Food Issues with kids

[clarabelle]

We are having food issues at our house.
I am ready to put a lock on the pantry. Are your kids allowed to have food that is just for them? What about lunches. If I buy something prepackaged for school snacks/lunches they get eaten at home -and then they are scrambling around for something to take to school.
I am curious to see how other families handle these kinds of things.
I am sounding like the diser whose dad steals her pudding!

 

[mickeyboat]

When I was growing up we had food issues in our house. My mom was always warning us that something she had bought was not to be eaten because she was using it for a meal.

We don't have that problem yet at our house. My kids are only 8 & 9 and still ask most of the time if it is o.k. to have something. Ther are also some items (fruit, yogurt, cheese) that they know they can have whenever they want, and I keep them in the house all the time.

They also understand that there are some things usually reserved for snacks or lunches at school, so if they eat or drink them at other times, they won't have them for snacks and will have to have something else (water instead of juice boxes).

I don't often buy food that is just for one kid, though. My girls are so close in age that it would be hard to do that.

Denae

 

[JessicaR]

I have fruit and veggies in abundance that the kids can snack on when they like. The snacky foods that I buy for school are hidden, if not, they are eaten way too quickly! I know lots of people that have locks on their pantry. When my kids were little it was easier to limit them. I have hungry boys so that doesnt hold true anymore! Sometimes they find my hiding spot and it has to be changed.

 

[Tinijocaro]

We have this same issue, and with four kids, it's hard to tell who is doing it. I told them last year that if the snacks start disappearing, then I won't buy them anymore. For a month they got a sandwich, an apple or banana, and milk. That's it, and truth be told, that is more than adequate for a lunch for most kids. That solved the problem for a while, but now it's back this year.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

They buy their lunch, so no issues. DH and I would be the ones to eat the snacks.
I would rather they buy them at school.

 

[mytwotinks]

We have certain things that my kids (11 & 6) can have whenever they want. They are things like carrots, apples, grapes, blueberries, cheese cubes, crackers, popcorn, peanuts, fruit leather, etc.....

We have one who can't have lots of artificial ingredients, so I don't have tons of prepackaged stuff around the house and that really helps. I make cookie dough in advance and freeze it in cookie sized scoops, so when I make cookies I make what we are going to eat and maybe just a couple extra for a special snack.

I'm not saying that they never beg for food, but if I have something acceptable to offer them, they don't really have much of an argument when I won't give them what they want.

 

[clarabelle]

I might have to give up on the prepackaged snacks. Right now I buy some of the 100 calorie ones. but I might give that up.

 

[pyrxtc]

My kids have fod in the pantry that is for school snacks. Anything packaged individually is to bring to school, if it is packaged bigger, then they can ask to have it at home. Fruits and vegetables only before lunch and if they brought a sweet snack to school, then they have fruits or veggies for after-school. Crackers are free reign all day.

They have to ask to have a snack and if something is running low, then they have to let me know or they just run out of snacks. Candy is something that is very rare, just like bubble-gum.

If they don't have any snacks left for school, then they are stuck with fruits or veggies. I ALWAYS have plenty of those.

 

[clarabelle]

Thanks everyone for your replies

 

[clarabelle]

Those of you that have fresh fruit and veggies.
What kind of things to you buy? Do you cut them up?
What about dip with the veggies?
Thanks

 

[HelenePA]

to be honest mine ask for every freaking little thing if its okay to eat it.. with 3 of them asking I'm REALLY tired of it. New rule is.. if you want it eat it.

 

[JessicaR]

Those of you that have fresh fruit and veggies.
What kind of things to you buy? Do you cut them up?
What about dip with the veggies?
Thanks

It depends on the season. I always have apples, celery, carrots and bananas. This time of year in addition to the above I have clementines, pears, grapes and pomegranates. My kids love to put peanut butter on some fruit and veggies and also use ranch dressing on veggies as a dip. My youngest likes to dip his apples and grapes in yogurt.

Oh yeah and as far as cutting things up, not usually unless I want them to eat something specifically to get rid of it. If I cut it and serve it, they eat it!

 

[mickeyboat]

Those of you that have fresh fruit and veggies.
What kind of things to you buy? Do you cut them up?
What about dip with the veggies?
Thanks

My kids are much more likely to eat fresh fruits and veggies if I cut them up. During the summer there is always a tuperware container in the fridge with cut up watermelon or cantelope in it. We almost always have grapes or berries of some sort. I also keep a fruit bowl on the counter. Finally I buy the baby carrots and have a cucumber on hand to cut up.

That way when they ask for something it is as easy to grab the melon as it is to grab a pre-packaged snack. They also have to pass by the fruit bowl on the way to the pantry.

When I know they will be home soon, I sometimes prepare a snack - veggies and dip or fruit or cheese, and put it on the kitchen counter. They are more likely to eat what is already available than to search for something in the pantry.

 

[clarabelle]

Thanks everyone
Mickeyboat -It has never occured to me to put something out for them
I think that is part of the problem. They have gotten more self sufficient in the kitchen and think that nothing is off limits (10 and 13 y.o)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thanks everyone
Mickeyboat -It has never occured to me to put something out for them
I think that is part of the problem. They have gotten more self sufficient in the kitchen and think that nothing is off limits (10 and 13 y.o)

Oh yea, I have to concur. If I have something out for them they will eat it and leave.

 

[Mom2Nick]

Thanks everyone
Mickeyboat -It has never occured to me to put something out for them
I think that is part of the problem. They have gotten more self sufficient in the kitchen and think that nothing is off limits (10 and 13 y.o)

That's what I do. As soon as they come home from school we have a snack of some sort. They can eat or not eat but whatever is out is a free for all. If they want something different they have to ask.

 

[NMAmy]

I didn't really buy a whole lot of pre-packaged stuff for dd when she was young. I tended to buy big bags of stuff and then put it into baggies for lunches.

I only have one kid, though, so I'm sure that makes a difference as to planning for lunches and snacks.

 

[Stacerita]

I have only one DD so its pretty easy around here. Most, if not all, snacky food is for her to take to lunch. She knows that if she eats it at home that she will not have it for lunch. I don't buy snacky foods every week, so she likes to make them last. I also keep lots of fruits and veggies that she likes in the house.

 

[puffkin]

My mother was very clear growing up that she went to the store 1 time a week. When all the snacks got eaten that was it until she went the following week. We quickly learned not to eat stuff up too quickly. She would stop at the convenience store for more eggs/milk/bread if we ran out during the week, but that was rare.

We also didn't do well with warehouse shopping. Basically food was free game in our house and she ended up spending way too much money buying in bulk because if it was there we ate it. We did buy most of our lunches at school so we didn't have to worry about having stuff reserved for that, but I assume the same rules would have applied if we packed.

I have a 2 year old so we don't have issues yet with this, but I do only shop 1 time a week at the store. My DH and I can police ourselves with not eating the snacky type items to quickly (and risk running out of stuff to pack for lunch)......but we still can't buy in bulk. It just doesn't save us money because if it is there we eat/drink it.

 

[1PrincessMomma1]

to be honest mine ask for every freaking little thing if its okay to eat it.. with 3 of them asking I'm REALLY tired of it. New rule is.. if you want it eat it.

Same here.