Will a toddler overeat?

My DD is 13 months and LOVES to eat. I feel like I'm giving her TOO much food, but she eats it all and looks for more. Am I over feeding her?

Here's a sample of a typical day:

Breakfast: A bowl of Gerber Oatmeal with stage 2 fruit
or 2 soy multigrain pancakes with fruit

snack: usually cheese and crackers or pretzels or fruit

lunch:
leftovers from the night before
or a slice of whole wheat toast with cheese
or 1 scrambled egg with cheese, 1 piece of toast with cream cheese

snack: whole container of yogurt (regular size not YoBaby)

Dinner:
pasta and 2 turkey balls;
or 3 chicken nuggets, 4 - 5 potato fries and all the veggies she wants
or 1 slice of tofutti pizza (looks like Ellios - so a 1/3 of an entire piece),
or 1/2 a can of Progresso Chicken noodle & veggie soup, etc.

Dessert: fresh fruit (usually apple or blueberries)

Water all day.

Just to put portion size out there a full cake plate or a full "First Year" tupperware bowl.

I'm full just looking at it

Message edited 1/3/2008 7:45:34 PM.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

I would think she'd stop when she is full. It does sound like a lot to me but then again I have a grazer. She eats 1 french toast for breakfast and she'd done, a yobaby yogurt and some blueberries for lunch and done and something miniscule for dinner too. Snacks on a couple of whole wheat ritz crackers and maybe 1/2 cheese stick. She only eats 1/3 banana at a time. I have the opposite problem....maybe you can give me some pointers.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Posted by Charly

My DD is 13 months and LOVES to eat. I feel like I'm giving her TOO much food, but she eats it all and looks for more. Am I over feeding her?

Here's a sample of a typical day:

A bowl of Gerber Oatmeal with stage 2 fruit or 2 soy multigrain pancakes with fruit

snack: usually cheese and crackers or pretzels or fruit

lunch: leftovers from the night before or a slice of whole wheat toast with cheese or 1 scrambled egg with cheese, 1 piece of toast with cream cheese

snack: whole container of yogurt (regular size not YoBaby)

Dinner: pasta and 2 turkey balls or 3 chicken nuggets, 4 - 5 potato fries and all the veggies she wants or 1 slice of tofutti pizza (looks like Ellios - so a 1/3 of an entire piece), etc.

Dessert: fresh fruit (usually apple or blueberries)

Water all day.

Just to put portion size out there a full cake plate or a full "First Year" tupperware bowl.

I'm full just looking at it

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

In my experience she stops when she is full. How is her weight? I would use that to judge.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

i would use her weight as well. my nephew used to eat until he puked

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Kiera ate like that she was about that age also and then she slowed down. Now I'm lucky if I can get here to eat 3 chicken nuggets. When she was about 14-15 months she was eating 4 without a problem. I think when they first start solids as their main meals they eat a lot because it's all new to them and they are finally getting some yummy food!! I agree with the other posters that I would use weight. But at the same time if she's still hungry then she should eat. They grow A LOT in their first 2 years.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

My DD can eat us all under the table. I am not worried about how much she eats because she eats, and eats well. My DS used to be like that, and now he's becoming very picky and hardly eats. I hate that battle with him.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

my nephew is 21/2 years old now and since he has been on table food (about 6-8mths old) he has done nothing but EAT ALL DAY LONG
I mean at 1 he was eating more than my 6 yr old
he still eats all day long I am constantly making food for him
he makes me so nervous because I am always afraid he is gonna throw up but he can pack it away he is a botomless pit
and he is so thin. I am not exaggerating either

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

i wish i had your problem my son is the worst at eating and is only 19lbs and change at 1yr

i am exhusted cooking up new things for him to try

if she is enjoying food and not overweight i say you are doing well it definatly sounds like she is getting a good variety of foods

do you think she could teach my DS a few things about just how delicious food is



you have FM

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

You mean she doesn't throw her food on the floor when she's done like my DDs??? I give them the same portions you mentioned at meals plus an extra fruit or veggie (besides what you mentioned), but they don't get snacks - unless we're out and they need to be kept occupied. So it seems Hannah is eating pretty much the same as DDs. HTH!

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

This sounds like what Lily's eating. And they are very similar weight. DD also has quite the belly. DH makes fun of it all the time. I'm glad you posted this because I was starting to wonder if she was eating too much too. I think they're both fine. It's normal for them to have a belly, right?

