More or Less????

[JoseyJo]

I think it depends on how big your servings are. I serve the minimum serving size for their first helping. In most cases, the "serving size" isn't a whole lot. They are allowed to ask for more but they have to have taken at least one bite of everything on their plate first. When I give them more I give them about 1/2 a serving size. They do not get thirds unless they have eaten everything on their plate and have had seconds of vegies and fruits. Thirds is just a tiny bit more (maybe a 1/4 serving size) and that's all. Then don't get more after that. None of the kids I have are overweight or even chunky. They are all think and fit. We are very busy and active so they work up an appetite. I have some that will have thirds at most meals and some that won't finish their firsts.

This is exactly what I do! We have ages 2-5 1/2 right now and we serve the same amount for the first serving to each. The little ones usually don't finish the 1st serving, some of the older ones will finish 2nds every time and sometimes have thirds.

I think the key is that they have to take at least one bite of each thing on the plate before getting seconds of anything, then they have eaten 2nds of fruits and veges to get thirds of anything else.

We also don't have any that are overweight so it may be different if we did.

edited to add: We also do not serve any food that is unhealthy (no dessert, fried foods etc) so they are usually actually hungry if they ask for seconds!

[providerandmomof4]

This is what I do too except that I serve seconds only if they eat everything on their plate BUT I serve seconds of what they want.

Same here.

[MNMommy2]

This is what I do too except that I serve seconds only if they eat everything on their plate BUT I serve seconds of what they want.

This is what I do, as well.

[melilley]

I let them eat as much as they want and my parents like that. But I do only make so much of the main food so they get seconds, sometimes thirds, but for the fruits and veggies, I make it according to what they usually eat and if they want more, it's easy to make or give more. Plus I only have 6 children to feed so it's easy to budget for it and 2 children are babies and only eat some of the menu items, one child is gluten/dairy free so he usually gets his own little meal and my other two dck's are part time and one of them doesn't eat much at all. Oh and one full time boy who eats a lot, but like I said, It's not like I have to feed a ton of children so it's not a big deal to give them as much as they want, but like I said I won't make more of the main component of the meal, when it's gone it's gone. (I do make sure everyone gets equal servings after the second. For example, if a child has had seconds on the veggie and another hasn't I usually wait a few minutes to see if the other child eats it and wants more before I give thirds)

[MNMum]

I think it depends on how big your servings are. I serve the minimum serving size for their first helping. In most cases, the "serving size" isn't a whole lot. They are allowed to ask for more but they have to have taken at least one bite of everything on their plate first. When I give them more I give them about 1/2 a serving size. They do not get thirds unless they have eaten everything on their plate and have had seconds of vegies and fruits. Thirds is just a tiny bit more (maybe a 1/4 serving size) and that's all. Then don't get more after that. None of the kids I have are overweight or even chunky. They are all think and fit. We are very busy and active so they work up an appetite. I have some that will have thirds at most meals and some that won't finish their firsts.

This. Except, usually I make them finish nearly everything on their plate, unless I know they really don't like a particular food. For the most part, if someone wants seconds, they will eat those veggies in order to get them!

[littlemissmuffet]

My kiddos can have seconds......
or thirds
or fourths if they want.

But we have a few rules:

• No additional servings unless ALL food is gone from plate
• All additional servings start with veggies first

Same rules here!

[AmyKidsCo]

According to the food program I have to give seconds and I can't require they finish anything before seconds. I serve the food program minimums and give seconds of everything. If they're hungry after seconds I encourage them to eat whatever's left on their plates.