Rationing snack foods in your house?

[hanutedmansionmomma]

So I went shopping yesterday, got fruit, 100 calorie snack bags, light yogurts, new 60 calorie jello mousse, and a lot of it is gone already!

A lot of it is my kids, and although this happened on the weekend, it happens every weekday too. DH and I both work full time, and the kids beat us home. I come home to a garbage can full of wrappers every day.

I'm trying to buy fruits, light/low cal snacks, nuts, etc. but what's the point if you're going to eat 6 - 100 calorie snacks in one sitting?

How do you address this situation in your house? Should I just not care and let them eat whatever? I won't buy more until the next shopping trip, so it's not like I'm refilling daily or anything.

Any suggestions for a kid friendly snack that's filling (so you don't go back looking for more)?

TIA

 

[KateMW]

So I went shopping yesterday, got fruit, 100 calorie snack bags, light yogurts, new 60 calorie jello mousse, and a lot of it is gone already!

A lot of it is my kids, and although this happened on the weekend, it happens every weekday too. DH and I both work full time, and the kids beat us home. I come home to a garbage can full of wrappers every day.

I'm trying to buy fruits, light/low cal snacks, nuts, etc. but what's the point if you're going to eat 6 - 100 calorie snacks in one sitting?

How do you address this situation in your house? Should I just not care and let them eat whatever? I won't buy more until the next shopping trip, so it's not like I'm refilling daily or anything.

Any suggestions for a kid friendly snack that's filling (so you don't go back looking for more)?

TIA

I don't let my daughter snack all day. She has one snack in the afternoon on the weekdays after school and on the weekends, she sometimes has one between breakfast and lunch depending on what time we eat those meals. IMO, 5-6 is waaaay too many snacks for a child to eat in one day, much less one sitting. Are they eating breakfast, lunch and dinner?

 

[floridascgirl]

How about making up a large Tupperware of snack mix? You could use whatever cereals are on special for the week, pretzels, goldfish, nuts, raisins, etc...

My son would never just grab an apple or banana, but he will eat them when they are sliced with peanut butter for dipping. So, I now keep a ziplock with sliced apple wedges in the fridge and he will fix them with peanut butter. If your kids like hummous, you could have baby carrots and sliced celery ready in a tupperware to go with it. I've found that my son is more likely to grab something that's tasty, yet not too much work!

Another easy, filling snack is a tortilla melt. My son just sprinkles shredded cheddar on the wrap, melts it in the microwave, then rolls it up and eats it. He's also a big popcorn maker in the afternoon. We have a couple different sprinkle on toppings that make it a little more exciting.

 

[Samar]

With the kids now (they're too little to stay at home), I set a designated snack time. They end up having 3 meals and 2 snacks a day (and after the meals, they can have a small treat... dessert is a privilege, not a right). You could always just say "Listen up, THIS is all the snack food available until the next grocery trip. If you eat it all now, you will have to go without until then" and if that doesn't work, hide it. lol

 

[1stluvispooh]

Well how old are your kids?

I know my son is terrible about snacking all day. What I have done in the past is got each kids there own snack jar. Every night or morning the pick 3 snacks. They go in the jar. They can have their snack whenever but when they are gone there gone no more snacking

 

[dougsmom98]

We had always just let our kids eat what they want when they want, but now that my boys are getting more hearty appetites it has gotten harder to allow for this. The problem in my house was that the kids were eating all the snacks that I would put in their lunches and then we wouldn't have any snacks for school. So, now we take those snacks and put them on a high shelf and tell them that they may not eat those after school or on the weekends. Everything else is free reign for them. It has cut down on the amount of junk they eat considerably. Try making homemade puddings and jellos for after school too. That is so much less expensive than the snack packs.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

The only snack food my kids are allowed to get without asking is fruits/veggies that I keep precut in the fridge. My older kids know when they can have a snack, which during the week is generally when they get home from school and something small before bed (we have dinner before sports/activities so they're usually hungry afterwards), but they still ask. When we have things like cookies they know there is a limit to how many they can have. We have done things like that for so long that it's ingrained, if I'm not home they do it anyway and the older kids will impose the rules on the younger ones.

Since we have a big family and it's more economical I buy big packs of things instead of individual bags. The kids are not allowed to eat out of the bag/box, we have small plastic bowls which are actually Gerber toddler bowls that are perfect for goldfish, chips, dry cereal, grapes, sliced apples, etc. I use them as well, but I'm still working on Dh.

I don't hide food, but I do mix up where I put things sometimes so they last longer. If I buy individual pudding cups I will put them in the refrigerator door where no one really looks for a few days. One week I might keep goldfish crackers in the pantry, the next week on the "snack" shelf in the cupboard. Just so they last longer. There are also certain snacks that are mine that the kids have to ask for, but it helps to get things that they don't like for me, lol.

