Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Hi Jeff,

While I know your focus on nutrition really centers around adults, I'm trying to figure out what to do about children and meal times. The dilemma I have is when I allow the kids to eat when hungry, they graze all day long, but aren't hungry for meals. I'm constantly helping them get whatever it is that they want to eat, and they of course prefer fruit (fresh and dried) and bread products (bread, pretzels, crackers), which requires a lot of me tending to them stead of taking care of all the other stuff that needs to be done, and adds a bunch of dishes to be washed, too.

When we try sticking to set meals (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner), they get hungry. They just can't seem to eat enough at a single meal to last more than 2 hours, and I end up with ravenous, cranky children.

I'm happy to feed them, of course, but don't want to spend all day in the kitchen cleaning up. It's also been a challenge when we aren't at home, and they expect to eat at any time. I'd like to eat meals as a family, particularly dinner. The kids are 4 and almost-6.

My question is, do you have a recommendation for how to feed kids regarding meals vs grazing?

Thanks in advance!

Lyndzie wrote:My question is, do you have a recommendation for how to feed kids regarding meals vs grazing?

Thanks in advance!

When my daughter was growing up, we had both meal times and an open kitchen. In other words, we ate breakfast and dinner together and when we were together at the time, lunch too. But, she always had free excess to the kitchen and the food in it. We didn't have anything that would not be healthy for her

You might want to write the McDougall's and direct your question to Heather as she has been busy raising three kids and I know she talks about it in the talk on Meal Planning.

In Health
Jeff