Sneaking Food - What to Do?

Updated on October 24, 2011
L.S. asks from Anoka, MN
14 answers

My 9 year old has a habit of sneaking food and I literally cannot buy cookies or fruit snacks or anything "snacky". She is gaining so much weight that she weighs more than I did when I was in 8th grade! (Although she isn't the runt that I was!)

My ex wants to take away tv or computer for a week if she sneaks something but I think that is extreme. She also has been diagnosed with ADHD (although I'm unconvinced) so maybe that has something to do with it?

I don't know how to get her to stop sneaking food. She says she is always hungry, but I think it's more boredom.

Anyone else experience this?

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

She is a tough one because she won't eat fruit except for apples. After writing this, I thought 2 things. Putting too much emphasis on food could lead to an eating disorder and juvenile diabetes runs in my family. I've decided to take her for a physical to make sure there isn't an underlying issue and then get some advise on how to deal with this.

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I would not punish a child over food. This could set up some real bad behaviors.

Some people are very affected by sugar, and the ups and downs of blood sugar. A person like this could look like a person with ADHD. Fruit is often suggested on this board as a "healthy" snack, and while it is healthy, it is also sugar, as are cookies and fruit snacks. Can you try high protein snacks instead? Peanut butter, nuts, cheese are not low calorie, but also keep a person feeling full longer and prevent the blood sugar crashes that make a person hungry and needing another snack.

There are several books about the "glycemic index" diet that might help. It's not always obvious which foods affect blood sugar and which aren't so bad.

2 moms found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.W.

answers from Gainesville on

I agree with Diane-something more is going on that makes her want to sneak food and over-eat. I know a visit to a therapist might seem extreme but it sounds like she is headed down a slippery slope with food issues. My niece used to do this and it was because she needed attention and she didn't care if it was good, bad or otherwise. Punishing her may just fuel it and not do anything to "fix" it.

I would get a complete physical with her doc along with bloodwork and a fasting blood sugar to rule out any real physical concerns.

Then have a talk with her about your concerns. That you understand she says she's hungry, that you understand she's growing and using lots of energy, that you want to make sure she has plenty of healthy snacks in the house that she can eat anytime and that there will be sometimes treats in the house from time to time.

But look at the situation and try to find out what is at the root of this.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D.M.

answers from Detroit on

L.---You need to keep those items out of the house. If she truly is hungry, have fruit and veggie snacks for her to eat, foods that are nutritious and low in calories. Then, get her outside and being more active to work off the extra weight. It is dangerous for her to be in this position. Kids who are overweight tend to be the same, overweight and obese, when they are adults. Besides, you don't want your 9 yr old to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Could she be harboring issues, maybe from the divorce? It seems to me that she needs psychological evaluation. There is something going on making her a compulsive eater. The sneaking of the food concerns me. Nip this in the bud before it becomes a serious life-long problem.

Good luck. I pray this is resolved soon. D.

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from New York on

I don't think punishment is the answer. If you feel that she's bored, try to enroll her in a karate class or something active. That way she not bored and staying active at the same time. Try to substitute some cookies with fruit cereal bars, etc. Hope that helps

1 mom found this helpful

V.S.

answers from Charlotte on

When I was a kid, the kitchen was open to me at all times. Food and drinks were also allowed in my room. As long as there was little to no preparation involved and it tasted decent it would be eaten fairly soon whether it was chips, peanut butter, ice cream, crackers, mac n' cheese, cookies, carrots, grapes, apples, peaches, or bread. I really was always hungry and had a chewing habit, but I always burned it off thanks to my high metabolism. As a teen, I made most of my meals and ate them whenever and wherever I wanted. Of course, I was always small and never got above 115 lbs (excellent for a woman who's 5'2" with a small frame).

Emotional strain and psychological problems can also cause people to eat too much. Take her to the pediatrician and see what he or she thinks. The eating and gaining weight might just be a growth spurt, nothing, or an actual problem. Maybe involve her in something active. I was never a very active child, but I was more than happy to go swimming and later used the YMCA gym and walked. Sometimes I would walk around the YMCA track and PE kept me fairly fit. Now, I also like using the Wii Fit.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from Chicago on

Have her checked out by a doctor for blood sugar issues or Candida issues. Both would make her crave sugary snacks. The weight gain sounds like it could be a blood sugar issues. Those issues can also make it look like she has ADHD.

