What, and how much, should a 4 year old eat?

[marscapone]

My 4 year old son is quite tall for his age and FULL of energy. He is also really quite skinny. I'm sure it's mostly genetic as his husband is also tall and thin. But I'm wondering what, and how much, other 4 year old boys eat.

Ours is quite a good eater - happy to try new foods, good with vegetables etc. But I can't help wondering if he's not eating enough or is eating too healthily. Should I give him more cakes???!

His appetite varies daily. Some days he will eat 2 bowls of cereal and some toast for breakfast, other days he will eat one bowl of cereal only. Lunch is typically sandwich and fruit/raisins. Dinner might be pizza, curry, pasta and salad etc. He eats quite a lot of fruit but not really many cakes or biscuits. He has a yoghurt every day, has full fat milk on his cereal, cheese sandwiches. Snacks are usually fruit. Is this 'normal'? I know all kids are different, but it would be helpful to get some idea of what other 4/5 year old boys eat in a day

[edanna]

I think boys need around 2000 calories by the time they are starting school - which is amazing bearing in mind how many adult women consume less than this. Of course energy needs vary among individuals.

http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/children/yrchild/

Mind you, calculating how many calories he consumes wouldn't be an easy task! If he's eating a varied diet, seems well and isn't overweight then he's probably doing fine.

[newcomer]

As long as he is healthy, full of energy and is allowed to satisfy his hunger, then he is probably 100% fine and just has a 'racehorse' physique/metabolism. His diet sounds, to my non-professional ears, to be very healthy. You were wondering about his lack of cakes/biscuits. The odd cake now and then won't do him any harm but cake and biscuits are not a necessary foodgroup (!) so there's probably no need to deliberately introduce extra cakes/biscuits unless the doctor says that it's necessary for the extra calories. It's very good that you let him eat to his hunger (eg, at breakfast) as apparently this helps to prevent eating problems in later life. I read somewhere (sorry to be so vague!) that it's a bad idea to try to force a child to eat as it means that they disconnect with their natural hunger levels and don't learn to listen to their own body and so, in later life, don't stop eating when they are full.

But it's always worth checking with your GP anyhow - they'll be able to set your mind at rest or, if needed, show you where you could 'fine-tune' your son's diet for optimal nutrition. As a tip, it's worth keeping a food diary of exactly what he eats and drinks over a 3-day period to show to the doctor as otherwise it can be very hard to remember when you are under the pressure of a 6-minute appointment!

[newcomer]

Ps, I'm trying to find where I read that stuff about allowing children to 'eat to their hunger'. If I find it, I'll post the source so you can read it first-hand in case I've misrepresented it somehow!

[newcomer]

I think this might have been it:

http://www.celebratehealthyeating.org/che_din_nutrition_chart.htm

[Pugwash]

It sounds as though your son is getting an adequate and nutritionally balanced diet. He seems to be taking after his Dad in physique. If he is not complaining about being hungry, I should not worry. Rather than going for cakes etc, will he have a small bowl of soup with his lunch time sandwich, or a jacket potato with beans/cheese/tuna instead?.

My 6 year old grandson eats like a horse at times, he is tall and slim - loves his vegetables and fruit, would eaT tuna and jacket potatoes for every lunch if we let him, loves rice and noodles. Has cereal and toast most mornings, takes a packed lunch with sandwiches, fruit and yoghurt, has fruit and a slice of cake in his after school club, then a meal of either pasta/ rice/potatoes/ veg and whatever meat (mince/chicken/beef)

[Fuschia]

My almost 8yo is a veggy, 75th centile, quite fussy mind you

He eats: bowl of cereal or 2 slices of toast plus fruit for breakfast, sometimes a yoghurt

2 small bits of fruit or one fruit and arge box of raisins at playtime

Lunch is hummous sandwich, one large fromage frais, handful of salad veg (3 little tomatoes for eg) and a box of fruit - one of those indivdual servings of mango, for eg. Occasionally a flapjack or something like that

Often has snack after school - fruit or bscuit

Dinner is something like 2 fishfingers, large handful of pasta with butter, large portion of veg

sometimes a yoghurt or mini rice pudding as a snack

warm milk before bed

[new mother]

We were forced to eat meat every day as it was "good" for us. With the rise of pasta, you don't see that so much but where do children get protein from nowadays. I've got no idea...

[Pugwash]

Cheese, fish, pulses.

[Fuschia]

nm: the amount of protein required is less than you think.

but needs will be met from a varied diet with protein at each meal and dairy in the diet

[marscapone]

Thanks for all replies. My son is (mainly) veggie, as we all are - we eat fish and he also has the occaisional sausage or meat when he is out. HAlso some tofu, lots of cheese, pulses etc

Thanks for confirming what I suspected - seems like he eats much like any other 4 year old boy, but very reassuring to hear this from so many of you. I was (mostly) joking about giving him more cakes, but I certainly won't worry about giving him a bit more. And might try and squeeze in a few more higher fat things such as more yoghurt for snacks etc. Lots of good suggestions here