3.5 year old ALWAYS hungry

Is this normal?! I can't let him eat all day! Yesterday he had: Quinoa w/brown sugar, a banana, Greek yogurt, and a full glass of milk for breakfast. Apples, baby carrots and raisins at snack. Grilled cheese with tomato, green beans and milk at lunch. RIGHT after lunch he complains of being hungry so I let him have a treat of 4 vanilla wafers...says he's still hungry, so I gave him grapes and blueberries, he eats them all but wants more. I say no at this point and he naps. As soon as he wakes up, he's hungry again and eats a nutrigrain bar and goldfish. Still hungry after but I said no again. At dinner he has half a veggi burger, macaroni, broccoli and cauliflower, and strawberries. Of course he wants more so I give him a little more, but stop him after that. At bedtime he's saying he's starving again (only 1 hour after dinner) so I gave him a little milk hoping it'll hold him over. Doesn't that seem like SO MUCH?!? we are pretty active during the day, so he may be burning through calories quick, but he's eating more than me!

Should I just let him eat?? Or set "snack times" or something??

Totally normal, he is probably growing. If you restrict his food it creates unhealthy eating habits and he may start eating out of compulsion since he was denied. Just feed him when he is hungry.

Let him eat. Sounds like a growth spurt. Just continue with healthy foods.

When my daughter gets bored she says she's hungry. Could that possibly be the case? What about making him some trail mix or something to snack on throughout the day/in between snack/meal time? Or celery/carrot sticks. Something low calorie so that his hunger is satisfied.

Either a growth spurt or worms.

Worm him & see how he goes.

That sounds like a pretty normal diet to me.

A lot of what you're feeding him isn't very "filling", either. I tend to eat way more often when I eat healthy.

Quoting TantricLemons:"  "

Hahaha i feel like a douche saying that - like im referring to an animal  

Us kids have all had worms when we were little & one of the signs are being hungry all the time  

Just let him eat!!! My son will be 4 in a couple of days and there's some days he eats like this. Then he goes 2-3 days without wanting to eat much.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Viv, Ev & Gwen ♥:</b>" That sounds like a pretty normal diet to me. A lot of what you're feeding him isn't very "filling", either. I tend to eat way more often when I eat healthy."</blockquote>




He eats a lot of grains! Loves them, that's totally filling...   but you're right, fruit isn't, I could eat grapes all day and not be full!

Quoting Ecstasy:" Hahaha i feel like a douche saying that - like im referring to an animal   Us kids have all had worms when we were little & one of the signs are being hungry all the time  "

like tapeworms? The ones that live in your stomach? Those creep me out.

Quoting TantricLemons:" like tapeworms? The ones that live in your stomach? Those creep me out."

Nah the little hook worms  

You can get them SO easily!

From kids at school, pets, not washing your hands properly etc.

Google it... but be warned, its gross haha!!

Mum use to worm us every 3 months i think   ... i hated the orange flavoured pills though *gag* .. my rich friends got the fancy chocolate ones hahaha!!

<blockquote><b>Quoting TantricLemons:</b>" like tapeworms? The ones that live in your stomach? Those creep me out."</blockquote>




I HATE tapeworms....I once saw one that came from/out of a dog   it was awful

<blockquote><b>Quoting Ecstasy:</b>" Nah the little hook worms   You can get them SO easily! From kids at school, pets, not washing ... [snip!] ... months i think   ... i hated the orange flavoured pills though *gag* .. my rich friends got the fancy chocolate ones hahaha!!"</blockquote>



Oh man, we have pets! I will check this out. Thanks!

Quoting Ecstasy:" Nah the little hook worms   You can get them SO easily! From kids at school, pets, not washing ... [snip!] ... months i think   ... i hated the orange flavoured pills though *gag* .. my rich friends got the fancy chocolate ones hahaha!!"

We had those as a kid. They aren't as parasitic as tape worms, so they are not like eating your food. One of the symptoms is actually loss of appetite.