When they are going through a growth spurt

Do you feed them whenever they ask to eat? Lately Gracie is telling me she's hungry pretty much hourly. And she eats every single time if I feed her. They play this game sometimes, that they didn't "like" lunch and want a snack right away, but she's genuinely hungry I think. She ate all her lunch, had about an hour of quiet time, and now she's eating again (on her 6th cracker with peanut butter).

And she's getting noticeably taller. While Lily's 3T pants have been a bit short for a month or two now, all of the sudden Grace's are looking short too.

 

If my girls are eating all their main meals and still telling me they are hungry, I do let them eat (as long as it isn't too close to the next mealtime).

 

Thank you for posting this, we are going through the same thing right now!

 

I definitely feed them whenever they ask. I use some discretion about what to give them - we always start meals off with a vegetable, and if they seem really hungry maybe an hour before we'd usually eat lunch or dinner, I'll just treat it that way and start with veggies (as opposed to giving something like raisins for a snack). Generally, I just make sure that everything I offer them, whether for snacks or meals, is really nutritious - veggies, fruit, protein (lentil soup, veggie burgers, hard boiled eggs, etc), cheese for my boy who likes cheese (Ivy only eats grated parmesan ), yogurt, kefir, whole grain bread and crackers, stuff like that. If they wind up snacking at the expense of meals, at least this way they've still gotten some real food, and over the course of the day it winds up being a pretty balanced diet.

And when they're in a growth spurt, they will eat all day, just like what you're talking about!

 

We always go healthy. My children are kind of weird in that they often eat their veggies first, regardless of what is on their plate. Last night Lily requested salad and grapes for dinner. :wacko:

 

I have one that eats often and seems hungry all the time lately as well.....I offer her a high protein or fiber snack (more filling) and/or fruit or veggies. They use up a lot of protein for muscle growth...so lots of nuts, milk, cheese, etc or a high fiber dry cereal, carrots, etc.

We do 2 snacks and 3 meals already-- so I am always surprised when they are STILL hungry. But I offer a few choices and let them choose. If it is with/in 1 hour of a meal, I usually tell them we are eating in ______ minutes and move the meal up a little bit so we eat sooner.

 

I do the same as pp's. If they mention they are still hungry after a meal or before the next, they get the option of fruit, veggies, yogurt, something like that.

 

Same here..usually yogurt, cheese, banannas, etc. As long as they eat their meals, I don't mind them eating all the time.

 

My James is the same way. It's constant! Sometimes I think he's just bored or looking for some kind of distraction but very often he's hungry. I offer only vegetables and fresh fruit for snacks (apples, kiwi, banana, peppers, carrots, cucumber slices, edamame, etc.). If he's hungry, he'll eat it I figure! 9 times out of 10 he does it (so I guess he's hungry!).

 

mine have been like that too lately....usually when I hear "I want a snack" they get yogurt, cheese, fruit or carrots...if they've eaten dinner and veggies/fruit sometimes I pull out the 100 calorie snack packs of cookies (they have a little sweet tooth) and that usually satisfies them...

my mom watches them 2 days a week - the one day last week they ate ALL day...every hour was something else!

 

If they are truly hungry, then yes. It is always something good for them though - fruit, veggies, etc.

 

How nice it must be to have hungry children with growth spurts. I'd love to have the same! Whatever you girls do, just know you are very blessed.