Toddlers and meals?

At 2.5 and 4, are you supposed to feed them until they are just not hungry anymore? Do they know how to self regulate their appetite?

So this holds true for any meal of the day. My kids eat pretty well balanced meals. So say it's dinner and there is a protein, veggie and carb. The eat all three and ask for more. More is put on their plate and they ask for more…they keep asking for more to a point where I think it's just too much food. It's all healthy good food, but is there a point you just say enough?

This doesn't happen every meal, however it happens at breakfast a lot and dinner 3/7 nights. The breakfast scenario looks something like they eat their breakfast, then ask for cereal, then ask for a cereal bar, then asks for fruit, then asks for….

Sounds silly but I don't want them to be hungry but I also don't know if they know how to self regulate. Both are in a healthy weight range. 4 year old is very thin, 2.5 year old still has the baby pudge if that makes any difference.

Thanks for your opinion and input!

Re: Toddlers and meals?

I usually give one refill and then cut him off. I tell him if he's still hungry after a bit to come back. 9 times out of 10 he does not ask for more again.

Re: Toddlers and meals?

My 2 yr old does this. She has never had a cutoff - since she started eating! She just eats and eats and eats. Tonight she ate everything and then said "bar" for a cereal bar and pointed to the pantry. I gave her some cheerios and called it a day. I aware that she eats more than me for some meals, it blows my mind.

Some days she does seem full, she hands me her bowl and says all done. Other days she asks for more. Sometimes we just don't have any more lol, i.e. hub and I ate the rest. So she gets a snack or we just say all done.

Also with snacks, I sware my kid can put down some snacks! She can eat a full breakfast at 9am, then 3 snacks and still wolf down a sandwich at lunch. I don't always offer 3 snacks lol but if we are out running errands I give her some to keep her happy.

So my answer is I would give 1 more helping or maybe offer some fruit?

Re: Toddlers and meals?

on the rare occasion they ask for more dinner i give them one more helping and then cut them off.

Message edited 12/15/2014 8:46:28 AM.

Toddlers and meals?

They should wait 15 min until it settles & see how they feel

Toddlers and meals?

I feed till full but sometimes my kid is a bottomless pit other days she barely eats anything.

Re: Toddlers and meals?

i wish i had this problem.... i struggle with getting my 4 year old to eat the first helping of food during each meal lol

on the VERY rare occasion he has asked me for more, i give him whatever he wants until he says he is full... but thats bc he rarely asks me for a second helping

Re: Toddlers and meals?

Uhhh I'm lucky if my 2.5 yo eats a few bites of anything other then rice. I think if he asked for more I would keel over

Re: Toddlers and meals?

I feed both of my kids not 7 and 4 until they say they are full. My 7 year old eats and has always eaten for as long as I can remember a HUGE amount of food. My 4 yr old - hit or miss but, is mostly a very light eater. Both are very thin, fit, athletic kids. Unless there was an issue and my chidren were actually overeating and gaining unhealthy weight - I would let them eat what their growing body needs. I think the key is like you said that you are feeding them healthy.

Re: Toddlers and meals?