They know what foods are for lunches and snacks at school, I have a specific spot where I keep things that are for certain events, like sport team snacks or cub scouts and they know not to touch those as well.

 

[kohlby]

If my kids are hungry, they ask for a snack. They're allowed to have water, fruits, and veggies anytime they want. If they want something else, then asking is needed. I'll let them pick one snack out of the snack box twice a day - once mid-morning and once afternoon. If they're still hungry, I'll offer cheese or yogart. If they're still hungry, it's onto fruits and veggies.

For our snack box, I don't buy the 100 calorie packs. Instead, I use the snack sized baggies and put a handful of something in one. It saves a lot of money and it's already portioned so I don't have to stop what I'm doing. My most recent idea for the snack box was chocolate cheerios. We also do Nutri-grain bars, cheese and crackers, and goldfish.

I'm guessing that since your kids beat you home that they're teenagers. My husband tells me horror stories of how much food he ate when he was a teen and he was a skinny tall kid. I'm scared of the grocery bill when my kids are older! It's possible that your kids need a larger snack. If you think your kids need more to eat, then set a rule that they can have 1 snacks from the box, a sandwich, a piece of fruit, and a glass of milk. That's no exactly low in calories, but at least it's more balanced if your growing kids need that much food.

 

[HelenePA]

I hide mine and bring them out a little at a time.. its the only thing that works in my house!

 

[Hannathy]

My kids have always been allowed to eat whatever and however much of something they want and have never had a problem. I can ALWAYS tell the kids who get there food rationed at home, it is so evident when they visit or at Scouts etc.......

To the OP look at the age of your kids their calorie intake in a day is incredibly large!!!! It isn't surprising they need several 100 calorie packs in a sitting. Teens need a large amount of calories. If they aren't overweight why bother with the expensive 100 cal packs. Teen girls can eat teen boys under the table when they want to and you have both. your bill is only going to go up and up.

If they eat reg. meals, aren't obese then I would just chalk it up to growing teens with big appetites and quit buying the tiny little packs.

The OP doesn't have little kids that can have their every move monitored, she has independent teens whole different ball game. You don't plan and give snacks to teens they are on their own.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Stop buying snacks and only have fresh cut up fruit and veggies. If they are truly hungry they will eat this. If they just want to munch then they won't. Also, popcorn is a filling snack that isn't terrible. I personally don't bother with the 100 calorie snacks. They are filled with chemicals and only make you feel full temporarily. Heck I could easily eat more than one bag of them. Try cutting up a big bowl of strawberries or watermelon etc. It is easy to grab and at least it is satisfying.

 

[disneylovin24]

If I were you I would limit them to two snacks a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It's not just about how much they are eating, it's about how much money you will have to keep spending if they eat like this!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

To the OP look at the age of your kids their calorie intake in a day is incredibly large!!!! It isn't surprising they need several 100 calorie packs in a sitting. Teens need a large amount of calories. If they aren't overweight why bother with the expensive 100 cal packs. Teen girls can eat teen boys under the table when they want to and you have both. your bill is only going to go up and up.

If they eat reg. meals, aren't obese then I would just chalk it up to growing teens with big appetites and quit buying the tiny little packs.

I agree.

Those 100 calorie packs, unless they've changed from when we were buying them 2ish years ago, have rotten ingredients.

So I'd just buy normal foods that cost less than those things.

Though if you do want to make sure that everyone gets their fair share of what you buy.... We like to have Clif brand protein bars in the house. They have various kinds, even some designed for littler kids. But DS of course likes the adult ones, too. Since I know these will be eaten, I've made it a rule that we each are alloted one per day. For me, it's breakfast. For hubby and son, it's a snack for extra energy and protein. But since they are a dollar each (except for the z-bars, which are cheaper) I don't want people to eat more than one/day. So at the beginning of the month, I've been buying enough for 1/day/person. Then I use (and reuse) gallon sized Hefty ziptop bags, put names on them, and fill them! Simple. So if hubby wants to take 3 to work, he can do so, and not possibly run down the supplies for me and DS.

So maybe that would work, to separate each kid's snacks into a big named bag like that.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

If I were you I would limit them to two snacks a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. It's not just about how much they are eating, it's about how much money you will have to keep spending if they eat like this!!!

I am sorry but I cannot stand the whole food rationing thing. Sometimes kids are simply hungry. Yes, food is expensive but you know that when you have kids that you have to feed them. If you make a lot of things instead of buying pre-made and you buy on sale snacks, fruits, etc. then it is not a big deal. No child should be made to feel bad because they eat and it is expensive. That is just so wrong on so many levels imo. How would you as an adult feel if your spouse told you that you could only have 2 snacks a day and if you are hungry then too bad? I am not picking on you but this stuff makes me nuts.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I never buy the pre-bagged snacks. It's much cheaper to buy the box of pretzels or whatever. I try to have a wide variety of healthy-ish snacks around--fruit, of course, and crackers, yogurt, cheese sticks, etc.

