School holidays can change the usual food routine very quickly. Kids are home, the pantry is close by, and the normal structure of school days disappears. When it comes to school holiday nutrition, one of the most common challenges for parents is the all-day grazing cycle.
Your child has a snack, then they’re not very hungry for their lunch. They pick at lunch, then they’re hungry again shortly afterwards, have another snack, and then sit down for dinner without much appetite.
The solution to getting trapped in this cycle isn’t to restrict food or tell your kids to ignore their hunger. Instead, a little structure can help children experience hunger and fullness more clearly, and arrive at meals ready to eat.
School holiday nutrition starts with a loose eating routine
School holidays don’t need to run like a school timetable, but some predictable eating times can make feeding everyone much easier.
For most families, a simple routine can be:
- breakfast
- morning tea
- lunch
- afternoon tea
- dinner
Your routine doesn’t need to be rigid or dictated by the clock. For example, a late breakfast might mean morning tea is smaller or skipped. An active morning at the pool or the park could mean lunch happens earlier than usual.
Think of it as a rhythm rather than a strict schedule.
It’s important to note that if your child is genuinely hungry outside of these meal and snack times, feed them. Appetitie can change from day to day depending on growth, activity, sleep, illness, and plenty of other factors. The routine is there to provide predictability and structure, not to override hunger signals.
Avoid leaving the pantry open all day
When kids are home, it’s easy for the pantry to become a revolving door.
Constant access to small amounts of food can mean children never reach a point of genuine hunger. As a result, they eat very little at meal times and then ask for snacks soon afterwards.
Instead, pack food away between meals and snack times, and let children know when the next eating time will be.
“Morning tea is finished now, we’ll have lunch when we get back from the park.”
Instead of restricting or forbidding food, you’re giving children some structure around when food is being offered. This will make the day more predictable, and reduce the constant negotiation around snacks, particularly for younger kids.
Make meals filling enough
Sometimes frequent snack requests happen because the last meal wasn’t filling enough! Make sure to include a source of carbohydrates, protein, and fats at main meals.
Easy examples include:
- eggs and avocado on toast
- chicken and cheese wraps
- pasta with meat sauce and grated cheese
- baked beans and cheese on toast
- yoghurt with fruit, oats, and nut butter
Carbohydrates provide energy, protein makes meals more satisfying, and fats help to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend children eat a variety of foods from the five food groups to support normal growth and development.
Make school holiday snacks count
To make snacks more nutritious and filling, try pairing foods together.
For example:
- crackers with cheese and fruit
- yoghurt with fruit
- toast with peanut butter
- a muffin with fruit and milk
- apple or pear with sliced cheese
- popcorn with cheese and fruit
School holidays don’t need to become a cooking marathon; packaged snacks can definitely have a place in your routine. Our guide to easy lunchbox ideas kids will actually eat includes plenty of ideas that also work well for snacks and lunches at home.
School holiday nutrition: the take-home message
Good school holiday nutrition does not require perfect meals, rigid schedules, or homemade snacks every day.
Aim for a loose meal and snack routine, make meals satisfying enough, pair foods together for more substantial snacks, and keep some simple backup meals available.
Most importantly, the goal is not to restrict food, it’s to provide enough structure that children can experience hunger and fullness and arrive at meals ready to eat.
If feeding your child feels particularly stressful, their diet is very limited, or you’re worried they’re not meeting their nutritional needs, the Ingrained Nutrition team can provide individualsed support. You can learn more about our paediatric nutrition services, or contact our team for practical advice tailored to your child and family.
