Hot Weather and Tiny Appetites: What Parents Need to Know

Hot weather can bring a whole host of feeding worries for parents, and one of the most common is a sudden drop in appetite. To help explain what's going on, we've asked Bibado's resident Paediatric Dietitian, Lucy Upton, to share why eating less during a heatwave is often completely normal.

What’s normal?

If you've found yourself worrying because your baby or toddler is suddenly eating less during the heatwave, I want to reassure you: this is incredibly common.

When temperatures soar, it's not unusual for little appetites to shrink. In fact, there's a really simple reason why.

Eating is actually hard work for the body. Not only does the process of eating require energy, but digesting food creates heat, too. So when we're experiencing very warm weather, our bodies naturally try to keep cool wherever possible.

For babies and young children, that can mean eating less than usual.

You may have noticed your little one picking at meals, leaving more food than normal, or seeming less interested in sitting at the table altogether. Whilst this can feel worrying, it's often just their body's way of responding to the heat.

What might they want to eat instead?

During hot weather, many children naturally gravitate towards foods that feel refreshing and help with hydration - much as we do as adults.

Think:

• Watermelon, berries and other juicy fruits

• Cucumber and crunchy vegetables

• Yogurt and chilled dairy foods

• Smoothies

• Homemade ice lollies

You might find they're happier grazing on these foods throughout the day rather than sitting down to larger meals, and that's often perfectly OK for a short period.

The most important thing? Hydration.

When it's hot, keeping fluids up becomes a bigger priority than worrying about how much food is being eaten.

Continue offering drinks regularly and include plenty of fluid-rich foods where you can. Remember that fruits, vegetables, yoghurt, and milk all contribute towards hydration too.

Trust that appetite will return

One of the things I often remind parents is that children's appetites are not designed to be the same every day.

Appetite naturally fluctuates depending on growth, activity levels, illness, teething, emotions - and yes, the weather too.

Whilst it can be tempting to encourage "just a few more bites" when they're eating less, try to avoid putting extra pressure on mealtimes. Instead, continue offering regular meals and snacks, trust your child's appetite, and allow them to decide how much they need.

As the weather cools, appetite almost always bounces back. Children are incredibly good at regulating their intake over time, and many will naturally make up for eating less once temperatures return to normal.

So if your little one is eating less than usual during these hotter spells we’re set to see this summer, know that this is often a normal response to the heat, not a sign that anything is wrong.

Keep offering, keep mealtimes relaxed, and trust that their appetite will find its way back.

After all, feeding our little ones isn't about what they eat in a single day - it's about the bigger picture over weeks and months.