Would you or do you feed your child more food even after they have a full plate?

My son would literally eat us out of house and home, and I refuse to feed him like a line-backer for an NFL team gearing up for a big game. He is only five years old, and eats very healthy food (no junk, whole foods, organic/natural) but still wants more food even after a very full plate that should more than fill him up. For breakfast he had two eggs, three slices of bacon, serving of pineapple, and a 1/4 cup of oatmeal and of course 6ozs of OJ to drink.

He is healthy as a horse, weighs 40lbs and is 42inches over all-the pediatrician is not concerned about anything.

Our grocery bills are not small because our son has multiple food allergies, and feeding him like he would want to would literally break the bank.

I refuse to let him over-eat and become heavy, and no neither my husband or I are heavy.

Answer Question

SHARE THIS QUESTION:

Asked by Anonymous at 8:59 AM on Mar. 2, 2009 in School-Age Kids (5-8)

Answers (25)

You say the pediatrician isn't worried. Ask specifically how your sons weight is compared to the ideal for his age and height. If he is as he should be, then if he is hungry he should be allowed to eat. If his plate is cleaned, then if he is still hungry then a bowl of fresh vegetables, perhaps. But you don't want him to feel hungry, this could lead to eating problems later.

Answer by Bmat at 9:05 AM on Mar. 2, 2009
Credits: 27753 Level 26 School-Age Kids (5-8) 101

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
Most kids burn off all the food they eat. If your son is vary active. Letting him eat more food wont hurt him. But if he is not an active child. I will say do not feed him more they you already do.

Answer by louise2 at 9:54 AM on Mar. 2, 2009
Credits: 60280 Level 33 School-Age Kids (5-8) Minor

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
My sons eat seconds at a lot of meals. They are both very, very thin, and very, very active, though. They are 8 and 5, and yes, my grocery bill shows the damage. lol I just keep a close eye on their activity levels. If they start getting less active, they will have less food. Or they will be told if they want more food, they need to be more active. We eat very healthy meals, though, and they aren't asking for junk food, so I tend to be willing to let them eat as much as they want. We went thru yrs of them being super picky and me feeling like they would starve to death b/c they didn't eat, so that may be why. Their dr has told me they could stand to gain a couple of pounds, too, and that also influences me. I would talk to his dr and see what he/she says.

Answer by tropicalmama at 10:46 AM on Mar. 2, 2009
Credits: 155 Level 7

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
My son is 5 and he would eat two bowls of instant oatmeal if I let him. I let him have one bowl (full serving/one envelope), he then will eat a piece of toast with butter and jelly, then a piece of fruit (usually an apple) and drink his milk.

Lunch...a full sandwich (two pieces of bread), two slices of cheese, a serving of crackers, fruit and milk.

Snack (mid afternoon)...he chooses water to drink and usually some sort of baked cracker or something.

Supper (for example what we're having tonight) he will eat 2 hot dogs, 1 adult serving of mac-n-cheese, a serving of vegetables, milk and probably some pudding for dessert.

He's 44 inches and about 44lbs. He's just above the 50th percentile in weight. If he's hungry, I usually give him more...smaller amounts and I do limit that. He can always ask for more fruit or vegetables though.

Answer by TiccledBlue at 10:49 AM on Mar. 2, 2009
Credits: 38 Level 4

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
We have talked to the pedi and he is not concerned with his height/weight ratio, he actually states that he wishes all his patients would be as porptioned as our son.

There is NO way we would ever let him eat an adult portion of anything-he is not an adult so therefore he does not need adult portions.

For lunch he will have 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup turkey chilli and pork rinds (these are not the healthiest, we know but he has an allergy to corn) and of course a piece of fruit. Water to drink,
Snack will be a piece of fruit and water.

Dinner is italian meatloaf, baked potates and fruit, water to drink. He will eat two slices of meatloaf, but I do thinner slices so two thin slices is equal to one regular slice.

He has allergies to the following-gluten, casein, soy, beans, flax, tree nuts, corn, chocolate, and rice.

As you can see he is fed quite well thru the day, and we do not want his weight to become an issue.

Answer by Anonymous at 11:46 AM on Mar. 2, 2009

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
personally I would let him eat what he wants. I did with my kids and none of them got fat but then I kept them active too. No sitting around playing Playstation or being on the computer all the time.

Answer by admckenzie at 12:09 PM on Mar. 2, 2009
Credits: 41424 Level 29 School-Age Kids (5-8) 101

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
He's 5, he's not going to over eat. If he is still hungry after he cleans his plate then feed the child. He's a growing boy maybe he's going through some sort of growth spurt. My almst 7 yr old will eat 3rds sometimes, but if she's hungry I'll feed her. Not feeding them could cause eating problems in the future.

Answer by mamabens at 12:29 PM on Mar. 2, 2009
Credits: 154 Level 7

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
We do not own any type of video gaming systems, nor do we have TV, so he does not have the luxury of those things making it easier for him to be lazy. We keep him very active, and always have, like I said in the past we don't want his weight to become an issue.

His father was heavier as a child and thanks to the eating habits we follow here he is not an over-weight adult. And yes he was an active child too, so it was not being lazy that contributed to his weight problems.

The child would always eat like I have stated, it is just not "growth spurts", he likes to eat and we belive that he would literally eat himself to death if we did not stop him.

I can not see feeding a child thirds, what is placed on their plates should be enough to fill them-eating seconds and thirds is what leads to overwieght children and adults.

Answer by Anonymous at 12:57 PM on Mar. 2, 2009

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
The last thing you want to do is beat him over the head with not eating too much and create food anxieties. If he's not gaining weight when you let him eat more, it's not hurting him. Depending how much running around he does during the day, he's probably burning those calories and then some.

Answer by NotPanicking at 2:09 PM on Mar. 2, 2009
Credits: 238421 Level 46 School-Age Kids (5-8) 101

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!
I wish my son would ask for seconds! I can barely get him to clean his plate. In the rare instance that he does clean his entire plate, if he wants seconds or even thirds I am going to let him have it. I would rather he eat his fill at dinner than complain that he his hungry an hour or two later...which is what he normally does. I personally do not see a problem with letting kids have seconds. If they are hungry, and your not feeding them junk, what is the problem?

Answer by mauspond at 2:25 PM on Mar. 2, 2009
Credits: 0 Level 1

Found an answer to your question?
Like us on Facebook!