I have a snack-a-holic! YIKES

Ryley cries for snack all day long! :headbang: He will stand against the cabinet and point up to the cookie jar wanting animal crackers or crawl to the pantry door, bang on it and cry. ANYTIME he thinks we have food he wants it!! I just don't get it...is this a normal toddler thing? I didn't experience this with Korey. Ryley and Kelsey eat three solid meals and they are still drinking 4 bottles a day (before nap and bedtime) I give them a couple snacks a day which include either yogurt melts, strawberries, fruit/veggie puffs, goldfish, wagon wheels, mum-mums, grapes, cheese etc...it's not like he is starving! I think he is just addicted to eating and I am worried he is going to get huge! granted he isn't now, just a fear I have...when I get home from work the twins nanny also tells me Ryley wants to eat all day! I know he can't be bored...or maybe he is?? Is this normal toddler behavior? How do I tell a 13 month old he can't snack all day?

 

Well, what I do- If they are coming at me all day for snacks, I put out veggies and water. I don't want food to become a problem, and if they are truly hungry I want them to eat. But ONLY veggies and water. If that's not good enough for them, I simply walk away. I always try and remember, it takes TWO to have a fight.

Hope that helps?

 

It might take two to have a fight, but it takes one to have a huge meltdown (or 2 or 3) and ruin your day, lol.

I have the same problem, my kids want snacks all day long. And *I* can't eat anything or they'll want some, so I end up hungry a lot (which I guess is a good thing for me). So I've decreased the amount I give them for now, but they ask as early as one hour after meals so it's a tough one. That being said, it's healthier for them to eat often than just having a couple big meals, it's just a pain sometimes to find healthy things for them to eat all day that won't make a huge mess if they dump it on the floor.

 

I would set a snack time with them and just give them a healthy choice at that time. You could set a snack time between breakfast and lunch, also between lunch and dinner and possibly before bed if you want. It does sound like a normal toddler phase, mine went through the same thing and some kids go through a "grazer" phase.

 

:good: That's what I would do. I would put something healthy out because if he really is hungry he'll eat it and it's good for him. Mine have gone (go through) phases where they'll want to eat a little throughout the whole day as opposed to three meals.