PR- WDYD when your kid skips lunch?

MrsT0514

Kind of a dumb question, but I wanted others' opinions on how you handle meal times when your kid either skips or sleeps thru.

For instance, anywhere from 2-4 days a week,I usually have DS out and about for either PT, open gym, park/library, indoor play place, etc. He wakes up between 8-9 am lately (he goes down around 8:30-8:45pm) and has breakfast after waking.

Then we'll usually head out to open gym/any activities around 11ish and head home around 12:30-1ish. I usually give him a snack in the car or wherever we are mid morning to tie him over (usually fruit or fruit/veg pouch, yogurt smoothie, goldfish, craisins, or pb crackers...something like that), with intentions of giving him lunch when we get home.

But by the time we leave wherever we are to head home, majority of the time he ends up falling asleep in the car and will sleep through me transferring him to the crib, so he skips lunch. Then he wakes up around 3:30-4pm and dinner is usually around 5:30-6pm, so I give him a snack when he wakes up. I feel bad that he's skipping lunch this many times during the week, but I feel like he'll usually make up for it by snacking more and eating a bigger dinner. Plus I'd hate to give him lunch that late in the afternoon and spoil his appetite for dinner.

So idk. How do you handle skipped meals?

MrsT0514

Ok, thats what I figured. I don't really stress it too much, since most of the time he's a really good eater, so I figure he must be making up.the calories somewhere. I was just curious what others did. I guess I'll just start packing a bigger snack.

tbmadeamistake

Same as you. If I know it's likely to be an issue and she had a smaller breakfast than normal, I'll simply pack a bigger snack. I also try to do a lot of talking in the car to keep her awake for the drive home if I can, but we are rarely more than twenty minutes from home.

secretsout

IamInigoMontoya said:

Honestly? I'd try to make sure that we were home or somewhere he could eat a full meal at lunchtime. Every once in awhile is one thing but if this happens on a regular basis, I'd seriously look at restructuring our time and activities to prioritize lunch.

I agree.  If it happens once in a while, I wouldn't worry about it, but if it is happening frequently I would take a different approach.  Maybe pack something to go, or do your activities a little earlier so you're home before he falls asleep. 

I don't know if I'm a little extra sensitive because we've had some minor weight gain issues, or what, but I wouldn't be comfortable skipping lunch that often.

MrsT0514

Lilygrace48 said:

Same as you. If I know it's likely to be an issue and she had a smaller breakfast than normal, I'll simply pack a bigger snack. I also try to do a lot of talking in the car to keep her awake for the drive home if I can, but we are rarely more than twenty minutes from home.

Yeah, I mean honestly i try talking to.him constantly in the car and also giving him snacks on the ride home in attempt to keep him awake...but most of the time he still falls asleep.

MrsT0514

@ScarlettPanda‌ I tried packing sandwiches for a while (ham/cheese, turkey/cheese, pb&j), or even packing a lunchable, but it seems like his taste for all of ot waxes and wanes, and sometimes he'll just refuse it. Not to mention, my child is the world's messiest sandwich eater and likes to deconstruct the entire thing while eating, so if we are in the car, usually a sandwich is a no go.

I'm sorta fresh out of ideas for easy, packable lunches here!

MrsT0514

@TyrannosaurusLex‌ Good point. I guess I always just assumed that if he's eating breakfast at 9-9:30 (depending on when he wakes up), then he wouldnt be that hungry by 11, but maybe I'll just offer lunch anyway before we go out and even if he doesnt eat it all I'll save the rest for later.

ASmallWonder

I think you have to readjust the vision of what "lunch" is and pack a heavier, well rounded snack like other people said.  They don't need a lot of food for it to count so I'd have pouches, cheese sticks, crackers, maybe some room temp pasta with peas, etc.  I know you said he's messy in the car but since he's pretty much proven he WILL fall asleep in the car, plan your snack/lunch wherever you are first or lay a towel on the empty back seat and let him sit there vs in his car seat before you get on the road.