Enclosed is a question from one of our readers (Edited)
Dear Lianne,
I have a daughter who is 2 1/2 who has a huge appetite and always wants food – she finishes one meal and is already talking about the next.
I find it stressful because I find myself always saying no, because I can't believe she can still be hungry and she'll often start crying.
She has 3 healthy meals a day:
Before breakfast - handful of dry cereal
At breakfast - cereal and milk, and banana on toast and will still want a second slice or fruit (30 minutes later she'll want a snack, so I'll try to hold off until snack time)
Snack - apple or organic snack
Lunch - a bowl of pasta/rice followed by yogurt
Afternoon snack - bread stick or hummus and pita bread
Dinner - omelet or beans on toast
Drink - milk and then usually wants a cracker before bed
Behaviour
sneak into the kitchen and raid the cereal cupboard
goes through my bags to find a snack then hide away and eat it
pinches her friend's snacks
I think the volume of food she eats daily is a lot already and I feel if I gave her everything else she wanted she would put on weight. I'm worried it will turn into an issue because I am constantly saying no, and she often cries.
Lianne’s Response:
Over- or under-eating is a huge stress for all parents. I hear a bit more about children refusing to eat healthy food, or any food at all. I feel for you though, this is a difficult situation.
Your daughter absolutely sounds like she’s a busy and hungry girl!
The energy that a toddler gains from their diet is burned up fast! The constant need to eat is a good thing, to top up those calories and keep up with daily play, as well as provide nutrients for growth and repair.
Although you daughter is eating regular meals and snacks, there is a lack of protein in her diet as well as fruits and vegetables. Protein would really help your situation because it will help to keep her feeling full and satisfied for longer.
Her diet is predominantly carbohydrate rich, and very low in protein (along with the majority of the population, I might add).
When a protein rich food is eaten; eggs, meat, dairy products including cottage cheese, cheese and yogurt, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds (including nut or seed butters) along side carbohydrate rich foods; grains, bread, cereals, fruits and vegetables—the energy that’s gained from that meal or snack has a slower release of energy, leaving your toddler satisfied for longer.
My suggestion:
Those energy highs and lows, which is when she’s delving into your bag for a snack, could be from running out of her breakfast of cereal (carb), milk (bit of protein), toast (carb) and banana (carb).
So instead you could offer oatmeal (whole oat flake, so it releases slowly) made with milk (bit of protein), and an egg cooked any way (complex protein). Or whole grain toast with an egg (balanced carb and protein) without the fast release cereal. Unless it’s a granola without sugar, then it’s going to be a fast release.
Her morning snack of an apple is great, but offer some almond butter with it or some cottage cheese (highest dairy source of protein).Pasta or rice for lunch is pure carb, so add a meat sauce to the pasta or legumes—beans or lentils, with the rice, as well as some vegetables. That makes up a complex protein and should have her satisfied til it’s time for afternoon snack.
The afternoon snack of hummus (protein) and bread stick or pita is a great combination. To increase her nutrition intake, offer raw carrot or celery sticks, broccoli florets or cauliflower to dip in the hummus.
Her dinner of an omelet (with some chopped parsley, spinach or other great vegetables) is a fantastic source of protein. Balance it out with some vegetables and it’s a great meal! Beans on toast—in theory—is a source of protein, but they also have added sugar, so become a carbohydrate food more than a protein. And if you are serving it on white bread, that’s a fast release carbohydrate too. Add in some chicken pieces or good quality sausage to increase the protein content, some veggies on the side and presto—balanced meal!
My other thought is that she might be intolerant to wheat. One of the symptoms of food intolerance is that you can’t stop eating the offending food. It’s as if it calls your name all day long.
Research shows that when an intolerated food is consumed, an endorphin like release (called exorphin) happens giving you a mild high from it. A good feeling comes from eating a food that you are intolerant to, so you eat more of it. Seems backwards, but I’ve seen it time and time again. Whatever food she can’t live without, she likely has an intolerance to.
I don’t know what types of grain the foods above are derived from, but I’m thinking that it’s wheat, as it’s the most commonly eaten grain in the Western diet.
Look out for other grains including, rye, oats, rice, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, spelt, or anything labeled wheat or gluten free. After substituting wheat for two weeks, or more if you can, see how she’s doing and if you can re-introduce slowly and watch for similar effects.
The behaviour and relationship with food and eating sounds like the biggest stress for you.
I suggest that the two of you do some meal planning, so that she knows what’s coming up for the next meal or snack. Make a plan with breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner and bedtime for seven days. Have her involved (as much as a toddler can be) and implement some of my suggestions above. The situation of her feeling deprived, sneaky and desperate for food is not one that’s going to help her out in the long run.
I’m sure that there are those reading this that have experienced similar situations and I encourage you to let us know how you handled your situation.
Mom, please send us an update in a month so we can follow and support you and your daughter.
