What times do your kids eat?

[jgenie]

DS1 is 3 and DS2 is 15 months. We generally sit down for breakfast at 7:30 and leave the table at 8:30. DS1 was never interested in a snack so we generally skip it. He has a light snack at school but I think he eats because everyone else is and because it's generally foods we don't eat at home. DS2 generally nurses around 9:30 before his morning nap. We have lunch around noon and leave the table at 1:00. No snacks in the afternoon - they generally aren't interested. Dinner is generally at 5:30 and we leave the table around 6:30. Both DC are not gaining weight so I'm going to try again to add snacks in. What time should I add morning snack and afternoon snack? Any ideas on calorie rich snack ideas? TIA

[newg]

I usually offer a snack around 10 for the morning and around 3 for afternoon. I think I read somewhere that a snack should be at least an hour before a meal...two hours if possible.
Today, DD1 had soccer from 10-11, so she got her snack at 11 when she came off the field and lunch was closer to 12:30.
We eat our meals at about the same time as you.

I don't have any suggestions for high calorie snacks though.......

[LMPC]

DD eats around 8am (breakfast), sometimes snack at 10ish, lunch at 12p, sometimes snack at 3ish (or when she gets up from nap), dinner around 6pm.

As for calorie rich snacks...
greek yogurt (full fat)
cheese
guacamole and crackers
nut butters dipped with apples or on crackers. We like sunbutter around here.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I'd say that we do the same times, but we definitely don't spend an hour at the table each time. Maybe 20-30 min at breakfast and lunch, then a longer dinner (maybe 30-35 min because we're doing "highs and lows" for the day.) Maybe they're not hungry for a snack b/c they're taking so long to eat...? I'd add snacks back in and see if that helps.

[blue]

I am impressed your DC can stay at the table for an an hour- my DS sure can't, he has the attention span of a gnat when it comes to sitting at the table :p.

To answer you question, DS is almost 2, and eats breakfast at 7:30 or 8 am. He has a snack at 9:30 or 10am (he does not sit at the table for the snack, usually milk and one bite of my PB and J sandwich-I mention that, because if he had to sit at the table, he probably wouldn't eat then, throwing that out as an idea to consider for you DC- I try to keep him in the kitchen at least).

Lunch 11 or 11:30am. After nap snack (cheese sticks, crackers with peanut butter- or other) at 2pm or 3pm, whenever he wakes from his nap (also not at the table).

Dinner at 4:30 or 5pm. After dinner snack at 7pm.
Hope that helped some and I wish you luck with your DC. My DS needs snacks or he turns into a monster, but some other kids I know are not into them.

[Melanie]

7:15 ish
10 am ish snack
1 pm ish (due to school schedule, not my preference. I prefer lunch at noon)
2-3 pm ish snack
6 pm ish (depending upon who is cooking)

Snack Ideas (I wouldn't just go for the junk to add on weight for the sake of doing so as you may form junkfood habits you'll want to break later)...also YMMV with what you feel is safe for your one year old:
-Apples & Almond Butter (Or whatever "nut" butter your family uses)
-Cheese and Crackers (I use pretty much anything from Trader Joe's...)
-Cheese and Grapes or Apples
-Baby Carrots (or some other finger-food vegetable like broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower) and hummus
-Pretzels & Hummus or Cottage Cheese
-Nut "trail" mix
-Macadamia Nuts
-Smoothies (Plain or Vanilla Yogurt, Frozen Mixed Berries, Bananas, OJ, you can add it some kind of powder if you feel it's helpful)
-Yogurt w/ granola topping (we actually just use whatever similiar cereal we have)
-Bagel & Cream Cheese
-Fruit Salad



If your kids aren't ones to find food appetizing, you could arrange it on the plate in a fun shape.