Your biggest problem is, you have growing children. I feel your pain--DD14 is a runner and a dancer, and DS12 just officially blew by me in height. They need a ton of calories, and mostly "good" calories. I buy yogurt and don't sweat if they eat it, because those bones are growing. So long as yoru kids are active, I would worry less about the stuff being low-calorie, too. Seriously, DD14 eats like a trooper, and she's skinny. But, when she's in serious training for cross country, she's running 50 miles a week, and gets noticably thinner--pretty sad when she's barely 100 pounds to begin with. Right now it's off-season, so she's "only" doing 8 dance classes a week. I watch DS12 a little closer since he doesn't do a winter sport, but he's grown 6 inches and 2 pants sizes in the past 6 months.

I also make cookies--often. You can make healthier recipes--oatmeal-raisin, or brownies with applesauce in them.

If your kids are overweight, I would suggest making exercise a priority. Maybe do it as a family. But, if they're normal size, you don't want to be giving them food issues by haranguing them. They need to learn to make mostly healthy food choices.

 

[shelbys mommy]

I always have this problem. I have been known to hide snacks in my closet or under my bed. My boys get 2 snacks a day, but my 7 yr old is mighty sneaky.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I am sorry but I cannot stand the whole food rationing thing. Sometimes kids are simply hungry. Yes, food is expensive but you know that when you have kids that you have to feed them. If you make a lot of things instead of buying pre-made and you buy on sale snacks, fruits, etc. then it is not a big deal. No child should be made to feel bad because they eat and it is expensive. That is just so wrong on so many levels imo. How would you as an adult feel if your spouse told you that you could only have 2 snacks a day and if you are hungry then too bad? I am not picking on you but this stuff makes me nuts.

On the other hand, sometimes kids eat because they are bored, or because they had something different then see their sibling with something else and want that, or it's getting close to dinner and they're hungry...

While yes, if a kid is hungry they should be allowed to eat, you have to look at the whole pictures. My DD will eat all day on the weekend if I let her because she gets bored or wants to eat while doing other things. I don't refuse her all the time, but there comes a point when I have to just tell her, no, you're not hungry, you're bored. Get a glass of water and if you're still hungry in a half hour you can grab something then. Or I will tell them to wait until I finish cooking.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

On the other hand, sometimes kids eat because they are bored, or because they had something different then see their sibling with something else and want that, or it's getting close to dinner and they're hungry...

While yes, if a kid is hungry they should be allowed to eat, you have to look at the whole pictures. My DD will eat all day on the weekend if I let her because she gets bored or wants to eat while doing other things. I don't refuse her all the time, but there comes a point when I have to just tell her, no, you're not hungry, you're bored. Get a glass of water and if you're still hungry in a half hour you can grab something then. Or I will tell them to wait until I finish cooking.

Oh I agree with you that children (and adults) do sometimes eat from boredom but I know my kids are hungry when they get home from school. They are also usually hungry when I am cooking dinner. When that happens I whip up a salad and they all sit down at the table while I continue to cook and they talk with me and each other. They are little of course and think this is a great treat. The OP said the kids eat them out of house and home after school. Maybe dinner needs to be earlier or maybe the OP needs to prepare ahead of time some afternoon snack/meal and then serve then a lighter dinner.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Oh I agree with you that children (and adults) do sometimes eat from boredom but I know my kids are hungry when they get home from school. They are also usually hungry when I am cooking dinner. When that happens I whip up a salad and they all sit down at the table while I continue to cook and they talk with me and each other. They are little of course and think this is a great treat. The OP said the kids eat them out of house and home after school. Maybe dinner needs to be earlier or maybe the OP needs to prepare ahead of time some afternoon snack/meal and then serve then a lighter dinner.

That's true, the OP did say after school time was the problem. I know my kids always come home from school starving (and I always did, too).

 

[Samar]

On the other hand, sometimes kids eat because they are bored, or because they had something different then see their sibling with something else and want that, or it's getting close to dinner and they're hungry...

While yes, if a kid is hungry they should be allowed to eat, you have to look at the whole pictures. My DD will eat all day on the weekend if I let her because she gets bored or wants to eat while doing other things. I don't refuse her all the time, but there comes a point when I have to just tell her, no, you're not hungry, you're bored. Get a glass of water and if you're still hungry in a half hour you can grab something then. Or I will tell them to wait until I finish cooking.

Exactly. Boredom eating in children can lead to overweight children. If the child is hungry, that is one thing but if they are mindlessly grabbing snack after snack leaving no room for dinner, there has to be a limit. As a kid I did a lot of boredom snacking and I'm paying for it now, literally (WW)