There are always things that moms just know. They know that if they have more than one child, they are going to fight more than they get along. They know that if they wear white, their child is going to get them dirty, and they know that their children seem to be bottomless pits, and are constantly asking for snacks.
It has been a problem that has plagued moms for a while now, this need for a snack almost every five minutes, and it can be overwhelming. Mom may make herself feel better by making sure that all the snacks she is giving her children are healthy, but is that enough?
Even if mom is only giving her children fruit, vegetables, yogurt, and other healthy options, she can wonder if there really is too much of a good thing. Can her children have too many healthy snacks? The answer may seem to be “no,” but it may not be that simple.
We are going to look at why children are constantly asking for snacks, and why there may be too much of a good thing so that every mom knows where to draw the line when it comes to snacks.
Why Are They Always Hungry?
It seems to be the question on every mom’s mind, and that is how her children can be constantly hungry. She feeds them a good lunch, and two minutes later, they come back to ask for a snack. It turns out that this may be completely normal.
According to The New York Times, snacking is quite normal for children, and there is a biological reason for it. Kids have small stomachs, and they cannot take in as much during a meal as adults can, and this means that they need to eat frequently. A lot of children eat like birds and seem to graze all day instead of having full meals.
Good, But Not Too Good
The problem with too many healthy snacks may not be the food itself, but what it is teaching them. According to Simple Families, parents often rely on snacks when their children are bored, "hangry," or restless. It can occupy them, cheer them up or just get them to leave mom and dad alone for a few minutes. However, this can create an unhealthy relationship with food and can cause your child to eat more than they need to because it is a behavior they have been allowed to exhibit. It is not the health of the food that is the problem, but the meaning behind it.
It Is Possible To Have Too Many Healthy Snacks
According to Science Daily, it is possible to overeat fruits and vegetables. It is easy to see why people think that when it comes to healthy eating, there is never a limit to good foods. If your child wants 5 apples a day, it should be OK, because they are apples. However, that is not the way it works. It can still lead to weight gain in children, and fruit contains sugar. Even though it is natural sugar, it can still be bad for their teeth, their health, and their temperament.
Sources: NY Times, Simple Families, Science Daily