Eating/Over-eating...is this possible at 3?

[Paeta16]

So I have ALWAYS trusted DD's hunger cues. I figure she knows her body better than I do. She is currently 3 y 3 mo. and we did only table foods, BLW, etc. She has always chosen how much she wants to eat. I offer her a variety of foods, not too many sweets, and she has always been a good eater. That being said she (as any normal person would have) has her likes and dislikes.

Lately she wants to eat ALL.DAY.LONG! I am not even joking when I say and emphasize this. We will eat breakfast (this morning that was 3 different kinds of cereal with milk) and 10 minutes later "her tummy was telling her she was still hungry" so she had an entire nectarine. Tonight we had dinner and went out shopping afterward. We weren't in the car 2 seconds b/f she was complaining of being hungry. For awhile there I thought she was craving sweets/desserts/crappy food but I've realized that that is not the case. When we give her food options (excluding sweets as a test) she'll still choose other foods...carrots and hummus, cheese, etc.

If she tells me she is hungry I always have her drink water first and wait a few minutes to see if she is actually hungry.
Is this normal? When I say she is eating constantly...I literally mean CONSTANTLY all day long. I am a little concerned at this point.

Suggestions? Advice? BTDT?

ETA: She is certainly not overweight...she is tall and thin...40 inches and 34 lbs. Thx.

[Minxie]

It is entirely possible if she is ramping up for a growth spurt. This should last a few days and then she'll have several days when she sleeps a lot. After that, she might have a couple of days when it seems like she doesn't eat anything (if it is a growth spurt.)

[One_Girl]

It sounds like a growth spurt. My is in the 75th percentile for height and goes through frequent growth spurts where she will eat like that. The rest of the time she doesn't eat much and can take or leave snacks, but during a growth spurt she can't get enough.

[bstandlee]

That's exactly what my DS has been like this past week (just turned 3 last month). It seems like he's eating every minute he's awake! I'm assuming it's a growth spurt too.

[momto4plus4]

I've Always allowed my kids to eat whenever they want-I give them healthy choices. There have been a few times around ages 3-4 where my kids want food because they're bored but I can usually tell those times because they don't actually eat well-they'll ask for something then nibble it but not eat it all.

One examply for my skinny dd1-she was around age 7 and for dinner ate an entire turkey leg, an entire frozen pizza and then asked for dessert-CRAZY!!!! The kid only weighed around 45 lbs. Dh and I have often wondered where she packs it all!!!

[fritz]

I agree w/ PPs, sounds like a growth spurt. However, it'd probably help tide her over a bit longer if you could increase her protein and whole grains intake...so instead of just cereal, add in peanut butter on whole wheat toast. Whole grain crackers with cheese, etc.

[meemee]

my dd is almost 8. she has been doing it every summer i think since she was 3. summer she eats and eats and eats. then gets rolly polly and suddenly right before labor day she shoots up. suddenly all her 'fat' is gone and you can actually see her limbs get longer. her dad used to buy her school clothes in august - her size and by end of the month they were small for her.

[sunnygir1]

My dd always eats this way. She is a really big eater. We have 3-4 meals and 2-3 snacks a day, and sometimes she snacks in between too. I don't have a problem with it. She is totally healthy. Occasionally she will overeat if she is eating something really good, like lately it's berries with whipped cream, she won't mind her body's cues and her tummy will hurt. That aside, I think eating all day long is a healthy way to eat...much better than trying to cram your nutritional needs into 2 or 3 big meals.