[its_our_family]

Ok, I think I've done a bad thing..... I've taught my 17 month old son to snack! I recently noticed I use it as a pacifier. If he is upset, food will stop the crying. If we are in the car, food keeps him occupied. When he is bored, food is entertaining.

He is rather small so he isn't putting on weight...17 months approx 30 inches tall and 22 pounds wet.

But how do I stop this now. I've found that I'm giving him food like I eat food. So, I guess this a lifestyle change for us both but how should we start?

I'm pg now so it isn't like I can diet but I know our diet needs to change.

Btw...he only snacks on grahm crckers and cheerios and such but really isn't into food...maybe from allt he snacking!!!

 

[captain optimism]

:

I thought it was normal for babies that age to eat lots of snacks!
I always see moms and dads at my synagogue with little tuperwares of snacks for their toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Why don't you just give him "real food" at snack time? Treat the snacks like they are part of his meals and give him nutritious things like vegetables and humus or yogurt and fruit, or pieces of a sandwich, or cheese, whatever you would give him at a meal in smaller, cuter bits.

Are you worried that he's eating when he's not hungry? I thought little kids don't do that--do they?

 

[its_our_family]

I guess my concern is more that I'm giving him food just to make him happy. Yes, he takes it so i guess that means he could be hungry.

I don't really mind that he eats a lot during the day...I'm fine with that. We don't have a lot of food...which is another problem and a very very small food budget for the month....

So, what I'm doing is ok then?

 

[captain optimism]

Okay. I really don't know the answer to this question, so I googled for ya.

This nutritionist at Parent's Place seems to think that constant snacking isn't good. But she acknowledges that toddlers need to snack--her idea is to give healthy food for snacks. This Australian website says toddlers need small and regular snacks. This University of Chicago nutrition expert says that toddlers are one of the group of people who should eat snacks because of their high energy demands and small stomachs.

So I think that snacks are good, but snack foods might not be? Does that seem right from your reading of these sites? You should probably be carrying around bits of lunch as snacks so that he's eating real food.

One of my adult friends eats like that, she packs her lunch and eats it when she's hungry in snacks instead of sitting down to a meal. I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I can't really do it because I find that I am too used to also sitting down to eat something!

 

[Britishmum]

I understand your concern, but snacking is healthy and normal for young children.

I do catch myself sometimes using food as an incentive eg to get in the car, but I try to phrase things neutrally so it's not so much like a bribe - eg 'Oh, would you like a cracker, or a rice cake to take in the car?"

Sometimes it's the lesser of two evils, if it works to avoid a scene and upset. Eg yesterday, we were needing to leave the petting zoo and I knew dd wouldnt want to go. So, I said, "Oh, I"m hot. I think it would be nice to go home and have a bowl of ice cream. What do you think?" (ice cream is the only sweet food that dd likes and we allow one small scoop per day, max) Dd skipped happily to the car. The alternative was for me to wrangle and negotiate and battle my way out the zoo.

Is this any different to me telling myself that I'll do fifteen more minutes work, then make a cup of tea?

I'm not sure. I try not to do it too often, and to sometimes use other suggestions, but none work so well as the suggestion of a snack for dd! As all her snacks are healthy, except the bit of ice cream, and her weight is perfect, I don't think it is such a big deal.

Interested to read what others think.....

 

[its_our_family]

I wish I could get him to eat things other than grains...any suggestions? I want to try raisins but have yet to get some.... (we lost everything in our fridge from being without power for 8 days so I'm working on restockiing) He is a bread, cracker, cheese addict! My dad says he is surprised that ds poops with as much cheese as he eats!

It seems your reading was right...snacking is ok just as long as the snacks are appropraite. We don't keep real snack foods in the house because I'm a sweets addict

:

 

[rwikene]

what about a nibble tray?

get a muffin tin and fill it with healthy snacks like:

grapes
apple slices
soft carrots (you can either boil some for awhile or use frozen ones and cook them
cucumber
peanutbutter or yogurt for dipping (mix some water with the peanut butter to make it dipable )
whole wheat crackers (you can get whole wheat saltines even)
cheese slices

then he will be regulating how much and when he eats, that way if he is hungry between mealtimes then he can have access to a snack.

I totally understand what you mean about not wanting him to be an emotional eater. My DH's mom did that to him, if he was upset or hurt she fed him. He is now a very big guy, and still eats when he is bored, upset, hurt...etc.

By giving him a nibble tray (keeping it well stocked with healthy foods every day) he will learn to read the signals from his own body regarding hunger, and not have to feel like as he gets older that he must eat everything in front of him.

hope that helps

 

[Piglet68]

Moving this to the Toddler forum..

 

[somemama]

Peanut butter was mentioned........I just wanted to let everyone know (or remind people) that the AAP recommends no peanut butter until age 3.

 

[its_our_family]

With Tracy a nibble tray ends up as a messy in the floor tray! He is jstu now learning the benefits of bowls! But it is a good idea. I just need more variety in what I give him.

Funny thing is he won't eat apples if I cut them up. But if someone else cuts them up and is eating them he'll eat a whole apple!

I need to get to the grocery store...without dh...I seem to buy more crap and spend more with him..... anyone else have that problem?

 

[its_our_family]

That is my concern to Ck...... I'm an emotional eater but dh isn't.... so I know one of us has it right...

I'll try the sweet potatoe fries...I was going to ask in healthy eating about an alternative but you saved me the time

 

[z-girl]

Megan,

I've been noticing the same pattern with DD, who is 2+. I'm working on not offering food as a suggestion so readily when she is bored or upset. Part of my problem is that food will totally occupy her if I need a few minutes to do something! She eats really healthy stuff, and knows when she's full, but I'm worried. like you, about her associations with food.

Good luck!