuit again I refuse. Within an hour asking for more food. Give a snack about 2.30pm always asks for more. Do school pick ups back at 3.40pm has crisps (asks for more) What do you do? Do you keep giving them snacks (healthy option) or just stick to designated snack times?

I feel as though I am constantly feeding.

My other big eater is 6 and the same. She will eat good at dinner times thouh and is a great veg fan - always clears her plate and more often than not has second helpings. But same again asking for something to eat at least every hour. I feel bad to say no - espif they are really hungry but then I think my own don't even eat that much and if they were in a day nursery - what would the routine be there?

Finally - does everyone stick with the nutrional guidlenines and hold back biscuits/sweets/ice lollies etc or do you give them out too? I'm a stickler for rules (as my mum willsay) but also hate depriving the wee ones of what a you or I crave (I know because since I started this I have t have a pudding every day - which I have never done).

Help greatly appreciated - am I a softie and give too much - or a horrible childminder who migh be starving the poor children?

Thanks
Tracey

[miss mopple]

We have set snack times and they get whatever I dish out (fruit/breadsticks etc).

At meals they have dinner and a pudding and thats it. I wouldnt give extra puddings (Im mean :laughing: )

If they as for food between snacks/meals I tell them I am not a cafe and they have to wait until everyone has something together :blush:

[Twinkles]

I have one like this she's 7 and yesterday at tea time she ate beef goulash with mash and veg ( an adults size portion ) , a satsuma , a banana , a large yoghurt and a piece of cake :eek:
An hour later she was asking for snacks. I said no as i think that was more than enough. I tend to stick to healthy snacks mostly but will give ( homemade ) cakes and sometimes biscuits ( not homemade ). I don't usually give sweets except maybe at our Christmas party or an Easter egg hunt.

If they keep saying they're hungry i'll offer toast or apples not exciting but if they're really hungry and not just eating for the sake of it they'll eat it.

[beerheaven]

I have set snack / meal times. If a child misses a meal, due to nap time, then naturally I will fed them later. However in general I do not provide snacks whenever. At times, especially after school/school holidays I can have upwards of 9/10 children and there is no way I am handing out snacks on request! I learnt this the hard way!!
I, too, tell the kids I am not running a cafe!! :)

[cher25]

I am so pleased im not the only one having this problem.lol My 4 year old mindee is constantly asking for food. All through half term he said he was hungry every 5 minutes. Even when we were out he was asking for something to eat all the time. I don't give in and feel bad about it also. But then he doesn't always eat what i make for tea either. Although he has now got into a habit of asking very politely for a biscuit or something as he is on his way out the door with his mam.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I seem to get the fussy eaters and if they come at 9.00am and have lunch at 11.30 - 11.45am I find that giving a snack interupts lunch, so now it is a piece of fruit and that is it.

In the afternoons they do get a snack of a biscuit, grapes, etc to tide them over to tea.

Like others if the children ask for food constantly then I would offer fruit and put them up the table. Most of the time I get "no I don't want that", then okay they are not really hungry and they don't like sitting on their own to eat if others are laughing and having fun outside of their eye sight.

[sarah707]

Write a menu with the children's help... and stick to it :D

[angeldelight]

Write a menu with the children's help... and stick to it :D


I would do the same

Make it interesting and fun - they will then hopefully stick to it because you are involving them

Good luck

Angel xx

[singlewiththree]

Theres some excellent advice there, my 7yr old is the same but I find its not constant its just before she has a growth spirt and shoots up, so just when I'm thinking no you cant have anything else to eat you are looking a bit round (obviously dont say this to her) and just offer an apple each time she asks she then shoots up and her eating slows down again.

I'm going to try and stick to just fruit inbetween snack time though so much simpler

[Heaven Scent]

I give breakfast to those who arrive on time to eat it before school run begins, then I offer a snack at 10.30ish then lunch (cooked dinner) between 12 & 12.30 then I offer a snack about 2.30-3.00 before the school run - when we get back from the school run 3.45 - afterschoolers can have something very light and a small drink then we have tea @ 4.30 plus they can have access to water all day i think that is more than enough and I rarely offer sweets and trats except for cake with tea on birthdays and special occasions and sometimes as desert after their cooked dinner at lunch time. All children sit together for all meals and snacks they are an invaluable social opportunity even if they do not want to eat.

I think that that is quite enough I also refer to recommendations for age related portion sizes especially when it comes to fruit as I feel too much fruit isn't good for childrens innerds there is a recommended daily allowance for a good reason and if we go over that then there is no extra nutritional value - I think plenty of water will sort out water cravings - if they are constantly asking for food it is probably habbit or they are dare I say it bored or need to be encouraged to use their imaginations a bit more so they can motivate themselves to keep busy.- no offence meant.

