Important notice to customers — product packaging changesLearn More

NEW FOOD PACKAGING IN STORE NOW

From August 2018, customers will notice our rebranded food packaging start to appear on shelf in all major stockists.

  • CURRENT Packaging
  • new Packaging

We are excited to announce our new packaging will start to appear on shelf from August 2018. This transition to new packaging will occur over a number of months. During this time there will be a mix of current and new packaging on shelf.

There are no major changes to these products, in some instances there is a small name change or slight recipe improvement, see below for the full details.

Products purchased via the website will be delivered to customers in our old packaging until the end of October. From November, products ordered from the website will be delivered in the new packaging.

Please note, our Infant Formula packaging will not be rebranded until later in 2019.

For any questions, connect with our team of accredited practising Dietitians on +61 3 6332 9200

Product name changes

  • Cereal Name Changes
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Baby Rice
  • NEW Packaging Organic Rice with Prebiotic (GOS) Note: Our Baby Rice recipe has been upgraded to now include GOS Prebiotic
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Vanilla Rice Custard
  • NEW Packaging Organic Milk & Vanilla Baby Rice
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Apple & Cinnamon Porridge
  • NEW Packaging Organic Apple & Cinnamon Baby Porridge
  • Ready To Serve Name Changes
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Banana, Pear & Mango
  • New Packaging Organic Banana, Pear, Apple & Mango
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Mango, Blueberry & Apple
  • New Packaging Organic Blueberry, Mango & Apple
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Peach & Apple
  • New Packaging Organic Grape, Apple & Peach
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Pumpkin & Tomato Risotto
  • New Packaging Organic Pumpkin, Sweet Potato & Tomato
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Broccoli, Beef & Brown Rice
  • New Packaging Organic Beef & Vegetables
  • Note: We have also upgraded some of our RTS recipes to remove added sugars and to remove some of the more complex ingredients that are not required for young children such as Tamari.
  • RUSKS NAME CHANGES
  • CURRENT Packaging Organic Milk Rusks Toothiepegs
  • New Packaging Organic Milk Rusks
Home/Nutrition & Recipes/Articles/Childhood Nutrition/How do I know if my child is really hungry?

How do I know if my child is really hungry?

bellamysorganic - my child is really hungry

Hunger is a strong physiological sensation. However, small children often find it difficult to recognise the feeling of hunger and instead appear tired, cranky or irritable. In a society where food is plentiful, parents can make the mistake of offering children food whenever they appear unsettled or bored. This results in a child that learns to eat in response to a number of feelings (not just hunger), which leads to overeating. It can be assumed if a child is overweight they are not regulating their appetite well – i.e. they are eating when they are not hungry and not stopping when they are full.

True hunger can be difficult to identify. Behavioural signs in younger children may be irritability or fatigue, but in many cases a general claim “I’m hungry” may not necessarily be true. An easy way to tell if your child is really hungry is to offer them a plain type of food, such as an apple or other piece of fruit.

Generally speaking, if a child truly is hungry in between their regular meals and mid meals they will eat whatever is offered to them. If they reject that food type you can be happy they are not really hungry, but are just looking for something tasty to put in their mouth.

Guidelines for appetite management

1. Do not make your kids finish all the food on their plate

If children are made to consume extra food when they are not hungry, they will learn that it is OK to eat when not hungry. Remember, if children are offered a range of food for each of their meals and mid meals, they will learn to eat the volumes required.

2. Let children serve themselves

Once children reach the age of 4 or 5 years, letting them serve themselves is a great way to teach them to eat in response to their appetite. If you are worried that your child is overweight, estimate how much food each family member will require and cook only this amount.

3. Teach your child to eat slowly

If children eat too quickly, they will not have time to respond to their internal fullness signals, which can take up to 20 minutes to register. A family meal should take at least 20 minutes and family members should be required to wait until all family members have finished their meal before being allowed to leave the table.

4. Stick to set meal times

One of the common issues observed with children’s eating habits is that they eat all the time. Constant grazing means they rarely, if ever, experience real hunger. While small children do need to eat regularly, they still need a break of at least a couple of hours in between feeding occasions. Sticking to set meal times that correspond to breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner will help to teach your child that there is a time to eat and a time not to eat. This will help them manage their hunger accordingly.

5. Do not substitute

A habit parents can easily get into is offering children sweet, more appealing foods when they reject other nutritious yet bland options – such as vegetables, meat or fish. This can teach small children to reject more nutritious foods, knowing they will eventually be offered yogurt, fruits or treat-style foods. A key aspect of appetite management is children learning that there are certain foods which are eaten at certain times of the day, rather than waiting for what they ‘like’ to eat. In turn, they will then consume these foods when they are hungry, rather than waiting to eat appealing foods whether they are hungry or not.

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Important Notice to Parents and Guardians

  • Breast milk is the best for babies. The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. Unnecessary introduction of bottle feeding or other food and drinks will have a negative impact on breastfeeding. After six months of age, infants should receive age-appropriate foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond. Consult your doctor before deciding to use infant formula or if you have difficulty breastfeeding.
  • The content on this website is intended as general information for Singaporean residents only and should not be used as a substitute for medical care and advice from your healthcare practitioner. According to recommendations from the Singapore Health Promotion Board, solid food should be given to babies only after 6 months.