It is difficult for young children, with the constant energy consumption they have throughout the day, to manage four meals a day.
The pecking out of time of the little ones It is not a transgression to eat on time, but a necessity.
Compared to adults, they need a lot of calories in relation to their size and small stomachs. They are not able to contain too much food reserves to have energy to cope with too many hours of activity.
No one likes to go hungry. We get moody and irritable. Children too, and even more. Also, if a child is made to wait for food for too long, his blood sugar level may decrease leaving him without energy.
I have noticed that my two daughters ask to eat at all hours, especially these summer days that between the pool, outdoor games and bike rides wear down many daily energies. Instead of forbidding them to eat when they are hungry because "there is little left for food" I prepare nutritious snacks out of time.
Instead of pretending that they endure hunger until lunchtime and decided to prepare more meals between meals and make more frugal dishes for lunch and dinner. Recall also that in summer, the heat decreases appetite and fancy cooler foods.
It is a mistake to believe that the pecking out of time It promotes childhood obesity if the snacks are nutritious and healthy. The problem is if, in addition to making four abundant meals with calorie-filled dishes, a snack with high sugar and saturated fat content is offered in the middle of the morning and in the afternoon. And on top of that the practice of exercise is not stimulated. That is promoting bad habits.
But if you are offered an attractive and nutritious mini-meal like a fruit, some pieces of cheese or a snack will be replenishing energy in a healthy way.