Also, she could have a thyroid issue. Sounds like her issue stems from a health problem, she probably can't help craving the food. I wouldn't punish her for it, instead get to the bottom of the problem.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.S.

answers from New York on

Sounds like my kids - what about fruits & veggies - i know it sounds lame but what about slicing up apples & peanut butter - carrots & dip? would any of that work? I go to the fruit market just about once a week and try so hard to get my family back into the the right snacks spring & summer b/c it's way too expensive for all of the fresh stuff during the winter. The one thing that we are very consistent w/though is water though, we drink tons of it - better for you then anything.
The fruit snacks aren't such a horrible thing if you know which ones to get but what about the 100 calorie packs snacks? As far as the ADHD is she on medication for that b/c when I my medication is switched or tweeked I tend to gain as well. Best of luck to you.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.C.

answers from Madison on

Is your daughter sneaking food because she's hungry? As in, does she say all the time that her tummy hurts and she's hungry? Starving? Sits down to eat with you at lunch or supper time but then needs to constantly eat in between snacks?

My daughter was like that. She didn't sneak food, but she was hungry ALL THE TIME. Literally, she'd eat all day long. My husband and I were at our wits end, trying to figure out why she would need to eat and eat and eat.

Then, four years ago (when she was 7 years old), I became sick and started using alternative medicine. I changed the way the entire family eats. I threw out all processed food and put organic food in its place. We put a reverse-osmosis system on our kitchen water line. We threw out the aluminum pots and pans and now cook with cast-iron. I had gotten tested for food allergies/intolerances; I got my hubby and daughter tested as well. We all have varying degrees of gluten intolerance (that means, can't eat anything with wheat, barley, or rye, spelt, triticale, farima, durum, etc.). My husband and I are allergic to casein (means no cow products) and soy. I also have intolerances to 20 other foods. My daughter, on a daily basis, does not get any products with soy, cow milk products, or wheat in our house. If there was an issue with inflammation because of a food item that my daugher's body didn't like, well, by not eating these items, it's helped her.

Once we shifted from eating processed food to making our own out of fresh, organic food (to include grass-fed meat/no antibiotics/no hormones/PURE), my daughter's obsessive need to eat, eat, eat! went away!! OMG, she was finally FULL after she ate. It took about a month before we didn't hear her complain about being hungry, but now, she only says it when she has a growth spurt.

My daughter is built big, like my husband. She'll never be a skinny minny. But she was on course to being very, very obese if we didn't do something to help her. She has stayed pretty much at the same weight now for the last three years but has shot up about four to five inches in height. The last time I had her in for a physical, her doctor was very happy that we've managed to keep her at the weight she's currently at. He sees no issues with her weight anymore, because he feels that her growth in height will cancel out any problems/issues with her weight.

What does your daughter eat? Hotdogs, potato chips, ding dongs, Cheetos? Does she drink diet pop or chew gum (both have Excitotoxins in them; aspartame in the pop, artificial sweeteners in the gum. Cheetos now has MSG in their ingredients, another excitotoxin)? Do you buy store bought white enriched bread? Eat white rice? Both of them have been so refined, it's like literally not eating any food; there is nothing left there for your body to absorb. Oh sure, the government will tell you that it's been "fortified." Fortified with synthetic vitamins and minerals is NOT the same thing as getting everything your body needs from real food.

Processed foods are "manufacturered food;" that means, they are "made" foods from combining chemicals and such to look, taste, and appeal to the senses as if they are food--but they are merely empty and devoid of nutritional substance. But that doesn't mean they don't have calories! If you take in a lot of calories but you don't give your body any substance, like nutrition your body needs to grow and maintain itself (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids), then the body is always going to feel starved and is going to want and crave food. And if you don't give your body what it needs and wants--vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids--then it's going to keep looking and looking for what it wants and needs. You can eat all the "food" you want, but if it's processed and has empty nutritional value, your body will never feel full.

