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Recognising ‘true’ hunger and managing ‘grazing’
Introduction
A key part of diabetes management involves following a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.
Maintaining a structured meal pattern with 3 meals and 1-3 small snacks, if required. Older children may not require any snacks. No food should be offered for 1 hour before a meal as it will impact appetite, unless required to prevent hypoglycaemia.
It is important to include a good balance of nutrients throughout the day, including wholegrain starches, fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy/dairy alternatives; to ensure adequate energy and nutrient intake.
What is a “snack”?
A snack is a small amount of food eaten between main meals. For many children, snacks help keep energy up during a busy day, especially if they are very active.
However, frequent snacking ‘grazing’ especially on high carbohydrate foods can make blood glucose harder to manage and reduce appetite for main meals. It is usually best to plan a maximum of 1-3 small snacks per day.
Why snacks may be required?
- Younger children often need 1-3 small snacks per day to support growth and energy expenditure as they often cannot eat sufficient portion sizes at main meals to meet full requirements.
- Hunger – children’s appetites can be variable based on growth and activity levels.
- High Glycaemic Index meals (quickly digested and absorbed) can lead to a drop in blood glucose between meals.
- Excess insulin dosing at previous meals due to inaccurate carb counting or incorrect dose settings.
- Exercise/Activity level - more active children may require additional snacks to meet energy requirements.
Understanding Hunger: Is My Child Really Hungry?
Not all requests for food are due to physical hunger. Learning to recognise why a child/young person wants a snack can help avoid unnecessary grazing, support healthy appetite regulation, and make blood glucose levels easier to manage.
There are three common types of hunger in children:
1. True (Physical) Hunger
What it is: The body genuinely needs energy or nutrients.
Common signs:
- Tummy rumbling or feeling empty
- Feeling tired, irritable, or lacking energy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Hunger occurring a few hours after a meal
- Willing to eat a range of foods (not just favourites)
How to respond:
- Offer a planned, balanced snack rather than quick sugary foods.
- Include protein and/or fibre to help your child feel full for longer.
- Keep portions appropriate for your child’s age and insulin plan.
Good snack choices:
- Cheese and wholegrain crackers
- Plain Greek Yogurt with fruit
- Vegetable sticks with hummus
- Egg or nut-based snacks
- Low-carb snacks (vegetables) if the next meal is soon so no insulin required
Tip: If your child eats the snack calmly and seems satisfied afterwards, it was likely true hunger.
2. Emotional Hunger
What it is: Eating in response to feelings rather than physical need.
Common triggers:
- Stress or anxiety (e.g. school worries)
- Feeling upset, angry or frustrated
- Reward-based eating (“You’ve been good, have a treat”)
- Comfort eating after a difficult day
- Clues it may be emotional hunger
- Sudden cravings (often for specific foods)
- Wanting food shortly after a meal
- Eating quickly or mindlessly
- Still feeling unsatisfied after eating
How to respond:
- Acknowledge feelings first - “How are you feeling?”
- Offer comfort without automatically using food.
- If food is offered, keep it neutral and portion controlled.
Helpful alternatives:
- A cuddle, chat, or quiet time
- Drawing, reading or listening to music
- A walk, fresh air or gentle activity
- A warm sugar free drink (e.g. sugar free squash/herbal tea)
Tip: Never use food as a reward. Avoid labelling foods as ‘treats for being good’ as this can link emotions and food too strongly.
3. Boredom or Habit Hunger
What it is: Eating because food is available or because it’s part of a routine, not because of hunger.
Common situations:
- Snacking in front of screens
- Eating “because it’s breaktime” even when not hungry
- Reaching for food automatically after school
- Grazing throughout the afternoon or evening after dinner
Signs of boredom/habit hunger:
- Asking for food repeatedly without clear hunger cues
- Eating small amounts but frequently ‘Grazing’
- Saying “I’m hungry” when distracted or bored
- Refusing healthier foods but asking for snack foods
How to respond:
- Pause and check in before offering food: “Is your tummy hungry, or are you bored?”
- Encourage a short wait (10–15 minutes) before providing a snack.
- Offer a non-food activity first – consider:
- Outdoor play or movement
- Homework or a structured activity
- Creative play (Lego, colouring, crafts)
- A drink of water first (thirst can feel like hunger)
Tip: Keeping snack foods out of sight and having set snack times can reduce mindless eating.
Helping Children Learn Their Own Hunger Signals
Teaching children to recognise hunger is a skill that develops over time.
Practical strategies:
- Ask gentle questions: “How hungry is your tummy?”
- Use a simple hunger scale (e.g. 1 = not hungry, 5 = very hungry).
- Encourage eating without screens when possible.
- Serve small portions first, children can ask for more if still hungry.
Why snacking matters in Type 1 diabetes
- Insulin dosing must be matched carefully to the carbohydrate in food to manage blood glucose levels.
- Some snacks contain very little carbohydrate and may not require extra insulin. See the section on Low Carb Snacks or ask your Dietitian for advice.
- Remember some low carb processed snacks are high in fat and salt, so can impact weight and heart health longer term if eaten frequently.
- Other snacks contain more carbohydrate and will need insulin.
- For children and young people with diabetes knowing when food is ‘truly’ needed can reduce unnecessary injections or insulin boluses.
- Planned snacks support better glucose management than frequent grazing.
- If is important to recognise that any snacking and additional boluses of insulin for food that is not required for energy or growth will lead to excess weight gain.
- It is important that all food portions are appropriate for age.
Parent Pro Tips:
- Pre-portion snacks so carb counts are predictable
- Keep a snack log to spot patterns
- Involve kids in preparation as they are more likely to eat it
- Aim for snacks with ≤15g carbs, so they don’t impact appetite for next meal
Healthy snack options for school
Fruit and Vegetable options:
- Raw veg - carrots/celery/peppers/cucumber with hummus/ salsa/guacamole/yoghurt/cheese spread dips
- Fresh fruit e.g. apple/berries/grapes/melon/oranges/pears
- Fruit/veg skewers
- Dried fruit the lowest GI options are berries or stone fruits e.g. raspberries/strawberries/plums/apricots/dates. Make sure any dried fruits are not sweetened.
Protein and Dairy (and Dairy alternatives)
- Yoghurt - Greek or natural unsweetened yoghurt are best. Can be eaten with fruit or unsweetened Granola. Add a little cinnamon for sweetness. Avoid flavoured yoghurts with added sugars.
- Cheese with fruit or cucumber
- Mini quesadilla (whole-grain tortilla + cheese)
- Cottage cheese + cherry tomatoes or berries
- Hard-boiled egg
Grains/savoury
- Wholegrain crackers/pretzels/rice cakes
- Wholegrain crackers or oatcakes with cheese, peanut butter, or hummus
- Toast, rice cakes, or breadsticks with protein topping
- Popcorn - plain/salty, not sweet - if making at home try with cinnamon or other spices such as paprika
- Edamame or crunchy chickpeas
Low-Carb / Minimal Impact Snacks – no need to carb count!
- Vegetables e.g. cucumber/carrots/pepper/celery with guacamole, salsa, or cream/cottage cheese dip
- Cheese cubes or string cheese
- Hard-boiled eggs/omelette with vegetables and cheese
- Plain vegetable soups (no potatoes/lentils/beans)
- Lean meats such as turkey or chicken
- Avocado slices with tomato slices and mozzarella, add some olives
- Nuts or seeds (age-appropriate)
- Sugar-free jelly or ice lollies made with no added sugar squash
Note: Low carb processed snacks may be high in fat, and salt keep these occasional. Choose unprocessed foods as much as possible.
Homemade snacks
Fruit-Based
- Apple slices/half banana with nut butter (check it’s 100% nuts)
- Banana “nice cream” - frozen bananas blended smooth
- Baked cinnamon apples (just apples + cinnamon)
- Fresh berries with plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- Dates stuffed with nuts/tahini/cheese/nut butter
Savoury Snacks
- Homemade hummus + veggie sticks (carrots/cucumber/bell pepper)
- Roasted chickpeas (olive oil, paprika, garlic, salt)
- Avocado on whole-grain toast or rice cakes
- Hard-boiled eggs with pepper or chilli flakes
- Cottage cheese with cucumber or cherry tomatoes
- Homemade muffins – savoury/wholegrain
Energy Bites
- Oat bars - Oats + mashed banana + nut butter (bake or roll into balls)
- Dates + oats + nuts
- Chia pudding (chia seeds + milk, sweetened naturally with berries)
Protein-Focused
- Greek yogurt + nuts + seeds
- Cheese slices + fruit
- Egg muffins (eggs + veggies +cheese, baked in muffin tin)
Sweet Craving Options
- Dark chocolate (85%+ cocoa content) in small amounts
- Cocoa banana smoothies (banana + milk + cocoa powder)
- Frozen grapes or mango chunks (age appropriate and small portion)
- Dates with nut butter and a little melted dark chocolate
- Frozen banana slices (small portion)
Tips:
- Add some protein such as cheese to help reduce glycaemic effect of fruit-based snacks.
- Keep to appropriate portion for age – child’s size handful.
Key Messages
- Hunger can be physical, emotional, or boredom-related and each needs a different response.
- Food should meet hunger, not manage emotions.
- Avoid snacks just “to fill time”, plan them around real hunger.
- Regular meals reduce constant snacking.
- Serve snacks that include protein & fibre - they help children feel full and support steady blood glucose.
- Keep sweet biscuits, cakes, and crisps as occasional treats, not as everyday snacks.
- Encourage regular fluid intake, ideally plain water - thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger.
- Learning hunger cues supports lifelong healthy eating
- Be mindful not to be ‘feeding the insulin’. Be aware of having to give your child extra food because of insulin administered or to avoid hypos between meals.
Quick checklist for snack planning
- Am I offering this because the child is ‘truly’ hungry?
- Is it more than 1 hour until next meal?
- Is the portion appropriate for age and insulin plan?
- Have I carb-counted this snack and, if needed, given insulin?
- Does this snack also have protein/fibre to keep hunger at bay?
- Am I having to provide this snack to prevent hypoglycaemia every day at this time? If so, contact the Diabetes Team to review insulin dose settings.
Contact Information
Please contact the Diabetes Team - Email: fhft.
or the Specialist Paediatric Diabetes Dietitian - Email: stella.
Additional information:
Digibete – www.
Diabetes UK – www.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Dietetics service.
About this information
Service:
Dietetics
Reference:
DT/103
Approval date:
1 June 2026
Review date:
1 June 2029
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.