Snack Eating Issues

[Guest]

When it comes to snack, the children don't eat it. We have have tried many different foods (fruit, crackers, sweets), different textures. The only snack they all eat is pretzels. We have moderate success with applesauce, bananas, grapes (approx 6-8 out of 10 children) Almost everything else they eat little to none of. Like one wheat thin, or 1/4 of a graham cracker. They do not eat sweets at all (not a huge problem, just unusual). We have some children who eat no snack, no matter what it is.

I am completely baffled, I have never seen a group of toddlers who dislikes to eat so much. There are no tantrums or bad behaviors at snack (or meal) time, just a complete disinterest of food. Most of the children eat fine at lunch and breakfast, but the ones who eat the worst are the ones who do not want snack either. The children we currently have in our toddler room range in age from 27-36 months.

Our meal times are as follows:

Breakfast- upon arrival until 9 (we only have up to 3 children who eat as late as 9)
Lunch- we start lunch between 11 and 11:15
Snack- usually around 3, but we have waited as long as 3:30, but it doesn't change anything

[countrymom]

strange but my group likes dry cereal

[Starburst]

What time do they nap? Is snack usually right after nap time?

At a home daycare I worked at (she was on food program) breakfast was around 8am lunch was 12pm and afternoon snack was at 4pm (she didn't have a morning snack), nap time was between 1pm-3pm. Breakfast wasn't manditory if they arrived fed before breakfast time, but lunch was manditory (to at least sit at the table and try some food) and with snack (which was optional) they either could eat or take a little gummy-fruit or ceral bar snack pouch home (rules may be different in some states).

But some people are just picky eats- some people are snackers (also called grazers) which means they don't like big meals but just like munching all day on small snacks. And some people perfer meals because they get full after eating a meal

[blessed mom]

Personally I don't worry about it. I offer it and if they don't eat they must not be that hungry. No worries. I do try to have the afternoon snack later in the day, especially for the ones that stay late. I figure if they are hungry they will eat. If not, I notify mom they didn't eat much at snack. Other then that...I don't even worry about it.

[renodeb]

Are you on the food program? If you are than all you have to do is offer it. They may not eat it but it was offered. I wouldnt worry about it to much. If they are hungary they will eat.
Deb

[Play Care]

Are you on the food program? If you are than all you have to do is offer it. They may not eat it but it was offered. I wouldnt worry about it to much. If they are hungary they will eat.
Deb

I would caution not to only give them pretzels though. Still continue to offer SMALL amounts of other, more healthy options. Give them the choice to eat or not.
I worry more about this trend of constantly offering/giving kids food (and mostly cracker type snacks) so they don't even recognize when they are truely hungry because of the all day snacking.

[Sunshine74]

What time do they nap? Is snack usually right after nap time?

At a home daycare I worked at (she was on food program) breakfast was around 8am lunch was 12pm and afternoon snack was at 4pm (she didn't have a morning snack), nap time was between 1pm-3pm. Breakfast wasn't manditory if they arrived fed before breakfast time, but lunch was manditory (to at least sit at the table and try some food) and with snack (which was optional) they either could eat or take a little gummy-fruit or ceral bar snack pouch home (rules may be different in some states).

But some people are just picky eats- some people are snackers (also called grazers) which means they don't like big meals but just like munching all day on small snacks. And some people perfer meals because they get full after eating a meal

We usually wait at least a half hour after nap to have snack, if not longer. We nap from 12-2 (or a little later if we push it). We can't have snack later than about 3:30 because at 4 is when the dishwasher is run so that it has time to wash and dry and be put away before everyone leaves for the day.

Are you on the food program? If you are than all you have to do is offer it. They may not eat it but it was offered. I wouldnt worry about it to much. If they are hungary they will eat.
Deb

We are not on the food program. It just baffles me because it isn't a few children who don't eat snack, it is most of them.

I would caution not to only give them pretzels though. Still continue to offer SMALL amounts of other, more healthy options. Give them the choice to eat or not.
I worry more about this trend of constantly offering/giving kids food (and mostly cracker type snacks) so they don't even recognize when they are truely hungry because of the all day snacking.

We definitely do not give pretzels every day, though they would be happy if we did. At least 2 if not 3 days a week we have some kind of fruit. And usually when we do pretzels we have raisins too.

[CrackerJacks]

The snack I offer is always a fruit and then a cracker (goldfish, pretzels, ritz etc). However, I always give the fruit first (with nothing else on the plate). The kids have to eat their fruit before they can have the crackers. Do your kids eat the fruit that is served to them at lunch?

[laundrymom]

I wouldn't offer pretzels anymore. If its not an option, they may try new things.

[Blackcat31]

I wouldn't offer pretzels anymore. If its not an option, they may try new things.

I agree, the easiest way to introduce new foods or change up your menu is to stop offering favorites or foods they eat on a regular basis.

[daycarediva]

I would get a leader to try something new, even offer an incentive for a BITE.


"I have these awesome new stickers if anyone wants to be super brave and try this red, shiny, apple! I know ______ is brave! Will _____ try the apple?"

monkey see, monkey do over here, and it might work!

[Sunshine74]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I will definitely be trying everything. We had veggie straws today, which they loved last time we had them, only three children ate them. Sigh.

I do wish I had more control over what we serve for snack. Whatever our director buys is what we have to serve.