Unfooding/free fooding

[MrsR]

Has anybody heard of or done this? It makes so much sense to me as a follow on from blw and I am really really interested in it.

 

[ZMD]

Never heard of it, what is it? x

 

[MrsR]

http://www.babyledmummy.com/04-03-2011/unfooding-a-healthier-approach-to-eating

 

[MrsR]

Finally!!! That took forever! Hopefully the link works and can explain it better than I can!!

 

[Hope81]

Sounds perfect in my opinion but I suppose it depends of how much time you spend with LO, daycare, etc etc and ofc if LO actually picks healthy things or limit itself only to a group of food because it's tastier, easier to eat, faster to eat etc.

I wouldn't do it because I will probably to have time for all this but if I was a staying at home mom I would definetely consider it.

 

[knopk@]

Interesting link but not sure that would work in a nursery or school. Unless you get a nanny i guess. I wouldnt force food down but more or less set food times make sense although i wouldnt stop him snacking. I think eating little and often is good for your metabolism.
Good luck with that, i am hoping to do blw too

sent from my Galaxy s2

 

[MrsR]

I am a sahm so I'm with him all day every day so nursery isn't an issue. But even then young children need snacks in between set meals and nurseries offer these. I think I would have a set evening meal but allow him to graze/choose food for himself during the day. I already carry snacks with me to toddler group so I would just up the choices that I take with me. DD has a packed lunch at school so I could either just give her (for she would be included in this) more choice in her lunch box or start bringing her home for lunches and then allow free reign whilst at home and ditto when Sebastian starts school. I can see how it could be more difficult at nurseries etc

 

[MrsR]

Also just to add-the set meal I would offer choices too so instead of say just spaghetti bolognese I would offer a choice of salads, bread etc alongside the bolognese etc etc

 

[MrsR]

Sounds perfect in my opinion but I suppose it depends of how much time you spend with LO, daycare, etc etc and ofc if LO actually picks healthy things or limit itself only to a group of food because it's tastier, easier to eat, faster to eat etc.

I wouldn't do it because I will probably to have time for all this but if I was a staying at home mom I would definetely consider it.

We don't particularly have things like crisps, biscuits, chocolate etc in the house anyway but if it was there I'd offer it with the other stuff. I can see the worries so I guess all I could do is see how it goes

 

[Squeakz]

i personally thin that set meal times and routine has been really beneficial for our family. this is no disrespect to anyone else cos everyone works differently. i dont feel allowing a child to choose what they want/when they want (please please please corect me if iv misunderstand) is an appropriate life sill for them to learn. I realise if this wasn't what you may have expected or anything but i felt i should give an opposing opinion....

again please please correct me if iv misunderstood cos it may be my misunderstanding that has founded how i thin and so if its different i'd like to be told so i can make a better decision/opinion...

x

 

[MrsR]

Yes it sort of is about allowing the child to have 'what they want, when they want'. So for example you might offer cereal, fruit, toast, cheese etc for breakfast and allow them to choose what they eat and how much and then leave out food like fruit, cheese, vegetables, crackers so the toddler/child can choose which of these they want to eat when they want to and how much of it during the day (since we already offer Sebastian unlimited fruit/veg during day and snacks in between meals as babies can't get enough nutrients from only three set meals a day I can't see it being that different) then swap and change the choices throughout the day, adding and removing things. I actually feel it would teach a better more positive view of food, teach sharing, choices, trust etc which I feel would be excellent life skills. To me it feels like a natural progression from blw. I like a different view-it gives me a chance to consider, think and research even more about things.

 

[Squeakz]

well that maes more sense than this image of young children screaming and demanding chocolate/sweets ets and having to give them...i spose i took somewhat literally oops.... does sound like a really natural step after blw. for us deffo wouldnt work as apparently i gave birth to a human dustbin and j will never stop eating (i now it souonds over exagerrated but i tell you j will not stop!!) so prob not appropriate until we can full discuss eating habits and whether hes hungry or not. which is crazy as the lo lives off fruit and veg and very rarely sweets and chocolate ....

 

[Squeakz]

i know this may sound another silly questino - iv never heard of this before - so would you offer different dinners/lunches to what you DS and oh were having???? sorry if its a silly wn....

 

[Squeakz]

sorry DD x

 

[Constantstar]

Interesting but not my type of thing but do hope
It works you x

 

[MrsR]

i know this may sound another silly questino - iv never heard of this before - so would you offer different dinners/lunches to what you DS and oh were having???? sorry if its a silly wn....

We would all partake in unfooding. So if we stuck to the set dinner thing, we'd all have the same with lots of choice but the rest of the day it'd be 'grazing' so eating what we want, when we want out of the choices available rather than having me and DD sit down at set times but letting Sebastian graze iygwim? I had never heard of it either and I can see positives and negatives to it, it also raises lots of questions for me too! Lol. What I'd be doing isn't strictly completely child-led unfooding as I suppose I'd still make the choice of what to put out, what to swap etc but I know a lot of parents who allow free access to say the fruit bowl throughout the day. I suppose I'd probably try it for say 3-6 months and see how it goes. I know what you mean about human dustbin! Lol. Sebastian's pretty good at regulating his eating to his appetite-for example he will sometimes eat loads and then not eat much depending on how hungry he is. My biggest concern is cost and food wastage tbh!

 

[MrsR]

Interesting but not my type of thing but do hope
It works you x

Thank you. It's not def we'll do it but I'm soooooo interested in it

 

[Sarah13]

Interesting reading. We kind of do this in our house anyway, all eat what we want when we want, we often have 3 different meals so I guess it could be 4 different meals when Kynons bigger! I tend to graze all day as I prefer that so was thinking Kynon will too. My hubby is totally opposite and doesn't eat all day then eats loads in the evenings! Just wonder what will happen at school though? My daughter is always really hungry by lunch time and soon as she's in from school she's really hungry, I always let her chose her food but she is 14 so understands food choices, she will nearly always pick fruit but if she wants something 'bad' I don't stop her, I like the idea that no food is 'bad' so it's never a novelty just food.

 

[MrsR]

Sounds very positive Sarah x does your daughter have lunch box or school dinners? You could give her a fair bit of food in a lunch box and let her choose what she wants? It's so interesting to hear everyone's thoughts, experiences etc xx

 

[clairebear22]

A very interesting blog & idea! It'd be a bit like an all day buffet I guess just with healthy options rather than plates of junk

I'd be worried about food wastage too MrsR. So would you all graze through brekkie & lunch and you all just sit down for dinner? I think we'll still stick with brekkie, lunch & dinner but when Jack's old enough to be able to make decisions i'll give him a few choices of what he can have for each meal. I will also let him have healthy snacks in between his meals with the occasional bit of chocolate/biscuits/crisps thrown in (probably at the in-laws at the weekend). I like the idea of Jack having some choice but i'm not sure I like the idea of him having free reign over food. I'd also like him to know he has to sit at the table for his 3 meals but don't mind him snack elsewhere as long as he's not wandering around with food (just my thing) but I can see how and why free fooding would work.

Good luck if you try it with your family, will you do a thread so I can stalk?! x