16 month old upset when no snack given!

[ErinE]

Hi all,

LO in good routine and I've adopted snack time, like most Mums, for am/pm but find I'm having to "give in" and "keep the peace" by offering something extra before and even after snack times.

She knows where her snacks are and points to the cupboard.  If I don't take her on, she'll then try the larder to see if she can get access to a box of cereal (!!) and if I try to move the food, it's tantrum time - crying, slapping her head, hitting her head off the cupboard.  I've tried distraction, I've tried explaining it's not snack time yet etc, I've tried "no" which makes it worse. I tend to keep the "no's" for really dangerous stuff. She now knows I'll eventually give in.  I then produce something she doesn't want because she knows there's other types of food there.

Any ideas?  Should I let her just have her tantrum and show her I mean what I say?

Thanks
Julie

[Colin Macs Mom]

Maybe she's having a growth spurt? I would think she's genuinely hungry if she's that insistent.

[binxyboo]

Riley goes through phases where he grazes instead of having main meals, so we might have 5 mini meals a day. As long as he eats healthily, I don't care much when he eats, just that he eats.

What kinds of snacks is your lo after?

[ks6]

Since about that age I left ds's snacks on a table for him to eat when he was hungry.  He never has to ask for snacks, and therefore we have no meltdowns.  This works because he eats meals well.  Just an idea for you. 

[binxyboo]

Oh, we also have a bowl of healthy tidbits on the coffee-table for him to nibble on throughout the day too!

[nwmm]

I go through the same thing.  My lo eats well at meal time as well.

I worry because I think she wants to eat just to eat/to pass the time.  She loves the Cheerios and can eat them non stop. I read that kids can self regulate, but it makes me worried.  I will watch for other responses to the original question. 

[Katet]

Both my children are older (3.5y & 22mo) & I adopted a "I provide healthy food, they choose when to eat" attitude when we had eating problems with #1 & you know my children do self regulate pretty well. BUT they don't always eat at meal times. Infact my 22mo hasn't eaten anything at (our designated family) dinner time for about 1 week... he wants to eat at about 4.30pm & so he does & then has virtually nothing to eat until 7.30am the next day... that is what he does. Being older they can (& do) get to the cupboards for food & so it is the healthy stuff they can get to. My older knows he can have 2 "sugar foods" (flavoured milk, icecream, jam etc) a day & he is very good at monitoring that & the rest of the time has sandwiches fruit or corn/rice cakes.
I don't think at her age she wants to eat to pass time she is too young to have developed that association, toddlers can have huge appetites in the first months after walking as they grow heaps, you may find in a month or so she hardly eats a thing.

[Duckie]

I (shocking! ) agree and deal with food similar to Katet.  Andrew (5.5) has been known to eat 2 slices of toast, 2 full sandwiches, a burger and fries and 3 glasses of milk between 7 am and 1 pm and then have nothing but an apple and a glass of water from 1 pm and breakfast the next day.

My dh grew up with the clear your plate, nothing between meals type parents and has/had food issues for quite a while.  My parents were the opposite.

[nwmm]

If I am changing the original post, then please don't respond to my next question. 

Not sure if my question will help Julie like it will help me, but....  what kind of snack would you leave out for a 16 month old.  (Something that is not too messy.)

Thanks.   

[ks6]

I mostly put out cereals at that point.  Now I leave out apple or pear pieces, cheese cubes, prunes, or goldfish crackers.  (Ds now wipes his hands on a napkin after picking up something messy.)

[Erin M]

I agree with the pp - toddlers nutritional needs seem to vary so much -- there were a few weeks about a month ago where my dd was eating pretty much nonstop -- full meals and lots of snacks in between.  On a normal day, she eats a big breakfast, a good sized lunch, a few bites for dinner and has a small mid-morning snack and a good sized mid-afternoon snack.  If she's looking for food at other times, I give it to her.

Healthy snacks to leave out: whole grain crackers, toast, carrots, peppers, cheese, apple chunks, cucumber pieces....will keep thinking.

[nwmm]

Thanks, "guys."  I often have to feed my lo laxative type foods so I struggle with leaving out some neat food.

I completely agree and do give snacks though!!!!

[Erin M]

nwmm - raisins maybe?  Aren't they a bit of a laxative?

[binxyboo]

Raisins work for us, but peaches work the best.

[Colin Macs Mom]

Colin ADORES raisins, and craisins too. He eats them every day