So recently my kids eat like they're dinosaurs or some rather large animal.
And it isn't stopping.
They're basically hungry all the time (or it seems like it at least). I have felt like I'm literally in the kitchen for all eternity either cooking a meal or getting snacks for forever starving children.
So, enter the "cool" bin. A drawer in the fridge where they can grab a snack and not annoy me for days about it. It keeps them happy, and healthy. So, instead of coming straight to my bed at 7am and saying "mommy get up, I'm hungry", I can say "go grab a Baggie from your drawer", and still have a couple more seconds to collect myself and possibly go pee...alone.
COUPLE OF TIPS:
1. HAVE VARIETY!!:
Snacks we use:
--sliced apples (soaked in lemon juice water for 5-10 minutes to prevent browning!)
--sliced oranges
--organic apple sauce pouches
--organic baby carrots
--berries (blueberries,strawberries, raspberries)
--melons (watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydew)
--organic cheese sticks
--organic peppers
--organic grapes
--cashews/raisins/dates/sunflower seeds
--pineapple
--cucumber slices
--cherry tomatoes
--single hummus packs
A snack drawer is only as good as the snacks it contains so I think it is important to have a healthy variety. This keeps it interesting and provides choice. When kids have a choice over their food they are much more likely to eat what is in front of them.
2. BE ORGANIZED:
Having a designated area for snacks helps. It’s “their” area, so they’re not rummaging through the fridge grabbing for things (and messing my beautiful OCD fridge up) You can see when you’re getting low on their favorites and it also helps to avoid buying more of what you already have. Holllaaaahhhh. I currently use snack sized ziploc baggies, which does drive me nuts (seeing as I'm a glass freak and hate plastic). BUT, I have them on hand, and in not sure that I trust my children with my pirex. <<-- that and I currently don't have enough (come on Costco, put your glass Pyrex on sale again SOON).
I spent 2 hours on prepping all of this today, but it'll pay off. The nice thing about this drawer is that I can use it for super fast on the go snacks too. Like if I need to throw the kids in the car because I forgot I had to go somewhere because I sucked at writing it down in my planner... Yeah, those days!
3. SET RULES!
I have told my kids (mainly the eldest) that once an item is gone that’s it. There are no refills until the next week. I'm hoping this helps run off on our youngest, that what she sees her brother do, she will also do (but I may have to be a little more cautious with her). I don’t want to have too many rules because that ruins the fun, so a couple guidelines to keep everything organized and under control should work!
Here's a smash up video that I put together:
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