Worried About How Much Your Child Eating?
It’s completely normal to worry about whether your child is eating enough—or too much. But here’s the good news:
Most children are very good at knowing how much they need to eat to support their own growth.
Every Child Is Different
Your child may eat more or less than others their age. They may also be bigger or smaller than their peers—and that’s usually okay. What matters most is whether they are growing steadily along their own growth curve.
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If your child’s weight stays near the same percentile over time, this is a good sign they are growing well.
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If their weight percentile shifts significantly up or down in a short time, it could signal a concern—but the first step isn’t a diet. It’s taking a closer look at the feeding relationship.
What Helps Most? Feed as If You’re Not Worried.
Even when concerns come up, the most helpful approach is to feed your child with trust, not fear. Feed them as if you’re not worried about their eating or their weight.
Follow the Division of Responsibility in Feeding:
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You decide what, when, and where food is offered.
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Your child decides whether and how much to eat from what you provide.
This structure builds trust—and confidence. Over time, it helps your child develop a positive relationship with food, their body, and their appetite.
DO
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Eat meals together as a family. Shared meals provide structure, connection, and routine.
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Offer meals and snacks at consistent, predictable times. Structure helps children feel secure and reduces grazing or constant snacking.
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Serve the same foods to everyone at the table. There’s no need to make separate “kid meals.” Offer variety, and let each person decide what to eat from what’s provided.
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Include both high-fat and low-fat food options. This supports satisfaction for all appetites and helps children get the energy they need to grow.
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Offer “forbidden” foods—like dessert, chips, or sweets—regularly at meals and snacks. Restricting these foods can backfire and lead to overeating. Making them part of normal eating helps reduce obsession and builds trust.
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AVOID
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Pressuring your child to eat more or less than they want. This can lead to power struggles and disrupt natural appetite regulation.
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Restricting specific foods, portion sizes, or how much they’re “allowed” to eat. Over time, restriction often increases a child’s focus on the restricted foods.
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Pushing low-calorie foods if you think they’re eating too much, or high-calorie foods if you think they’re eating too little. Trust that your child knows what their body needs—support them by offering a variety of foods without pressure.
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Serving your child different foods than the rest of the family. This can make them feel singled out and less confident about eating. Instead, offer the same meal to everyone and let each person decide what and how much to eat.
Expect that it will take some practice to stop yourself from intervening in your child’s eating.