Prefers Bedtime Snack to Dinner

I wouldn't worry about them eating more before bed as long as they finish their dinner. I would add something else nutritious to their snack, and good work keeping the bed time firm!

Hey L.,

My son does the same thing. When he asks to be excused, I ask if he is full and if he says "yes" he can leave the table. I don't like the idea of making him a member of "the Clean Plate Club" either. BUT he always has quite the appetite for a bedtime snack! (He is just like me!)

Sounds like your kids are eating healthy snacks and as long as you can prevent the snacks from being a bedtime stall tactic, I think you're doing OK with your current plan. Can you add a glass of milk to fill them up with their fruits or a granola bar? That's not a bad bedtime snack.

Are they getting any snacks in between lunch and dinner? Maybe you could cut those out so they're good and hungry for dinner?

Sounds nice in theory, I know... I'm going through the same struggles though!

Best wishes,
C.
www.daisybows.com
http://thepurplepear.etsy.com

They may not be that hungry at dinner time. You may want to consider eliminating night time snack (make sure you warn them in advance) and move dinner a little later. Good luck.

Easier said than done, but have you looked at what they eat from lunch until dinner??? My son will be fine, but my daughter will wake up from nap ravenous, I will give her a snack at 3:00 and at 3:30 she'll complain that she is starved and ask for more food, like you said, she's asking for healthy stuff and really does seem hungry so I'll feed her but then her dinner is ruined.
so i guess that's my best advice, look at moving lunch or snack time.

I think I would push dinner back a half hour later and cut the evening snack cold turkey (tell them what you're doing, though). Maybe they'll be a little hungrier a little later, but they're also old enough to understand that dinner is for dinner time and that's the only time large quantities of food are offered. They'll figure it out in a couple of days. And make sure they're not filling up so much on afternoon snack that they don't have room for dinner.

My kids try that one too. If they leave their dinner, that is the snack. That's all they get. I explain they do not need that much food on their bellies at bedtime.

When kids turn 3-4 they slow down on eating and then they become hungry at night. I don't know why but they will eat when they are hungry. I am not a clean your plate mom because i had to clean mine and i hated it because my mother would save it even for breakfast and i didn't like it. Don't worry they won't starve.
Jade

I agree with Marisa. Cut out the afternoon snack, push dinner back a half hour to an hour and no evening second chances. You are allowing them to do this, so stop enabling. Change the rules, tell them about it, and stick to it. You will see a drastic change. It is not good to eat so close to bedtime, we actually sleep better on an empty stomach. Also cut out juices, they can ruin appetites fast.

If your kids are getting enough calories and eating nutritious food throughout the day, I wouldn't worry to much about them not eating alot of dinner. Eating alot just before bedtime another issue.

If they are filling up on snacks during the afternoon, you might want to limit the amount and how late they can have an afternoon snack. They will want more at dinnertime.

Try to have dinner at the same time each night (I know, not always possible) and serve the snack at least an hour before their bedtime.

As another person posted, it is not healthy to eat too much right before bed time. I know that I don't sleep well if my stomach is full.

If they are eating an earlier snack, they can't use that as an excuse that pushes back their bed time. If they try to stretch out the snack time by eating very slowly, tell them that snack time is over and put away the food and what is on their plates that they haven't eaten. They will learn not to try that tactic.

Because our bedtime is so early the kids know that dinner is the last meal of the day and if they choose not to eat it they may feel hungry later. If this happens we don't rub it in their faces we just say sorry the kitchens closed.

We have also tried to make the kids a part of the meal planning and preparation. We have a two month menu which takes every bodies favorite healthy food (and one or two homemade unhealthy ones instead of eating out!)

Also I wouldn't worry too much about them not eating because my four year old hasn't eaten dinner for two years and he is very healthy. We do give him multivitamins but he just has a really hard time with new foods and textures. He loves breakfast, snack and lunch food so he eats healthily the rest of the day.

He will be five in may and we have been helping him to steadily be courageous enough to eat one bite of everything on his plate. We all cheer and he is happy that he was brave enough to try. He is by no means eating a full dinner yet but he is starting to try new foods which is great. He usually wakes up in the morning and eats two bowls of cereal!!

Hi, my son tried the same thing with me. He was using it as a stall tactic and still tries to do anything he can to prolong bedtime. I started implementing a time limit on the evening snack. He could not eat anything after 7pm and he went to be between 8pm and 8:30pm. He did not stay up any later b/c of snack so he stopped wanting to eat so much so late. Also, it's not really good for them to form the habit of eating that much so late. As a personal trainer, I tell my clients to try not to eat that late either. Adults who struggle with weight loss generally eat late at night along with just consuming too many calories throughout the day. You should definitely reevaluate their daytime meals/snacks. They may be eating later b/c they are not getting enough calories throughout the day...even my clients tend to fall into one of two categories...late night eating is usually either psychological or they don't eat enough throughout the day and they gorge themselves at night. It's good advice for anyone that is struggling with late night binging to look at their eating habits during the day. Many of us are so busy during the day that we skip meals/snacks and it's the same with kids sometimes...they are so busy having fun that they forget to eat. Sometimes my son will eat less at lunch/snack so that he can get back to playing. He would come home from school miserable everyday b/c he wasn't eating his snack...I'd have one on hand as soon as he got into the car to head off a tantrum.

I would cut back on the evening snack and always make sure it's at least an hour before bedtime. They won't starve and they may be more likely to eat more at dinner knowing that you aren't going to give in. I hope this helps.

maybe make dinner later! if it is healthy cut down on the dinner and as long as they eat who cares give them a time and ask if they say no and gets to late they need to wait til breakfast