https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 06:26:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504449 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 13:31:38 +0000 snowjewelz 2504449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Phew, good to know that there are other earlier risers/nappers :happy: We usually limit late snack to fruits/cheese but she asks for more and more and more! </p> <p>@KayKay: Yeah, our problem now is she seems to snack too much and then not really want dinner. I think she's a little young (for my comfort anyway) to allow her to stay hungry, plus she's super cranky/miserable if not fed.</p> <p>@MamaG: Thanks! It seems like our problem is b/c K can't stay up much past 11 right now since she's usually up around 6! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504435 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 13:20:44 +0000 Anagram 2504435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: Our LO1 has always been an early riser, so she napped early and had a late lunch for a long time. She also used to nap 11-1 or sometimes even 11-2 and eat lunch after. Since her lunch was so late, she usually didn't get a snack at all, but if she did it was small and something not filling--like fruit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504426 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 13:14:15 +0000 KayKay 2504426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think lunch will work itself out as the one nap gets pushed later, so that she can eat lunch earlier/normal (somewhere between 1130 and 1230?)</p> <p>For dinner, we have had 2 different approaches. </p> <p>With LO1, we liked to eat dinner ourselves after she went to bed. So I would prep dinner for LO1 around 530ish (usually leftovers), then we'd put her to bed 630ish, and then we'd cook and eat at like 730. We were used to eating later, though, and DH didn't get home until 6 most nights. I would either sit at the table with her while LO1 ate OR i would put her highchair in the kitchen and do random dishes/clean while she ate. Eventually as she stayed up later, we started to eat dinner altogether around 6.</p> <p>With LO2, we typically eat at 530-6. If DH isn't going to make it home for dinner, the girls and I eat together by 530 for sure. If we eat later than 6, LO2 ends up snacking a lot and not eating real well. Which is fine some nights, but I don't like as a general rule. We no longer have grown-up dinner after the kids are in bed because I think it's important for LO1 to eat with us now that she is older and can talk about her day, etc...and because kids aren't down for bed until 8! :)</p> <p>TL;DR...do whatever makes you happiest/works for you for now (and in general! ha) because things can change. So if she needs an "extra" snack right now, just make it a healthy one and nbd what she eats/doesn't eat for dinner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504289 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 11:29:39 +0000 MamaG 2504289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is our schedule:</p> <p>Wake up - 7:00<br /> Breakfast -7:45 at daycare, includes a serving of milk (probably about 4 oz)<br /> Mid-morning Snack 10:00'ish (with water)<br /> Lunch 11:30'ish with a serving of milk and water (each 4 oz)<br /> Nap 12-2:00'ish.<br /> Afternoon Snack 3:00'ish (with water)<br /> Late Snack 5:00 (with water)<br /> Dinner 6:00<br /> Bedtime 7:00'ish.</p> <p>Here's her details from yesterday...</p> <p>BF (7:45): biscuit, egg patty, fruit, milk<br /> AM Snack (9:30): vanilla yogurt, strawberries, water<br /> Lunch (11:30): hummus and carrots on pita, mixed veggies, pineapple, water, milk<br /> Nap from 12:45 - 2:20<br /> PM Snack (3:00): Breadstick with marinara sauce, water<br /> Late Snack (5:00): Tropical fruit, water<br /> Dinner (6:15): Mac n Cheese, beef hot dog, blueberries, peas, milk<br /> Bedtime at 7:15 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504277 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 11:18:44 +0000 snowjewelz 2504277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@junebugsmama: I was thinking that the "healthier" way to eat for adults is more meals, less food anyway, so why not the same for kids? There are def a few diff ideas spinning in my head now as to how to deal with this... </p> <p>@winniebee: I'm going to try to do this at home first since she's only in daycare Tue-Thurs and see how it goes. I agree; I don't want to eliminate dinner together either... It's my favorite time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504256 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 11:04:33 +0000 winniebee 2504256@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our schedule</p> <p>630 wake up - eats a banana<br /> 730 breakfast, with milk<br /> 9-1030 nap<br /> 1030 snack<br /> 12/1230 lunch, with milk<br /> 230-330 nap<br /> 4 snack<br /> 6 dinner, with milk<br /> 730 bed</p> <p>Dinner is the most hit or miss meal in our house, since he eats so much during the day, including at his last snack. But we eat as a family every night and that's important to me, so I won't move up dinner / eliminate that 4 pm snack.