Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Our rule is as long as it's healthy eat to your heart's content. My dd is not a big eater but if she is hungry she knows to go in the fridge for a snack. She's 2.5. She usually snacks on oranges, apple sauce, yogurt, or grapes.

Everytime my SIL is over she always comments how we should limit dd's food. My nephew is only allowed meals and 2 small snacks a day per what she says.

I'm a muncher so I couldn't see only giving my kid such amount of food.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Every child is different and you know your child best.
What works for one household won't work for another. If your child is a healthy weight and happy I wouldn't even think twice about it.

Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

I'm with you. My DD is such a bad eater (you would never know it as she is 3 1/2, but the size of a 5-6 year old. If she says she's hungry, she gets fed. I could never imagine limiting her intake.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

I think it totally depends on the kid and their eating habits - some kids OBVIOIUSLY eat out of boredom, stress, etc and not hunger.
If that is the case, as a parent I'd want to curb that as quickly and early as possible so the kid isn't suffereing later from those bad habits.

I limit the crap intake .......In my house, if you're not hungry for an apple, you're not really hungry.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Only junk is limited. Healthy food and snacks are a free for all.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

I don't limit amounts exactly but if it's 5pm I'm not giving dd a snack bc she won't touch her dinner otherwise. I might allow a small amount of fruit but never a big snack late in the afternoon bc I'd rather get her to eat some veggies and protein at dinnertime.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

I don't have to, she does that herself!
She barely eats.
She's 5 1/2 and weighs 43 pounds.... I think that is small but then I see it's average. Who knows

Message edited 1/21/2016 4:39:33 PM.

Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

To each their own.
Me? No. she can eat whatever as long as it's healthy and before she brushes her teeth. After you brush, that's it. Water only.

However, I know some of her friends aren't allowed to drink past a certain time or eat past this or that. Some are due to nightmares on full stomachs, wetting the bed, too much energy. Others are on set 'feeding schedules' (what my hubby and I call them) because the family has other children or schedules that if the kid over eats or eats out of turn they aren't hungry for a meal and are a distraction or it's a general mess.

There's a million reasons.

None apply to us for the most part. However I know I stop feeding her on occasion for any one of the reason above. At 2ish she started to graze and it was not good. Not because it wasn't healthy food but she was hungry at odd times and not hungry during times we needed to eat. So we put a stop to it but giving her snacks at different times. When school started it was another transition. Now she must have a snack after school then dinner with us.

Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Fruit, veggies - whatever she wants.

I only let her have sweets on occasion and I try to limit dairy bc if I let her, she'd live only on cheese, yogurt, and milk.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Posted by NervousNell

I don't have to, she does that herself!
She barely eats.
She's 5 1/2 and weighs 43 pounds.... I think that is small but then I see it's average. Who knows

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

No limits at all as long as it's healthy food unless it's junk like cookies. They're growing so much, of course they need all the vitamins and minerals their little bodies is asking them for.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

no limit on snacking per say but i determine what she can eat and she cant take anything off the shelf or out of the fridge by herself unless 1. its water or milk and 2. she asks and its approved. Also, if she starts refusing meals, she gets zero snacks and reoffered her meals until they are eaten or go bad and i have to throw it out. once i curb snacking she will eat all her meals, if she eats her real meals and still asks for snacks, i dont limit.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

We are pretty strict with food.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner are eaten. We cook real food (today, pork with spinach).
They snack at school & have one fruit snack (real fruit like an apple or orange) when they get home, before dinner.
School snacks are twice a day.
Dessert is unlimited fruits

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Not exactly but I don't let him eat all day long either, which he would definitely do if I let him... he wouldn't stop himself, he has eaten until he throws up in the past because his eyes are bigger than his stomach. So if I can figure out that he is truly hungry and wants more food, then he can definitely have it (I don't give him junk, only very healthy stuff with the occasional treat)... but if he's already eaten a ton & asks for more (because he just wants to eat)then I tell him that's it kiddo, you're done until later & he usually accepts that, unless he truly is still hungry which only occasionally happens... He eats on a predictable schedule... 5 times a day generally (3 meals and 2 large snacks, plus water/juice & 3 cups of milk) so I don't feel bad at all telling him he needs to wait until the next scheduled meal or snack (he eats breakfast around 7:30, lunch at 11, snack at 1:30 before nap, another snack after he wakes up from his nap around 3:30, then dinner around 6-- so he is never going too long without eating). He is growing & gaining weight just fine so I have no problem with making him practice patience & waiting to eat. I hope as he gets older he will keep up his good eating habits.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

As long as it is healthy dd can eat as much as she wants--if she is not hungry she will not eat regardless of what she is offered.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

I don't limit healthy food, Junk yes but I see no reason to deny my child something healthy. think limiting food can have negative effects as well, We have family members who were super strict with food for both their children and both kids wound up with food issues as teenagers.

Message edited 1/22/2016 9:02:56 AM.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

We actually limit snacks for DS (6 yo) b/c I think he's a boredom eater when he's watching TV. It's a problem I have, too, and the reason I took up crafts (knitting, cross stitch, etc) so I'd have something to do with my hands. When we finally give in, it's always fruit, baby carrots, or occasionally pretzels.

I feel like he just wants snacks *all the time* and then when it comes to dinner he doesn't want anything to eat.

We also limit his desserts to a few times a week b/c that child asks for it every day and it seems like an unhealthy obsession.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

My son is a horrible eater. He likes snacking better than big meals, so I let him eat as much as he wants whenever he wants. He's so skinny so I'm happy he gets his calories whenever!

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

i struggle with DS and food decisions all the time. DH and I are both severely overweight, his ped claims DS is obese (yet you can see his spine and ribs when he doesn't have a shirt on)

we try to limit junk food. he gets one snack a day (like a tootsie roll, or a starburst)
all of our meals are home made, except maybe 2x per month when we'll order pizza or have chicken nuggets and french fries.

if i see he's eating too much junk, i offer other options like fruits or veggies

he only drinks water or unsweetened tea. ginger ale is a special treat (usually at parties)

i don't think limiting is a good idea because i feel that when he's older he'll sneak food that is very bad for him.

Re: Does anyone limit their child's food intake?

I do not limit my kids food intake. They eat the unhealthy snacks at the grandparents houses but at home we only have the healthy options (grapes, apples, cucumbers, tomatoes and yogurt are their favorites)

I think if your kid is having well balanced meals why limit it? I believe everything in moderation. Now if you noticed your child eating more unhealthy snacks than meals or refusing to eat the healthy food then definitely limit the unhealthy stuff.