Portion Control

When do you cut them off if you think they've had too much? Morgan ate 3 Nutrigrain bars for breakfast this morning. I wasn't going to let her have more than 2 but she was crying and screaming and wanted another one...she ate all 3 of them too! I figured she would eat one bite and then say she was done, but nope, she polished them all off.

Should I have stopped her after 2? I don't want that to become habit. They have both been eating awesome lately, so I don't know if it's just a growth spurt or what. They just seem to be hungry all the time these days! They are eating me out of house and home!

 

I generally let them eat as much as they want, assuming I have it (i.e., we didn't run out) and it's not something that will upset their digestions if they eat too much. That doesn't apply to dessert, but it would apply to snacks.

 

I remember reading a study a long time ago that found that kids who had their intake limited by their parents were MORE likely to overeat as adults, as they'd never learned to judge for themselves how much was enough.

That said, Nutrigrain bars are somewhere in between healthy food and junk food in my opinion, so I might not allow three in one sitting. I'd probably say that two is enough and then offer some fruit or something else healthy if the child was still hungry.

-Rachel

 

I totally agree with Rachel! If she is hungry enough to cry and scream she could eat some fruit, if she doesn't want fruit she wasn't that hungry in first place.
I always offer veggies and fruit more than "mains", and generally I determine their portion if they ask for more they get more veggies/fruit first, then cereal or fish or whatever it was we were eating.
But Ollie always eats whatever is on his plate and cmplains when he is almost full, then he eats 3 more bites and is proud because he finished ff his whole plate. Al on the other side only eats about half, then complains about being full and then tries to get more food later on (1 hour or so later). I either save his food and he eats it cold afterwards or he can only have fruit afterwards. He loves fruit so he wouldn't complain about this!
Millie

 

QUOTE(RachelJoy @ May 12 2008, 11:13 PM) [snapback]769443[/snapback]
I remember reading a study a long time ago that found that kids who had their intake limited by their parents were MORE likely to overeat as adults, as they'd never learned to judge for themselves how much was enough.

That said, Nutrigrain bars are somewhere in between healthy food and junk food in my opinion, so I might not allow three in one sitting. I'd probably say that two is enough and then offer some fruit or something else healthy if the child was still hungry.

-Rachel


You know, after I gave her the 3rd one, I thought to myself..maybe I should've given her some fruit...lol!!! But, instead of cookies for a snack, they got Apple Dippers from McD's on the way to Olivia's dr. appt

 

I went through a period a couple months ago where they were eating me out of house and home! Now I'm prodding Ainsley to eat, Bea's back to normal. I figure when they get like that, they are going through a growth spurt. I do try to offer something like fruit or veggies if they are begging for more. Mine would probably eat a whole loaf of bread if I let them.

 

I'm just laughing because fruit is the one thing I do feel like I have to control. Mine would eat nothing but fruit if I let them. I'd rather have them eat 3 Nutrigrain bars -- at least those have some protein!

 

I try not to control their intake, as I don't think little muchkins know how to "overeat" yet anyhow. You sometimes wonder where they put it. The other day for snack the girls had a whole apple/banana/crackers and cut up cheese, they ate it all and said they were still hungry so I said what would u like "the same again" haha and they ate it, oh my. Some days I'm lucky if they eat that much thru out the whole day.

 

We always offer all food groups at each meal, I limit the starch/sugar (pancakes, rice, toast, etc.) to 1 piece/serving each (like 1 pancake, 1/4 cup rice). Protein, they can eat what they will eat, because protein consumption is hit or miss with them. Dairy, an 8 ounce sippy max. Fruit or veggies, as much as they want. I normally offer more fruit or veggie if they want to keep eating (unless we're dealing with a diaper rash issue).

Now that being said, mine would eat 3-4 bananas a day, so to keep variety in their lives, I do limit it to 2 bananas/each a day.

But in general, if they are still hungry, I let them eat until they are done.

 

I asked the pedi this very question today at our three year well-check.

She said that they will self-regulate at this age. As long as they are being offered an assortment of healthy foods, then they should be able to eat until they are satisfied. She said you have to use common sense ("They have just had two slices of pizza and want a third. Well, maybe don't give them that third slice but offer them some fruit or carrot sticks, or something else if they are still hungry.").

With that being said, my kids think those bars are cookies. So personally, I would have limited them to one and offered fruit or yogurt (or some other protein).

 

I offer variety and let them eat until they decide they are done. A this age, they are not eating junk and I doubt it's out of sheer joy of eating so I let them decide.