From the archives: Is it okay for children to snack at any time of the day? This was a question considered by nutrition columnist Jennifer Bowden in 2018, but it remains as relevant as ever as young ones settle into the new school year.
Question: Our grandchildren are given snacks at any time of day – after school, in the car, at the movies. If they say they’re hungry 15 minutes before a meal, they’re given a snack – no one seems to worry if they can’t or won’t eat their proper meal. Isn’t it good to have an empty stomach from time to time?
Answer: Children are born with an innate sense of knowing what, when and how much to eat for their own growth and development. So, while outwardly the eating habits of young children may seem haphazard - with piles of food eaten one day, and almost nothing the next – their energy and nutrient intake invariably averages out over several days to meet their needs, researchers have discovered.
Given younger children have a great connection to their appetite – where do we draw the line with requests to eat? The Division of Responsibility (DOR) is considered the gold standard model for feeding children. Developed by registered dietitian and feeding expert Ellyn Satter, the DOR encourages parents to take leadership with the what, when and where of feeding, while allowing the child to determine how much and whether to eat of what you provide. Thus, gently teaching children how to eat well.
From birth it’s recommended that babies are fed on demand, allowing them to find their own timing for feeds. However, as infants develop and become more regular with their eating patterns, the caregiver gradually takes on responsibility for when and where feeding occurs.
Most children are ready for a meals plus snacks routine with their family by the end of their first year or beginning of the second year, according to the Ellyn Satter Institute. From then onwards, the division of responsibility in feeding applies, through the early years and adolescence, with parents and caregivers responsible for maintaining a structure of family meals and sit-down snacks through those growing years.
Ideally, a routine of meals and light snacks every 2-4 hours is created, with snacks eaten at least 1.5-2 hours before main meals, especially by children, so they don’t spoil appetites. Having set snack times rather than grazing all day does indeed allow your body to experience and respond to important fullness and hunger cues. What’s more, grazing almost always interferes with family meals.
Obviously, all children are different when it comes to their eating habits. My older son has always eaten bigger main meals and tended to snack infrequently from 1-2 years onwards; whereas my younger son has consistently preferred smaller meals and taken every opportunity offered to snack.
Either way, we as parents should ideally create a good routine of set snack and mealtimes and ensure these are sit-down occasions with food served on a plate and no distractions (such as television or phones) present. Bear in mind, though, there also needs to be flexibility to accommodate changes in appetite resulting from growth spurts or increased energy needs.
Every parent will have experienced the phenomenon of a child’s seemingly bottomless belly when going through a growth spurt. Rather than questioning the child’s request for more food at meal times, our role, according to the DOR model, is simply to provide appropriate foods at the appropriate time and trust our child to eat enough to meet their lesser or greater energy needs.
Just as with main meals, the goal with snacks for adults and children is to focus on nutrient-dense whole foods, rather than processed snack foods. So, whether that is fruit, vegetables, nuts, wholegrain breads or crackers, yoghurt or milk – an interesting variety is always a good idea.
DOR Guidelines for parents:
Choose and prepare the food.
Provide regular meals and snacks.
Make eating times pleasant.
Step-by-step, show your child by example how to behave at family mealtime.
Be considerate of your child’s lack of food experience without catering to likes and dislikes.
Not let your child have food or beverages (except for water) between meal and snack times.
Let your child grow into the body that is right for them.
Trust your child to:
Eat the amount they need.
Learn to eat the food you eat.
Grow predictably in the way that is right for them.
Learn to behave well at mealtime.
Source: Ellyn Satter Institute.
This story was originally published in the March 3, 2018 edition of the New Zealand Listener.
