To find the obsession with snacks weird

That's good I'd probably try to do a lunch like that too.

I give mine snacks on the way home. They're hungry: why wouldn't I feed them? We eat at 6, so that's a long wait for them, and giving a snack on the way home helps them do the 25 minute walk without complaining. They could wait until they arrive home, but what difference would that make? It's the same snack.

I didn’t say obesity wasn’t complex or that it is solely caused by snacking. I was simply pointing out that this is a huge problem. One snack probably doesn’t make a difference but the thread did not ask if anyone had noticed that people seem to have a snack every now and then when they feel a bit peckish.

Yes that is absolutely a fair point. However, my child is not overweight (in fact she’s very slight) and we ensure she eats a balanced diet. She doesn’t like to eat at school for various reasons so I won’t deny her a small snack after school.

I think that overall diet is more of an issue than allowing the odd snack. I know someone who’s 5yo eats more for one meal than my 9yo. The parents have no concept of portion control.

A snack after school or a snack for a hungry toddler who can't last 5 hours between meals doesn't cause obesity. It is much, much more complex than that.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2024/09/one-in-eight-toddlers-and-primary-school-aged-children-obese/#:~:text=Around%20one%20in%20eight%20children,similar%20to%202019%20(16%25).

obesity is a huge problem. The cost to the nhs is huge. The impact this has on children and the people around them is huge. Different people will need and want to eat different amounts at different times. But snacking for snacking’s sake is normalised as soon as soon as we start weaning the kids.

We do snacks at school pick up; youngest DD doesn’t really eat her lunch at school so comes out absolutely ravenous. Usually has toast when she gets home too. Perfectly fine to have an after school snack, perfectly fine not to. There are bigger problems in the world honestly.

They don’t care about the quantity of food you bring, they just don’t want you bringing loads of junk food. Mine take plenty of food for example a pot of pasta salad, some sliced baguette, a pot of cherry tomatoes and cucumber, some cheese etc.

My friend has children addicted to snack food. She spends a fortune on the good quality nut bars or pure cocoa ones... of something. They have to eat them when they are out. She is a good cook so cooks/prepares constant snacks when at home. Exhausting in my opinion. I couldn't be prepping and cleaning up food constantly.

The children don't eat meals because they aren't hungry, and because they can have snacks on demand. I have to hang around with them less because otherwise my kids will also get snack bars and not eat the food I prepare. Clearly a 7 year old has a preference for a nut and honey bar as opposed to a chicken and vegetables pasta dish. I also don't want to buy expensive pre packaged food. If I take my 7 year old to the supermarket he begs me for the same bars.

The other problem they have is they can't go to anyone else's house for more than 90 minutes because they will only eat very specific food that they fancy at the time... ie you can't present the same bars she has and they will be reliably accepted. Also if you have multiple children at the same time you have to offer them all the expensive processed c*ap (just my opinion I haven't researched ingredients.... but nothing should have 16 month shelf life)

They are 5 and 7. One of them is very well behaved, apart from the food being difficult to organise/ manage and the other one really suffers with being hangry.... his behaviour is written off if he is hungry.

The 'lunchbox police' is about healthy eating rather than small portions isn't it? Chocolate bars aren't particularly filling...

When I was at school in the 90's we were allowed to take in a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar, pretty much whatever we wanted. I believe the "lunchbox police" have very strict rules nowadays on what kids can bring to school so half of them probably aren't getting anywhere near enough calories if all they are allowed all day is a tiny sandwich, a piece of fruit and a bottle of water.

Why not?

My DD has a snack for the 5 minute walk home. She's autistic and gets hangry and I've found through bitter experience that the walk is much smoother if she has something to eat. My DS prefers to wait til he gets home. Everyone has their reasons.

I grew up the 90s/early 00s going to a private school with very strict rules about eating and drinking during class, and used to sit driving my fist into my stomach in late morning class to stop it loudly rumbling! (Doesn’t work, incidentally). The school had a tuck bar and chocolate vending machines and all kinds of things Jamie Oliver would shudder at etc, you just didn’t have time to access them until set times of day. I remember once my primary school introduced “being allowed to bring a water bottle to class” as a trial for a week, and it was a huge novelty.

When not being prevented by an institution, I’ve always snacked - and not even healthy snacks - and been pretty lanky. I’m sure there are wider societal trends etc, but it doesn’t seem particularly out there that different people have different metabolisms and eating patterns, and always have.

Why could you have an issue with people wanting to drink water? It's so strange that this would bother you. It's not bad for you, there's no price (to tap water at least). What is the problem with others having a water bottle with them?

If they’re eating it as a snack, then it’s a snack for that person. I know lots of teens and men who would eat a pizza as a snack, then happily eat their dinner an hour later.

I too don't like the whole snack obsession, or the needing water constantly.

My 5 y/o announces she’s STARVING at the first sight of me everyday after school. Sometimes I cba with the moaning so I bring some fruit or something as I think the portion sizes for lunch aren’t quite enough. What’s the big deal?

Yes I agree that they do do need good sustenance. It's a shame when they don't eat the full lunch time meal to keep them going so will clearly be hungry, also afternoon snacks and drink should be available. Xxx

It seems to me that people are terrified of even being a bit peckish. I’m not suggesting we should be ravenous, or let our kids be ravenous. But it’s perfectly fine to feel a bit peckish without having to head it off with a snack before it’s even appeared.

When I was growing up in the eighties there were no snacks and me and my sister were hungry a lot of the time. And we were thirsty too! We weren't poor, it was just normal. I now think snacks are great. As an adult I eat snacks during the day, plus normal meals and I am healthy and slim. So there's no problem with snacks or water bottles. I wish we'd been given enough food and water when we were children.

Really? Sorry my assumption wasn't correct. Kids will definitely be hungry by home time then, ravenous! Our DC have snacks at afternoon break/before leaving but don't eat them because they are anti fruit! 😤

But may I surmise you may have had a SAHM who cooked ‘tea’ (not dinner) early. Most parents don’t eat till 6ish (waiting for t’other to arrive home). Commuting is a pain. Where I grew up that would mean 15-20 min car drive. Now it’s 60 mins plus.

And decades ago we were all largely poorer- food would be restricted. But even as a low income family toast when you got in from school was expected. Packet of crisps at morning break too. I think everyone who is saying ‘we had no snacks in my day’ are the abnormal ones/ exceptions. If you follow GI diet / govt guidelines (healthy) snacking is promoted to even out blood sugars. So why are the MN warriors here being absolute that their experience is good and by default all others are bad?

They also have much smaller stomachs, which means it’s harder for them to ‘fill up’ enough at a mealtime to last them 5ish hours until the next mealtime.

Exactly - drinking water more regularly is good for us. It’s bizarre that some people are always criticising the very healthy habit of carrying water with us - sometimes habits improve rather than declining!

Re kids after school, a lot of kids can really benefit from a quick protein hit straight after school. Can stop a potential meltdown in its tracks.