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Posted by PrincessP

Posted by Charly

My DD is 13 months and LOVES to eat. I feel like I'm giving her TOO much food, but she eats it all and looks for more. Am I over feeding her?

Here's a sample of a typical day:

A bowl of Gerber Oatmeal with stage 2 fruit or 2 soy multigrain pancakes with fruit

snack: usually cheese and crackers or pretzels or fruit

lunch: leftovers from the night before or a slice of whole wheat toast with cheese or 1 scrambled egg with cheese, 1 piece of toast with cream cheese

snack: whole container of yogurt (regular size not YoBaby)

Dinner: pasta and 2 turkey balls or 3 chicken nuggets, 4 - 5 potato fries and all the veggies she wants or 1 slice of tofutti pizza (looks like Ellios - so a 1/3 of an entire piece), etc.

Dessert: fresh fruit (usually apple or blueberries)

Water all day.

Just to put portion size out there a full cake plate or a full "First Year" tupperware bowl.

I'm full just looking at it

Gilly could TOTALLY do what Hannah is doing. I dont think it looks all that bad to be honest. Sounds like you are making up the in between with fruit and veggies which is good.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Posted by Kitkat
Ava can't wear jeans because of her buddha belly. It's stretchy pants for us.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

I'll make you feel better! Want to hear what Ava eats? She's almost 19 months, but has been eating like this since about 10 months or so:

Breakfast: 8, yes 8, 2 inch pancakes.
Or two waffles and a whole cup of applesauce
Or a two egg omlette with a slice of soy cheese in it.

Lunch: An entire soy butter and pear butter sandwich on whole grain bread
Or an entire turkey sandwich on whole grain bread
Or two heaping bowls of pasta if it's leftover from the night before.
Plus a banana or other piece of fruit.

Snack: handsful of wholegrain grahm crackers
Or some other type of cracker

Dinner: Turkey chili, watch out, she can eat about one and a half adult sized portions PLUS rice.
Or a gigantic chunk of turkey meatloaf, and entire sweet potato and green beans (yes in one sitting).
An entire chicken breast, a cup of broccoli plus rice

The list could go on and on and on. This kid eats more than I do, but she's a skinny minnie with hardly any fat on her, so I just let her eat. Just feel lucky that she's eating so well!

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Posted by prncss

I'll make you feel better! Want to hear what Ava eats? She's almost 19 months, but has been eating like this since about 10 months or so:

Breakfast: 8, yes 8, 2 inch pancakes.
Or two waffles and a whole cup of applesauce
Or a two egg omlette with a slice of soy cheese in it.

Lunch: An entire soy butter and pear butter sandwich on whole grain bread
Or an entire turkey sandwich on whole grain bread
Or two heaping bowls of pasta if it's leftover from the night before.
Plus a banana or other piece of fruit.

Snack: handsful of wholegrain grahm crackers
Or some other type of cracker

Dinner: Turkey chili, watch out, she can eat about one and a half adult sized portions PLUS rice.
Or a gigantic chunk of turkey meatloaf, and entire sweet potato and green beans (yes in one sitting).
An entire chicken breast, a cup of broccoli plus rice

The list could go on and on and on. This kid eats more than I do, but she's a skinny minnie with hardly any fat on her, so I just let her eat. Just feel lucky that she's eating so well!

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Is it bad that I don't think that is abnormal? sounds normal to me - but my son was a good eater like that at that age and still is for the most part. People use to laugh and couldn't believe what my son would eat when he was younger.

She is eating healthy and well rounded!! Enjoy it while it lasts because with toddlers they are subject to change at any minute. I rather have a big eater than one that won't eat.

Message edited 1/3/2008 10:13:04 PM.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

My boy's always pushed the foood away when they were full. If she is eating all that I would go with the flow....

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

I wish my toddler would just EAT nevermind over eat. I have no advice since as you can see, I have the opposite problem.

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

Wow- she has a great diet. Ryan is such a picky eater, I wish he would eat all that!!!

Re: Will a toddler overeat?

It sounds alot like what my DD eats too! Sometimes I wonder if I am feeding her too much - she was 23 1/2 pounds at a year. At 14 months, she must be about 25. But she's so active and the dr said that when she's full, she'll stop eating. Most times when she's full, she starts to throw the food off her tray, but if I give her something like pasta, she could eat forever!