Anyone Else Amazed About This?

Some days it blows me away how much food these little ones can eat! Most of my kids get here around breakfast time and have already had one breakfast at home. They then proceed to not only eat the breakfast I serve, but ask for seconds and thirds!
Do you cut them off at any point? I have a 5 yo that can easily eat six waffles/pancakes and two full sized bananas and that's in addition to the breakfast he ate at his house before arriving.(He arrives during breakfast time). None of the kids are overweight or even close to being. They eat way more than I could even think of eating in a day! Ha!

There are a couple of interesting reasons for this. First, babies grow very much - at the age of 5, a child can grow by almost 4 inches in a year! And secondly, their heat exchange works differently, on average, they generate 2.5 more heat. And all of this requires fuel. I sometimes think it's good that they don't chew all the time like caterpillars.

[rosieteddy]

I did have a cut off.Serving size for everything .It might take a week to retrain them ,but they should have limits.It does take 20 minutes before your brain knows you ate. I would offer the smallest amout and take my time serving seconds.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Some days it blows me away how much food these little ones can eat! Most of my kids get here around breakfast time and have already had one breakfast at home. They then proceed to not only eat the breakfast I serve, but ask for seconds and thirds!
Do you cut them off at any point? I have a 5 yo that can easily eat six waffles/pancakes and two full sized bananas and that's in addition to the breakfast he ate at his house before arriving.(He arrives during breakfast time). None of the kids are overweight or even close to being. They eat way more than I could even think of eating in a day! Ha!

I don't serve breakfast and require parents to do so prior to arriving for multiple reasons.

I serve A.M. snack, lunch and P.M. snack

I don't offer or provide seconds for snack but will allow seconds for lunch IF they are available and the child has eaten all of their firsts. I do not offer anything beyond seconds as in the past too many parents simply relied on my program for the only food their child ate all day.

It's bad enough we practically raise them in every other aspect so I am not about to be the only source of nutrition.

[Cat Herder]

I don't cut them off, technically, but do expect them to eat more than bread/fruit.

I give them a full serving of each component (veggies, meat, fruit, wg bread, milk) then allow seconds of all or any one as required by regulations. For thirds or even fourths they must be eating all components of the meal each time.

Ex. To get a third wheat roll they must clean their entire plate. I am required to give the second wheat roll once they have finished the first and had the 15 minutes to have cleared their plate.

Breads (rice, noodles, etc) and fruits seem to be the only things kids like to fill up on and then refuse to eat the veggies or meats. I serve veggies and meats first for this very reason. Breads last.

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Cat Herder

I don't cut them off, technically, but do expect them to eat more than bread/fruit.

I give them a full serving of each component (veggies, meat, fruit, wg bread, milk) then allow seconds of all or any one as required by regulations. For thirds or even fourths they must be eating all components of the meal each time.

Ex. To get a third wheat roll they must clean their entire plate. I am required to give the second wheat roll once they have finished the first and had the 15 minutes to have cleared their plate.

Breads (rice, noodles, etc) and fruits seem to be the only things kids like to fill up on and then refuse to eat the veggies or meats. I serve veggies and meats first for this very reason. Breads last.

My kiddos won't eat bread of any kind.
Very few will eat crackers even.

I know, I have odd ones.

[Cat Herder]

Originally Posted by Blackcat31

My kiddos won't eat bread of any kind.
Very few will eat crackers even.

I know, I have odd ones.

That seems so crazy to me. Mine would all live off of bread, butter, french fries, pasta or "nuggets" if I let them.

I put a lot of effort into serving whole, fresh meats, veggies and fruit. No boxes or prepackaged breaded anything. Other than parties, of course.

[e.j.]

I'm always amazed at how much some of these kids eat during a sitting. My four year olds, in particular, always seem to be "starving!" and I currently have an 11 month old who can put more away than some of the older kids. I don't limit food per se but do encourage them to try other foods on their plates before I'll give them a third helping of something. Once they've finished what I've cooked or I've put away the remaining loaf of bread or box of crackers, I just tell them there's no more so they're limited in that respect.

What really blows me away is the amount of food on the floor after a meal! I could feed a small army with all of that food!

[Pandaluver21]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Some days it blows me away how much food these little ones can eat! Most of my kids get here around breakfast time and have already had one breakfast at home. They then proceed to not only eat the breakfast I serve, but ask for seconds and thirds!
Do you cut them off at any point? I have a 5 yo that can easily eat six waffles/pancakes and two full sized bananas and that's in addition to the breakfast he ate at his house before arriving.(He arrives during breakfast time). None of the kids are overweight or even close to being. They eat way more than I could even think of eating in a day! Ha!

I no longer serve breakfast, but when I did parents would answer Yes or No to "did you child eat breakfast before drop off"
If No, they were served a "regular" size breakfast.
If Yes, they would have specific activities to do while others ate breakfast
I did/do seconds at lunch, but not Breakfast.

I also do similar to BC and will only do more if they're eating everything, not just asking for 5ths of crackers :P