Feeding Kids - Ugh - Can I Limit Grains - Need Suggestions

[Alwaysgreener]

DCM says that DCB (5) will eat anything. However, he never eats anything. I serve meals family style, so less waste. So today, he refused protein and vegetable but took fruit and grain. This is what he does most days.
During snack he will ask for seconds, I been telling everyone no. DCG (3.5) (sister) will take a try everything, when she says she does not like it. He will tell her "yes you do".

Ugh

Can I limit servings on grains to one serving, even though I offer seconds on everything else? (I am on the food program)

Any suggestions on how to encourage him to eat?

[Thriftylady]

I think if you offer the min. serving you can. What kinds of grains are you serving? Perhaps you can replace them with brown rice and other whole grains so that they are still getting the grains but more nutrition.

[Heidi]

I think if you offer the min. serving you can. What kinds of grains are you serving? Perhaps you can replace them with brown rice and other whole grains so that they are still getting the grains but more nutrition.

I also rarely serve grains for snack. Protein and veggies make GREAT snacks. I also only do fruit with breakfast, and once in a while with PM snack.

[Unregistered]

Limit a second helping of grains? Yes!

[NightOwl]

A grain is a required component of snack, though.

[LysesKids]

A grain is a required component of snack, though.

No it's not... you just need 2 of the 4 components; of course you can't do fruit & fruit juice, but who said you had to do a bread/grain? Many days it's yogurt with fruit or hummus with veg dippers here (sometimes pretzels as dippers or a Dutch baby gets made every now & then, but hey); My littles cannot do popcorn, but that's a cheap snack too

[Leigh]

A grain is a required component of snack, though.

Maybe requirements vary from state to state, but snack for me consists of 2 of these 3: protein, fruit or veg, grain.

[LysesKids]

Here's what the federal guidelines say... for breakfast, 3, for lunch all 4, for snack it's any 2 of the 4 listed

http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Child_Meals.pdf

[Blackcat31]

DCM says that DCB (5) will eat anything. However, he never eats anything. I serve meals family style, so less waste. So today, he refused protein and vegetable but took fruit and grain. This is what he does most days.
During snack he will ask for seconds, I been telling everyone no. DCG (3.5) (sister) will take a try everything, when she says she does not like it. He will tell her "yes you do".

Ugh

Can I limit servings on grains to one serving, even though I offer seconds on everything else? (I am on the food program)

Any suggestions on how to encourage him to eat?

I limit grains during lunch and after the first serving of everything there is NO seconds unless ALL your food is gone so daycare boy would NOT get anything more than his first serving of grains and fruit unless he ate the veggies and protein too... then IF I have seconds available he could have them but not grains... I never do seconds on the carbs.

A grain is a required component of snack, though.

No it isn't, Lyse's Kids is correct.... you are only required to chose 2 of the 4 food groups for snack. Grains for infants is required for snack. Perhaps that is what you are thinking of... They must have breast milk or formula and a bread or bread alternate (grain)

.... I've never served a grain for snack to my other kids.

I ONLY serve fresh veggies or fruit for snacks.

[Onawhim]

Wow I thought grains should be a must at each meal. They have fruit and grain for snack, protein fruit or veg and grain for lunch and fruit or veg grain and dairy for snack.

[Blackcat31]

Wow I thought grains should be a must at each meal. They have fruit and grain for snack, protein fruit or veg and grain for lunch and fruit or veg grain and dairy for snack.

Whole grains are a part of healthy eating but in this day and age all kids eat are carbs (and rarely whole grains, usually processed unhealthy ones) and that is part of why we have an obesity epidemic.... not enough veggies and not enough exercise to burn off those carbs.

[NightOwl]

Here, it is. It's confusing but my food program rep (and the one before her) said it had to be a grain and one other component (fluids are not required for snack, which still baffles me). The second component can be a fruit, a veggie, or a dairy, but the grain is not optional. Do different states have different requirements? I thought it was a national standard. I always choose milk as the second component because I can't imagine not providing fluids with a snack.

[Thriftylady]

Back when I was on the FP, I had to choose 2 of the 4 for snack. It didn't have to be grain. I usually provide water with snack, milk with lunch or other meals.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Oh I just completed my "family style" training. Ok, yes you only have to offer the minimum serving. So if you are serving pasta it is 1/4 C (shocking eh?) I do let them have 1/2 C of macaroni and cheese. Use your measuring cups as dippers and tell them they can scoop one serving (cup) and that is all. You may tell them they may have 1/2 slice of bread etc. I also do not do seconds unless they eat the majority of their other items.
I have the twin sibling set here at my house. 5 yo boy only eats carbs- if I melt cheese on carb he will eat it (grilled cheese, quesadilla etc) rarely eats protein. No veg except spaghetti sauce on pizza (which I add spinach etc into and puree) Spaghetti sauce on pasta he will literally wipe off! An occasional apple but that is it. Needless to say they have to give him laxatives every day so he will poop. I stirred peas into the mac and cheese today and he picked every one out of the shells! every one. He is going to drive me crazy. He will forgo food over eating something he doesn't want to eat. No grapes, no watermelon.... bread, crackers, macaroni (unless it is red or green). He will only eat pb toast or pancakes for breakfast. No cereal or oatmeal. No milk. 3 yr old eats well but is starting to pick up on his I won't eat it. SO FRUSTRATING!
Side note- I do not serve family style because I feel like he needs to see at least a bite of everything on his plate even if he isn't going to eat it. And sister will eventually eat it if it is on her plate. Maybe in the fall when he goes off to kindergarten.

[Blackcat31]

Here, it is. It's confusing but my food program rep (and the one before her) said it had to be a grain and one other component (fluids are not required for snack, which still baffles me). The second component can be a fruit, a veggie, or a dairy, but the grain is not optional. Do different states have different requirements? I thought it was a national standard. I always choose milk as the second component because I can't imagine not providing fluids with a snack.

The meal patterns are a FEDERAL requirement. If your previous rep told you a grain was required for snacks (over 12 months) she was mis-informed.

Requirements DO vary from state to state but NOT the meal patterns.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/meals-and-snacks

Sometimes instead of milk as one of the components I will serve two options and water.