Food/Eating Habits

I'm convinced our 6 and 3 year old (my cousins, not my children but I have them a lot) eat out of boredom. Honestly. But, when I do a little research, it says that kids their age eat all the time anyway - and should. So, I'm wondering your take on this. Granted, I know I could give them healthier options but as stated, they are not my kids. Still I do limit candy and junk. Today they drove me crazy with the constant wants but they had:

Breakfast:

A bowl of cereal.
A second bowl for the 6 year old.

They didn't ask for anything between breakfast and lunch, but, somewhere in the middle, one of them had a caprisun.

Lunch:

A turkey sandwich their mother made (I added mayo because she just gives them bread and meat)
An individual pack of cheezits.
1/2 apple sliced, each.
Koolaid 'tinted' water (I don't like to give them too much sugar; so imagine reallly watered down koolaid).

They asked for a piece of candy, she had a piece of chocolate, he had an organic watermelon lollipop.

They asked for another piece of candy, I allowed them to have one more (because even adults want one more).

I later gave them a 1/2 chocolatechip/granola chewy bar each.

They asked for a snack, I gave them:

Popcorn (about two cups worth each? guessing)
Pineapple/Coconut Yogurt blended with raisin, blueberry and granola.
A cup of water each.

They asked for a drink again I gave him a cup of blueberry juice, her a cup of grape juice.

They said they were hungry after having had snack an hour before (said it was "so long" ago) and I really didn't want to feed them, but I really don't know if they are hungry, so I gave them each:

Pretzel goldfish
1 hotdog w/ one slice of wheat bread
A cup of water.

Everything from lunch down, was in a 5 hour time span. Is that normal?

It sounds like a lot to me, but it's been a long time since I have had experience with kids that age. Are they getting a lot of exercise or mainly just sitting around?

The way to determine this (and that sounds like a lot) is to only offer them healthy foods between meals. IE fruits and vegetables. If they are really hungry they will eat it. If not, they may complain that you aren't giving them treats, but if they are hungry they will eat it. Otherwise, they aren't really hungry.

I think this is a lot of food too for kids that age. How is their weight?

The snacks are low on protein, not very filling, and some seem like treats. What kid wouldn't ask over and over?

Try the ice tray trick, each slot holds about an ounce. Carrots, grapes, cubes of cheese, whatever snack sized food you can think of. Leave the sweets out. The kids can choose from a variety, not feel deprived, and not overeat.

Keep milk and juice at meal time, only water between. The dentist will thank you for this one.

And me and both my girls absolutely eat out of boredom, so don't discount that. Offer a drink first, some people don't differentiate between thirsty and hungry. And, they are both growing so could be ravenous, especially since between breakfast and lunch they did not ask for food; they made up for it in the afternoon.

Good luck! Food battles are the pits. . .

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Alright, so today I have them again and I instructed their mother to pack snacks and a lunch for them. I fed them lunch (a sandwich and a half banana with juice) at 12:57 and by 1:25 they were asking for chocolate and 1:43 they said it'd "been a long time since they ate anything". So, I can see the frustrations beginning again today.

I told them no and do not intend to give them anything until 2:30 where they will have a snack a serving of cheezit crackers and some organic plumb dip/stick set with water). At 4/4:30 we can have a "fun snack" (chocolate milk and a muffin or whatev.) and then I figure their mom will come get them about 6:30 so they should be good and ready for dinner. Of course, that's just the plan. We will see how it goes, I suppose.

They mostly just lay around honestly. I do cut the tv off and make them have "play without tv" time, but even then they are still laying around because they are playing with dolls/robots and stuff.

Going to try this today. Thanks.

Their weight is fine actually. The girl has always been solid but she's 6 wearing a 7/8 so she's within range and she's always (still is) been one of, if not the, tallest in her class. The boy has always been on the lighter side, but his doctor said that he is right on target in the 50th percentile.

Not sure how to incorporate protein and all that, but I love the idea of the ice cube tray. They love fruit and the 3 yr old will eat anything you give him so veggies aren't a hard choice either. I will likely have to ask their mother to assist with providing some of things but i think it would be a great option. I do think they eat out of boredom for sure.

Protein is in nuts, cheese, peanut butter, yogurt, lots of stuff you wouldn't necessarily think of. Celery and peanut butter with raisins (ants on a log?) carrot sticks cucumber slices grapes (can be a choking hazard depending on age) raw broccoli and cauliflower sunflower seeds and a bunch of other stuff has made its way into our ice trays. Cheese cubes or pepperoni slices or yogurt in some of the slots if you keep it refrigerated.

Good luck!!

My son will nag for food or beverages constantly throughout the day. "I want an apple, please, I want a banana, please, mommy can I have bread?" Like that. Three requests in one breath. I have found that having 5 set meals a day (healthy) at the same time as he eats his 5 at school helps.