Reception age children..starving at 3.30 but if they have too much of a snack they then don't eat at teatime..any solutions?

[hattyyellow]

My DT's are 4 and a little bit and have just started school. By the time we get to the car after pick up it's 3.40pm and I've been giving them some fruit or a flapjack to keep them going until teatime.

They are eating fairly well at school according to friend's MIL who is the dinner lady and watched them for me!

It's a bit of a chicken and egg situation.

If I give them more of a snack on the way home they won't eat at teatime. But they are too hungry to go through to teatime on just a banana. If I bring teatime forward to 4.30 they don't eat much if they've had a snack on the way home. If I don't give them a snack pre-4.30 they can't make it through to teatime.

Anyone still with me? Any solutions?

[Slubberdegullion]

How about a non carby/proteiny snack at pick up (ie just fruit) and shift tea-time a bit later?

[Slubberdegullion]

That is what I do btw. Fruit as snack when they get home and diner between 5pm and 5.30. (I have a Y1 and a reception).

[reikizen]

I just accepted that dd1 wants to eat eat eat when she gets in from school and give her a smaller tea accordingly (we eat 5.30-6.00). I could never get away with a bit of fruit or something small as she would be literally crying with hunger (drama queen I'm afraid!) She is better now though she is year 1 and can last on a smaller snack and drink.

[sunburntats]

i give ds a drink of milk, or hot chocolate and some fruit.
If he hasnt finished everything in his lunch bag then he has to finish that (fruit mostly!)
Sometimes a biscuit or crackers with butter and jam or cheese. Just a little something. I give him a smallish tea.

[IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern]

I know also that dd eats well at school so I gave generosly on snacks and have on occasion done tea as soon as we are in with a light snack later. She is better at eating earlier after tiring day at school so I just go with it.

[purpleduck]

My dd was like this, and I just fed her when she was hungry - I'm not that bothered if they don't eat much at tea time, as long as what they have eaten is healthy. They are still getting used to their new schedule - it'll all sort itself out as they get older

[Hulababy]

I always gave DD a snack after coming out of school - fruitm fruit flakes, snack bar, chocolate, cheese and cracker, toast, etc.

DD then ate dinner with me and Dh at 6:£0pm when DH was home from work. Worked well for us.

[roisin]

What time to the go to bed?
When ds2 was this age he was shattered after school and needed loads of sleep.

I used to give him a piece of fruit to eat on the way home and a drink when we got there. Then he'd go straight in the bath (this helped to wake him up a bit), and would have tea at 4.30 pm. Then reading/stories/bed. He was fast asleep by 6pm at the latest!

[colditz]

Later teatime, bath then bed.

I do cake-ish snack, then dinner at 6.

[pointydoug]

Have tea at 6

[dizzyday07]

DD (who's 5 and just gone into Reception) has something like a cereal bar on the way back from school.

She'll sometimes ask for something else when we get home which will be bread and butter, some fruit or a yogurt.

She'll then have a light dinner and pudding at about 5.30/6pm

[aWitchForLifeNotJustHalloween]

mine were the same hatty, we have gone the route of giving them a drink, often milkshake, as soon as they get in from school at 3.30, then their evening meal at dot-on 5pm. Works for us (for now ) DS1 now yr 4, ds2 yr 2, dd nursery class in school, she's almost 4yo.

[Acinonyx]

DD needs a substantial snack when she gets home - usually her beloved bread and butter and milk. She would not be fobbed off with a piece of fruit.

Then she has a very light dinner at 5.30-6 which is basically a dinner with no carbs in it e.g. meat/fish/egg and veg (so it's like a large regular meal spread between snack and dinner - in theory).

We can no longer eat all together on a week day though - she can't wait until dh gets home.

[Acinonyx]

Wrt bedtime - it has not had the effect I was hoping for - bedtime is still 8-8.30 although at least it doesn't run past 9 the way it used to.

[JodieO]

Make dinner for as soon as you get back, ie so it's ready then. Prepare it beforehand and leave it to cook. Then give a snack later on instead. I find it's better, especially for the first year or two.

[Pyrocanthus]

If they have a healthy snack and eat less tea, they've still had the same amount of nutrition.

[hattyyellow]

Wow, thanks so much for all the replies. Will have a read through and experiment! All look extremely helpful. Cheers all!

[norksonmywitchesbroomstick]

My DD has a hot school meal, then dinner is actually about 3 snacks/small meals at hourly intervals til bed.

Fruit/fruity flapjack/veg and hummous and glass of milk on arrival home

Beans on toast/omlette/hot dog/bowl of soup and bread just before 5

Juice/milk and either a pancake or crumpet after bath, before bed.

Works for me

[ministryofsleep]

just swap things over and do tea 3.40pm then snack before bed - if they're hungry let them eat. My 2 DS's are 4 and 2 and tend to snack in the afternoons rather than eating a big tea. HTH

[eandh]

dd1 started reception last month, she gets a very small snack in car (cracker/biscuit/raisans etc) but I prepare tea before I go and then start cooking as soon as we get home (she gets a hot drink like milk/hot choc when we get in) and they eat at 4.30, dd2 goes to bed at 6pm and thankfully dd1 asking to go to bed at 6.30/6.45 at the mo (occasionally she has bowl of cereal/toast around 6pm if she is still hungry)

[murphyslaw]

My 3 eat tea at 4.30pm and then have a snack of toast/cereal at 7pm before bed. That way they eat a proper meal as they are normally starving