Change the way your family eats, and I bet you'll see a change in your daughter. One thing I learned when I discovered I had food allergies and intolerances is that a person will CRAVE the food they are intolerant/allergic to. I love artisian breads; absolutely love European hard breads--Panera Bread, I loved you!! Loved eating bread when I was in Europe. I could easily have bread as my only course for supper. Then I discovered I have a severe intolerance to bread. Even when bread was making me sick, my body kept craving it over and over and over--like a junkie. Now that I don't eat gluten, I in fact rarely ever eat bread anymore, even gluten-free bread. Why? Because my body no longer gets what it craves/wants but cannot have.

That would be another avenue you should look into. Take your daughter to a Naturopathic doctor and have her tested for food allergies and intolerances. I can almost guarantee that if she is foun to have food allergies and food intolerances and she QUITS eating them, her hunger will go away. But only if you also change what she's eating--or not eating.

Good health means a healthy body; Healthy food means a healthy body. A healthy body means no illness and no doctor visits, no pharma drugs.

Good luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

P.P.

answers from Sheboygan on

I was ALWAYs hungry when I ate anything with HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. You have to eliminate it completely if you have a problem with it. It is making most of our country obese. It does not allow your appetite to shut off if you are succeptable. Read every label. The sneaky mfgrs changed the name to "CORN SYRUP" to fool people into buying it. Making food from scratch with added herbs for health benefits & eating fatty fish 3x weekly would probably make a huge difference in the way your kids perform at school. Good luck. This stuff is in EVERYTHING!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.B.

answers from Greensboro on

My 12yr old daughter is sneaking food. She has ADHD and is on medicine (Vyvanse 70mg). I thought for a while that she was just bored and would say "I'm hungry". It has gotten so bad lately that she sneaks ice cream and leaves an empty container back in the freezer,she sneaks pure sugar and eats it, and today has been the worst. She was eating a candy bar in a CVS store tonight while getting her ADHD medicine. I cant buy any of the 100 calorie snacks because she will eat the entire box in a day or two. I met with her peditrician and she didnt seem to be to worried and was not aggressive enough. I will be making a call tomorrow to her peditrician and the school counselor. If anybody has ANY suggestions please post. I am at my wits end. I am a single mom and I have tried so hard to be the best mother to her as I can. She is a great kid and has a big heart. She is not embarrassed about her weight and is comfortable with herself.

G.T.

answers from Modesto on

I think you are correct with the boredom thing. Your job would be to find something for her to do to stay busy and distracted from food. Most definitely keep sugary, fatty things out of the house. Let her snack all she wants to on fresh fruits. Once a kid starts eating cookies and candy they get addicted, it's best not to introduce that type of stuff from the get go so they dont get the cravings. Empty your shelves of the poisonous stuff since you cant control her snacking, and keep a bowl of cut up fruits in the fridge for her to grab. Kids usually like celery and p-nut butter too, it's a filling, healthy snack as well.
Does she like to read? She's at a good age to start reading series books, something that would keep her mind off of food when she's not being "active" doing something else.
I'm sure it's not easy to be the chubby girl in 3rd or 4th grade, help her help herself by giving her opportunity to lose her baby fat.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.P.

answers from Gainesville on

I also think that you need to just stop buying that kids of food. I have set snack times for my kids and if they don't eat dinner they can't have snack. And they don't have free reign in the pantry either. Sounds like your daughter doesn't either, Which might be why she is sneaking. I do thin that something else is going on. Are there other activities she can be doing to keep her busy? I would try to distract her with things to do if she says she is hungry and I would keep a close watch on her. But mostly i think you need to find the underlying cause.

K.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have no experience with this...

but my thoughts are...

Don't keep too much 'junk' in the house...
Buy more healthy snacks...
Let her eat whenever she wants to...
Enroll her in an extra (or 2) physical activity...

~I think it would be dangerous to keep making an issue out of how much she is eating.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions