Family Matters: Why is my child hiding food? 

For some children, hiding how much they’re eating is a phase and they’ll grow out of it. But it is worth saying that if left unchecked, hiding food could lead to a cycle of control and guilt.  

This could mean children start to eat less food in the first place. Then, when then they don’t eat enough, it leads them to hiding food and eating a large amount later. This makes them unhappy or guilty and the cycle repeats.  

If this cycle repeats too often, your child could be more likely to develop an eating disorder. We have links at the bottom of this blog which tell you more about eating disorders, if you’re concerned about this. 

Create a safe space

Create an open space where your child can talk about their feelings. Not sure where to start? You can start by talking about the situation directly. But in the run-up to this, be sure your child knows that they can talk to you about anything that’s bothering them and they can always share their feelings with you.  

Avoid labelling foods

Do you sometimes label some foods “good” and others “bad”? Try to avoid this, and remember all foods can be both good and bad, with moderation.

For example, if a child feels like biscuits are “naughty” then they’ll want to eat them in secret. But if they don’t feel judged for eating a biscuit as an every now and then food, it can create a huge difference for how they feel about snacking.  

Identify triggers

It can help to identify any triggers that might have caused these eating habits. Is there anything that could have made your child feel upset, worried or stressed? Big changes combined with these feelings can lead to food cravings. This is also known as comfort eating.

Mindful eating is a great way to support with emotional wellbeing. It’s about using your senses to experience your food. 

It can help you to build a healthier relationship with food and understand when you’re hungry or full. You can start mindfully eating by eating slower, focusing on each bite. 

Look at portion sizes

The reason behind their secret eating might be because they don’t feel full enough at mealtimes. In this case, you can take a closer look at their diet. Are there any changes you can make?  

Their diet should be healthy, balanced and the right size. We understand this can be tricky to master! Especially in the world of social media and so many different sources of information online. Our Beezee Families programme is designed to help you and your family understand portion sizes and what a balanced diet looks like.