Snack Time for Kids

HI M.,
honestly i have the same problem with my 2 girls they are 4 1/2 And 3. they are constantly in the kitchen, what i do is put a gate up there. that has worked great! I also had a refridgerator lock that had an alarm on it when someone opened it. What type of food does she sneak? if its junk food i have had to resort to hiding the junk food in my closet! that has worked out well too. If she doesnt eat all her breakfast try offering fruit...that has worked well for us too. ok hope this helps!

I have a plastic tupperware container in the fridge that constain yogurt, cheese sticks, applesauce and usually graps in paper cups that my 4 year old can reach. Spoons are accessible to him as well. I also have a container in the pantry with granola bars, and other healthy dry snacks. Apples and bananas are always in the fruit basket on the counter in reach. If/when he is hungry between meals I tell him or he will go get a snack from one of these locations.

We've always given our children age appropriate size meals (they're 18 months apart) and then have established the rule that if they didn't eat all of their meal they didn't get a snack (or dessert for dinner if there was one). Our youngest, who turns 3 in April, usually eats really good for breakfast and lunch but has had issues with dinner at times. We hold firm on the rule though. Snack time also doesn't come right after meal time - it has to be at least 1 1/2 hours after the meal. Both girls get their snack at the same time, if they aren't hungry then - they don't have to eat it but it isn't offered (or given) a second time. It's worked for us, and I've had friends and co-workers who have commented on how well our girls do eat when we're at get togethers. I can't say that snacks are always healthy, once in a while they get a sugary treat, but we do try to stay with healthy and always small.

Super Nanny had a great suggestion about that very thing last night. The children made their own snack boxes (colored them decorated them etc) and everyday they could choose 3 snacks to put in their box. One was always fruit and the other two were healthy snacks the children could choose from (string cheese, granola bar etc). It worked great. The children were so proud of their boxes and the fact that they could choose their own snacks for the day. They could then help themselves.

I am a retired teacher of preschool and kindergarten children. I raised a family of five children before entering the world of teaching. You need to set limits and stick to them. Teaching children that there are limits and breaking them have consequences is preparing them for the world they will live in and create self-discipline. At first the children will resist, but once you establish and stay consistent with the limits set, they will comply.

Good Morning M.! I have a friend that uses a cool technique...once they've eaten their meal( an that's another whole conversation) they have a free choice of fruit (prewashed in one dedicated refrigerator drawer)or another drawer that has nutritious snacks like low sugar (no artificial sweetners!)granola bars or nuts like raw almonds, walnuts, low sugar craisins. It requires label reading to minimize preservatives and sweetners. What I love about what she's come up with is that it teaches them good nutrition, you've "pre-chosen" but they get to choose; they don't have to engage you...you can use your time with them in better ways than being nagged about food or having arguements about it. And they can easily clean up by throwing away the peel, napkin or put the little container the nuts were in into the sink...could even turn it into a lesson on composting or recycling if that is what you wanting to teach. I have a great composting project for kids if you want one. I wish I'd heard these ideas when my son was little...I'm confident we wouldn't have had so many challenges about food.

let me know how it goes,
M. G

My 2 year old can't open the fridge yet, but he insists on having a snack every time I open it! I rearranged my fridge so that everything on the bottom shelf (the one at his eye level) is something healthy he can have. I keep yogurt, cheese cubes, cut-up fruit, etc. there so I can say yes more often. It's working for us!

Our montissori teacher suggested that I set up a ice cube tray with little portions of healthy snack food and put it on the bottom shelf of the fridge every morning. I put in cut grapes, match stick cut carrots, nuts (if not allergic) raisens, apple slices, cheese slices and crackers. The idea is that kids know when they are hungry and will serve themselves, if we provide healthy food that will be easy for them to get. Also, make sure to put a few small plates or napkins within the kids reach. So, when they are hungry, teach them to get a plate or napkin themselves, then open the fridge and serve themselve 1 -2 ice cube section of food for a light snack or 3-4 sections for a big snack. This has worked well for us since my son was 1 /12 years old. Good luck.

P.S Cover the tray with clear plastic to keep the stuff from drying out.

Saw this on Supernanny last night too. Set guidelines first. But what Jo did was have the kids decorate their own snack boxes. They could choose 3 snacks to put in their individual snack boxes. 2 had to be healthy. In the course of the day, that was all the snacking they could have. It curbed them, let them have SOME say in what goes in, and they had their very own boxes.
But it starts with you to say how many goes in and the nature of the snacks. Cheese, raw veggies, crackers, one junk food of choice. Even popcorn can be healthy, but not microwave. And like a cupfull of it in a ziplock bag.
Good luck. Stay consistent.

on supernanny last night the mom had this problem. supernanny had the kids make snack boxes; basically hat boxes. the kids could pick so many snacks and put them in. like string cheese, crackers, or fruits. then they could get their own snacks out when you say its ok.
worth a try

I have a recipe for a healthy and great tasting snack. If you would like it, as I have it in a word document, email me at ____@____.com

The recipe does contain peanut butter.

I just saw someone on here advising about eating every few hours... this is the Best thing to do as the body metabolizes in the best fashion on this schedule. It may seem 'tedious', but it actually helps with weight control (for us adults in the correct portions and food groups) and keeping up the energy levels.

Always remember to try to provide the most natural food (fruits/ veggies) in their natural form... You may have to make adjustments for the littlest ones, but you instill the best eating habits and if you snack it, you are getting something good also. Not to mention if it's a banana or apple you are offering... no messy clean up and these go over very well in little hands. (at least for my experience.)

Good Luck! ;)

I have a 3yr old girl and a 5yr old boy who is in K. We eat breakfast before my son goes to school, usually eggs, toast and banana. My girl has snack at 10:00, which is also what time my son has snack at school. We have lunch at 12:00 or so when my son gets out of school. Afternoon snack is 2:30-3:00 and dinner is 5:00-5:30. They also get a small snack before bed. This way I am offering them food about every 2hrs. If they are hungry at other times because they didn't finish their breakfast etc, then too bad. I had to start this schedule because of my girl, she would pick at her food at mealtime and then want a snack right away after. It seems to be working for us. The kids get what I give them, they don't get there own snack unless it is fruit and they still have to ask first. If they were caught getting into any food by themselves, they would get a timeout. The only thing they get by themselves is water. Now, we are not always this rigid about eating and we do have treats sometimes, but if it ever starts to get out of control or become a problem then I just go back to this schedule.

Did you watch the supernanny last night? Great idea. Have them create a box with you, a special snack box. place 3 snacks in it, let them pick them out. then when it is snack time they can go get one out of there. that is all they get and only one at a time. ex fruit, cheese stick veggie.