How many bites of food are acceptable? PR

fancynewbeesly

Reese isn't necessarily a bad eater--but there are some foods that she is a "meh" on--she usually won't refuse them, but you have to entice her to eat them (some veggies, chicken, other random things).

But at dinner how many bites are acceptable to you, before you offer something else or give a "dessert"/snack (which in our house is dry cheerios, yogurt, fruit, cheese, crackers)

I just know she isn't full if she eats two bites of broccoli, three bites of chicken, etc--but she had SOMETHING, so I feel like I should fix her something else just to fill her up in the overnight. 

Am I over thinking this? 

Right now she is definitely on the low weight side--she isn't tiny but she is very skinny. 

RayRay007

I usually don't worry too much about how much she does or doesn't eat. I know she gets a big snack at daycare around 4, and generally eats a lot throughout the day. I usually want her to have a couple bites each of meat and veggies, but if all she wants is lots of veggies and no meat, so be it. I don't offer something else just to make sure she eats because I know she will eat those things if she's hungry. If she refuses to eat anything then I wouldn't offer desert. I also don't give her a snack before bed. 

BluepointToasted

I think what you are doing is perfect. She is eating something, and the things you are giving her are still good. It's not like she is taking one bite of broccoli and filling up on Oreos.

MsMommy2012

I have the same problem lately. I don't want to always give something else and get into that habit though.

fancynewbeesly

MsMommy2012 said:

I have the same problem lately. I don't want to always give something else and get into that habit though.

That is my worry. Although I try to space dinner and snack far enough apart so she doesn't make the association.

MsMommy2012

I've just starts doing something I know he likes. Tonight he has black beans and rice, steamed broccoli and steak. Steak is a sometimes he'll eat and so is broccoli but he will always eat blank beans and rice. He also will always do avocado so we generally do avocados on our salads so he gets something filling. And always fruit for dessert. No snacks here though, we only do one snack right after nap.

MsMommy2012

I do always have new foods though I didn't want to seem like he always eats the same stuff or only stuff he likes. I just offer a mix so he will eat something.

fancynewbeesly

Unfortunately because DH works late---her dinner is more leftovers.

She had broccoli and carrots, milk, tacos (her FAVORITE!), and applesauce for a snack. Her babysitter does mostly fruit as a snack---so it isn't very filling. 

She had a few bites of the broccoli and carrots; 1/2 a taco and then applesauce. 

I hate this feeding thing. It was so much easier when she was on formula and I didn't have to worry about food battles/issues. 

MsMommy2012

My pediatrician assures me toddlers eat they need and to look at their food
Intake over the week not day/meal or we will go insane.

ILoveBoys

My philosophy is "they'll eat if they're hungry."

I want them to grow up knowing it's okay to stop if they're full or feel done for that meal.

chardonnay24

I don't worry about it. Sometimes he literally doesn't eat anything but the fruit and sometimes he cleans his plate. I don't push it. If he doesn't eat, he has to live with being hungry. He goes to bed about 1.5 hours after we eat and he has a full sippy of milk before bed. I used to stress about it a lot but I don't anymore. I don't want to force him to eat if he's not hungry or legitimately doesn't like something or just doesn't feel like chicken that night.

fancynewbeesly

mbenit4 said:

I don't offer snacks or dessert if you didn't eat your dinner. There is no acceptable number of bites. You can eat 0 as long as you know you are not getting anything else we're cool with it. I can't police food. I cook, I serve, you eat or not then done. I don't do separate meals. It's not a fight. We don't talk about it. They know the routine by now.

But then how much is an acceptable amount of food before a snack? Do they have to clear there plate? Reese is two. If she takes 3-4 bites of everything on her plate, would you say no to a healthy snack-yogurt, applesauce, cheese, fruit, dry cereal?

Nechie122

If she doesn't finish her dinner, I usually offer it again an hour later. If she doesn't want it, I'll offer fruit or yogurt.

If she still refuses, I don't force the issue.

zeptattoo

For new foods we require 2 bites.  The reason for that is often he will hate the first bite, but after the second it is about 50/50 as to whether or not he'll like it.  Other wise it is clean your plate in order to get dessert.  We know how much is right for him, so it usually is a non-issue for us.