<br /> I agree lunch is late - I would have daycare move lunch up to 11 and then nap her immediately after. (Can they push nap to 11:30?) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504244 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 10:57:53 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2504244@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We struggle with this too! I think we are gonna try to think of all his meals as larger snacks, it seems to work better for him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504225 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 10:47:28 +0000 snowjewelz 2504225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: Thank yoooou!! Sooo helpful and I too hope that this is a short-ish phase post 1-nap transition. She gets picked up at 2 so I'm gonna try to pretty much feed her a meal worth of food right away haha. Thanks for spelling out what do you in detail! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504212 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 10:39:03 +0000 gingerbebe 2504212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH is 18 months, but he's been on the same schedule since about 16 months since starting daycare.</p> <p>-Breakfast 730am with milk<br /> -20 minute car ride to daycare with the other 1/2 of his breakfast waffle to gnaw on and water<br /> -Light snack 10am like Cheerios with water<br /> -Lunch 1100-1130am with water<br /> -Nap 12:30-ish to 2:30ish, give or take 30 mins<br /> -Heavier snack at 3pm (yogurt and cereal, fruit)<br /> -20 minute car ride home with a rice cake and water to gnaw on<br /> -Dinner 5pm-ish with milk.<br /> -Light snacks like puffs and water if he's snacky while playing after dinner.<br /> -Bedtime at 730pm.</p> <p>FWIW, we also did a late 1pm lunch when DS first transitioned to one nap. We just gave him a heavier 1030am snack before he went down. As soon as we were able to keep him awake until noon, we switched to lunch at 11am and hoped he pooped before nap! So this could just be a temporary annoying phase until she can stay awake a little bit longer. Nowadays, he goes down closer to 1pm and sleeps until about 3pm, which is a lot easier for traditional meal times.</p> <p>You may want to ask daycare to bulk up her afternoon snack like mine does - they tend to go for a serving of yogurt, granola, and apple slices around 3pm because most parents pick up around 5pm and they know its gonna be a minute before dinner time. DS also usually has 1-1.5 rice cakes in the car on the way home, and if he's screeching about dinner when we get home, I can usually fend him off for a few minutes by handing him 1-2 frozen mini pancakes from the freezer (he gnaws on them frozen!) If we do that, then I don't stress about his carb intake at dinner and just try to get him to eat his protein, fruits, and veggies.</p> <p>But yeah, we usually don't do dinner later than 530pm. I keep food ready to heat up for him IMMEDIATELY as I walk through the door so he can be fed within 5 minutes, and generally I meal prep for DH and I in advance so that we can just reheat something and eat with him (although I usually ACTUALLY eat after DS is done because I have to supervise his mess). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504093 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 09:21:49 +0000 snowjewelz 2504093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsSRS: She usually gets the leftovers for lunch, but I think maybe DH just has to start prepping dinner early, OR we'll do some weekend meal prep for her. I like your idea that she can just have a snack and still hang out with us during dinner! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504080 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 09:12:43 +0000 MrsSRS 2504080@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What about doing leftovers from the night before for at 4 and letting her have a snack at the table with you at dinner time? I'd rather just feed when hungry for a kid that young. But, also, try not to fret too much because this stage will pass! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504075 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 09:09:28 +0000 snowjewelz 2504075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyTsMom: Yeah, if she is still hangry even if we move lunch up we may have to feed her separately for now too. </p> <p>@FaithFertility: Yeah, I think we'll try it out at home first and see how it goes. I'll start lunch at like 10:45.... </p> <p>@Smurfette: Oh wow! I guess I need to adjust my "adult" view of lunch time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504062 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 09:06:08 +0000 Smurfette 2504062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: they do lunch at 10:30 in elementary schools! