Portion Sizes for Children

kstrachan

Brilliant posts it is really hard I have 2 DS eldest is nearly 8 and youngest is 5 eldest was a nightmare when younger and would not eat and although they say they will not starve themselves he would have at around 1 now he eats better - at school for pack lunch they get 1 roll with meat on they will not eat salad in roll and they get a small choc biscuit fruit juice or flavoured water and a cheese string type thing - at this I know they are eating all of it and a large number of eldests classmates get 3 times this but all are healthy - they get small snack size biscuits for playtime but then lots of veg in dinner and usually an apple as well - they are not fond of fruit but eat their vegs If we have pasta they eat nearly as much as me then get a small treat for afters- cake or cocolate if they ave some - so easter eggs last several weeks as they are only allowed a few bits at a time They do eat a whole bag of crisps at times today they have a bag each at the childminders as part of lunch but as they are a good weight and growing well I don't think it pay to be too strict or as an earlier post said they crave it - although they have never been allowed fizzy juice at home and as a result neither of them really like it but they get to have it at parties!I also use they kids plastic plates but am now thinking that I need to give them bigger plates they are looking for more some times they also eat a full lean pork 'chop' the same size as me with veg if thats what we have for tea they get tea around 5 na dbed around 7 as they are up before 7 in the morning I find they eat less if tired and more when growing - I can tell when they are growing as their hair doesn't grow when they do!!! Glad to hear that you made great progress wannabee just be guided by her and you will all be fine -' a little of what you fancy does no harm'

madnessandmayhem

I find with my 2 boys that they always eat more when it's a dinner where they can choose it themselves-usually a roast dinner! I put it in dishes on the table and they help themselves-the only rules are that they must have ome veg as well as the meat and they must finish what is on their plate before they have more.they actually eat more, and with no fuss than if I dished it up on plates for them.
I also worry about ds 1 who is almost 9. he is very tall and like a beanpole-you can see his ribs. he has always been like thi and i've taken him to the doctor a few times jut to check hi weight because he looks so skinny, but his weight is fine (wish I knew his secret of hiding the weight lol), and he can eat like a horse when he wants to.
But he is also very fussy so trying to give him a healthy balanced diet with a variety of foods can be difficult at times, as although people say he will eat if he's hungry he really wont. He gets his stubborn streak from his dad :cool: If it's something he 'says' he doesnt like then he wont eat it, simple!! think my news years resolution is to be tough mummy!!

redlady_1

The only thing I will say that as a child, who was VERY thin, trying to force food into me by my mother resulted in me eating less. I hated veggies along with chocolate, coke and mashed potato. I didnt have an eating disorder, I just didnt like main stream food. Over time as I grew up (still skinny) I started to naturally eat a little more. Once I got married I started to try more things - probably because they weren't being forced on me. Now, I eat like a pig, some of it is rubbish (salami being my favourite) but I am no longer a stick and have got over the hatred of chocolate!

Choosing it yourself was something I loved at my nans when we had a roast. That way I could eat what I needed.

Oh and I am 42 with no fillings nor had teeth taken out.

fizzlebottom

When my sons, now 26 and 21, were young I used to really worry about their food and how much/little they were eating; all I can say is that they are now both over 6ft tall, slim and healthy. They did have their 'chubbier' and 'leaner' times whilst growing up. Years ago it would be quite accepted that children grow in 'fits and starts' especially in their teenage years you so often see children lay down a little extra fat and then shoot up in height and it all equals out. If I could put my 'older' head on 'younger' parents I would say, please don't worry too much about this. The only other tip I would add is that with my first son when I was the 'perfect mother!! ' I used to restrict him to 'only one biscuit/sweet item' per day, my second son ate freely of his choice. Today my eldest son would eat his way greedily through any amount of sweet foods whereas my youngest hardly ever eats biscuits or sweets!