I don't know what to do...

[Candi3]

My 7 yr. old son has been lying alot and just recently started steeling food. Or, at least I think it's recent. I found 17 snack wrappers in his room under his bed,during a "mom" clean. I asked him about it and we talked. He said he was taking the food because he was still hungry or because I didn't make dessert. I tried to explain that we don't get dessert everyday and if he's still hungry he can have more dinner. I thought we had settled the issue, until this evening. I found another wrapper in the bathroom trash. He had taken another lunch snack after dinner. He said again that it was beause he was hungry. He had dinner(pork chops,rice and sauted green beans and a buiscut) for dessert we had ice cream cake. I find it hard to believe that he was still hungry. He has always been a 'solid' child and now is quite chunky. He doesn't have much interenst in sports(or coordination). I don't know what to do.  

[margypops]

Get him into exercise less TV or PC and move his body, also healthy sweet tasting snacks many nice puddings and granola bars,fruit out there, I love em and many are not calorific. I dont think he has anything wrong he could be having a growth spurt and they do get hungry.Good luck

[ku111]

He might be on a growth spurt or he might have something on his mind.  I had a snack drawer with healthy snacks that they could have pretty much whenever after they had dinner and etc...  I also had a small one in the fridge with string cheese, yogurt and apple slices.  It worked pretty well.  I put the things for lunch high on the shelf and they knew they were "off limits".  I would tell him he gave you a good idea and this might make him more open to talk and feel better about what's going on.  Summer is coming and kids seem to slim down.  Walking and swimming might be good for him.  Goodluck!

[specialmom]

Hi.  I think your boy wants some sweets or snacks and this is not uncommon.  I think it is hard to have that in the house ---------  heck it is hard for me!  If I have cookies or ho ho's around . . . they constantly call my name.  Very hard to resist.  And I'm a motivated adult.  
I'd buy different snacks and tell him he can have them any time.  Yogurt, frozen popsicles, rice cakes (they m, ake these smaller ones in flavors and my kids call them cheese crackers), even fruit treats (chews) are not high in calorie but give a little treat feeling to have them.  Motts makes them with real fruit and even vegis now.  Make popcorn some evenings after dinner.  Things that are more fun than 3 square meals a day.  

I think all kids do like to snack and if you never let them, they become a little obsessed with it.  
He could have food hoarding issues but he is actually eating it which makes it less likely and more about him just really really wanting that cookie.  

I also think a family that exercises together makes it more of a lifestyle a child will keep up with.  Go for family bike rides, family hikes, you bring the wistle and have him run races in the back yard, swimming, etc.  good luck

[AnnieBrooke]

This is from Dr. Oz, but you can find references to hiding food and hoarding food by children that aren't just anecdotal (in other words, that are written by medical professionals).  I'd take it seriously as an indicator that something is distressing your son.

"Food hoarding represents a specific type of hoarding behavior that can involve hiding food, stealing food, and/or secretive eating, with these bouts of secretive eating often resulting in episodes of binge eating or night eating.  In children, food hoarding can take place for a variety of reasons, including neglect, deprivation, chaotic or disrupted home environments, difficulties in the school environment, disordered eating or other psychological problems."

Please take it seriously as a possible sign a different problem, not that he is simply eating because he wants to eat.

[Sandman2]

   Hey, that was a great dinner.  Very healthy and should be filling.   I can understand why you wonder.  On the other hand, maybe he is going through a growing spurt.  There are snack bars that are fairly health - typically the trail mix kind.  Buy those and let him eat them.  It really won't hurt him.
   Now, just in case it might be more involved than just being hungry.  How is he doing in school?  Have his grades had any down turn lately?  Teacher complaints?
   You do mention him being chunky.  Unfortunately, schools don't do much PE these days.  With spring and summer approaching why not look into getting him into baseball or soccer?  Soccer would be the best choice.  At his age, they really don't expect too much.