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504058 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 09:03:56 +0000 FaithFertility 2504058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: G's schedule looks like this at daycare:<br /> 6-6:30 wake<br /> Cheerios snack as I get us ready<br /> 7:30-8 Breakfast/milk at sitters<br /> 11:00-Lunch/milk<br /> Nap:12/12:30-1:30/2<br /> Afternoon snack: 2:30<br /> Small cracker or something as I prepare dinner around 4<br /> Dinner 5/5:30 milk she usually finishes the milk after dinner around 6:30<br /> 7:30 bed</p> <p>Weekends I have given lunch at 10:45 to get to that nap because she can rarely hang out until 12</p> <p>Is hard some days she wants in that high chair the minute we get home at 4 :shocked: </p> <p>Maybe try to have daycare feed lunch at 11 and nap immediately after?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504050 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 09:00:37 +0000 BabyTsMom 2504050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree about lunch being kind of late, and I also wanted to add that for a long time,cry LO was having dinner at 5-5:30 pm while me and DH would eat after LO went to bed (DH gets home around 7). Now that he's a bit older, bedtime and meals have shifted so that he and I often eat together and DH still has to eat later. Not ideal, but it's what we have to do for now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504046 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:58:05 +0000 snowjewelz 2504046@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: I can try! She like passes out by 11 though, so maybe we'll just try early lunch regardless. I know her nap can eventually get pushed back to hopefully 11:30, then 12. </p> <p>@MrsSRS: Oo, that is good information! She does eat a ton for breakfast and lunch (and then DH often gives in and give her tons of food for 4pm snack b/c she's so miserable) so that's the only reason I hadn't been TOO concerned that she isn't eating dinner </p> <p>@Smurfette: So crazy to me, but I'm gonna try it. I'll try it this weekend first and then let daycare know next week if it works! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504037 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:54:33 +0000 Smurfette 2504037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: I would do lunch at 10:30. Then a big snack when she wakes up and then another little snack at like 4 to hold her over till dinner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504036 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:53:43 +0000 MrsSRS 2504036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>FWIW, at this age most kids tend to eat more in the morning and very little in the evening. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504035 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:53:00 +0000 Adira 2504035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does your daycare do lunch at 1-1:30? That seems really late. My kids have lunch at 11:30. Then they have a decent snack at 3:00 (with milk), which really helps tie them over for dinner at a decent time.</p> <p>ETA: Just say your response. Can you try pushing the nap until 11:30 and have lunch at 11:00? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504034 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:52:59 +0000 snowjewelz 2504034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: Lunch is late b/c she naps from 11-1 and daycare gives her lunch after.. We just follow at home too b/c 10:30 seems so early for lunch? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504032 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:50:31 +0000 Smurfette 2504032@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lunch seems really late to me. Can you move up lunch and then do snack earlier? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/need-help-w-timing-of-mealsnacks-for-toddler#post-2504028 Wed, 23 Mar 2016 08:47:16 +0000 snowjewelz 2504028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is my 15, almost 16 mo old's eating schedule right now:</p> <p>6-6:30 | Wake up<br /> 7-7:30 | Drink 6-8 oz milk<br /> 7:30-8 | Breakfast<br /> --- Snacks at some point @ daycare or home ---<br /> 1-1:30 | Lunch<br /> --- Snacks at some point @ daycare or home ---<br /> 6-6:30 | Dinner, 6-8 oz milk<br /> 7 ] Bed</p> <p>Afternoon snack and dinner time is where we're having a problem. I am pretty sure she eats enough at lunch, b/c she doesn't want snacks but then at 4pm she is starving and MUST eat otherwise super cranky. But then by the time I get home and we eat dinner at 6, she doesn't want to eat! And she also sleeps by like 7 so we can't really delay dinner.</p> <p>So currently our proposed remedy is to give her a super light snack at 4 and then just feed her dinner by 5pm. and have her drink milk when we eat and then bed. It kinda sucks that way b/c we like having dinner together, and it sucks for DH that he'll have to prep/feed her dinner himself... </p> <p>Any thoughts? </p>