[louised]

I too do not give snacks on demand I think it encourages bad eating habits. My mindees have fruit in the morning at about 10.30 then lunch at 12.30 and usually toast at 3.30 after the school run as the older children are always hungry after school. I find by sticking to this routine their hunger is satisfied but they still eat up all of their lunch and because they know the routine they rarely ask for snacks as they know they will get them at a set time

[Raggydolls]

i never give in to demands of food as its encouraging their little bellies to stretch and therefore they will always want food, its like us going on a diet u feel so hungry for a few days then when your tummy shrinks abit u dont notice it any more.

mine get breakfast, then a mid morning snack, if they are hungry they will eat everything on their plate at lunchtime so get a pudding, if they dont eat it they dont get one, i dont mess about with food, if they dont eat it its in the bin then thats it til after school snack (my menus are made out so that i know everyone will eat everything)

im mean but it stems from wasting so much food

i also find they confuse hunger with being thirsty

leanne
xx

[kindredspirits]

my after schooler is much the same - yesterday he had 2 apples, a biscuit and about 4 crackers - he asked for more and my stock line is 'i think you've had enough now or you won't eat your tea' they go home for tea.
i tend to give them one thing at a time though, so if he has one apple and asks for more i don't look mean the first time round! lol

[DCS]

I don't mind children with big bellies! if i feel they've had enough, i say things like after this activity, then after that ativitIty, by which time is mealtme again. I don't do sweets and crisps but we do bake once a week.

Cecile
x

[samgeordie]

ive one mindee who loves her grub and asks a lot about snacks & meals, I do a menu for every lunch/tea she has with me and she always asks her mum what she will be getting the day before, she even keeps me right some days;) . I have a set time for snacks/meals and if they ask outwith these times i just tell them when they will next get something - so they know food will be coming.

[yummymummy]

It is really interesting reading your posts. I had some very picky eaters who made life very difficult and some really hungry ones so in the end I decided to stop providing food and parents sent in their own food. It is amazing that the much larger portions I gave the hungry ones which they all ate up and constantly asked for more have been replaced by much meaner rations from their parents but except for the fruit snacks I give mid morning and after school not one child asks for anything else. Strange isn't it?:rolleyes:

[Clever Clogs]

Hi there

Just want to thank everyone for all their good advice. I am a big softie and know I have to toughen up a bit - my mum keeps telling me so and other childminders. The kids I have all seem to have free range to sweets at home so yes they expect it here - just got to be tough I suppose. No offence taken about them being bored - that's my other problem - kids again seem to love having acivities arranged which I do everyd ay - but they either get bored too quick - no stayuing power or finish it really quick and start playing with toys but in no particular routine. They pull out the cars, then the blocks etc. Sometimes I feel as though I am a cleaner and cook rather than spending time with the kids. Anyway that's anothe gripe so won't go there just now - maybe end up doing another posting.

Thanks again
Tracey

[mum2two]

I have some that are the same. They used to open their lunchboxes as soon as they got in from school, but I then had problems with the others saying 'Why's x got that - I want one...'

The rules are now, snacks at about 10.30 & 3.45pm. I do a selection of cut up fruit & veg. Lunch is between 12-12.30. They get sandwich, fruit, crisps, cheese, yoghurt (plus any other bits if I have them in..!)

No one is allowed to open their lunch boxes until parents arrive. And nothing else to eat outside of snack times.

Like you I found I was constantly feeding & making drinks. (Juice or milk only at snack times too - if they really are thirsty they have water as we were going through so much juice a week - it was unbelieveable!!!)

These are my rules. The kids are getting fed. I no longer provide meals, so am not attempting to fill them up - just tide them over til they get home.

Have your rules & stick to them. They soon learn. ;)

xx

[Mags]

I mind a four year old that could eat forever if i let her. All she ever say's is that she wants something to eat.

I usually tell her that she cannot possibly still be hungry but that she may be thirsty.....off she goes to have a drink....followed 5 mins later by "I'm hungry".
If I know she has eaten plenty then i do not give in.

Parent's say she is just the same at home, they don't give in either!

[buildingblocks]

Sorry coming to this late. I have snack times at 10 lunch is at 12 just after PG pick up and then snack time is just after we come back off the school run at 3.15. If I hae no afternoon school run then snack time may be a little earlier.

The children have whatever I plan for snack time if htey do not want that there is always plenty of fruit and if they are still hungry after whatever I provide for snack time they can haave extra fruit if still hungry but nce htey are down from the table that is snack time finished until the next meal/snack.

Drinks are very watered down squash with snacks/meals and then water from a water machine is available at all times

I do not give them extra yoghurts after the first one if they were still hungry they would be offered fruit if they turn it down then they are not still hungry lol

[donnac]

Hi there

Just want to thank everyone for all their good advice. I am a big softie and know I have to toughen up a bit - my mum keeps telling me so and other childminders. The kids I have all seem to have free range to sweets at home so yes they expect it here - just got to be tough I suppose. No offence taken about them being bored - that's my other problem - kids again seem to love having acivities arranged which I do everyd ay - but they either get bored too quick - no stayuing power or finish it really quick and start playing with toys but in no particular routine. They pull out the cars, then the blocks etc. Sometimes I feel as though I am a cleaner and cook rather than spending time with the kids. Anyway that's anothe gripe so won't go there just now - maybe end up doing another posting.

Thanks again
Tracey

I totally know how you feel, some children don't seem to ever have any imagination & quickly grow bored of organsied activities (especailly after schoolers) and when one gets up and leaves then others tend to think they are missing out on something and join them, then after 5 mins they complain they don't know what to do. It can get really annoying, especailly when you've got a room packed with toys and activities. I often try to improve their staying power and concentration, giving them idea's to extend their imagination & get them to play with toys a little longer but it's hard work.
I've got one 7 year old who will always ask for something to eat when he's got bored of whatever he's doing, he would eat all night if I let him!