Does anyone else do snack baskets over half term?

[LauraSaidIShouldBeNicer]

My 2 are 7 and 5 and all I hear is am huuuuuuungry. They always have free reign of the fruit bowl and have a good size breakfast lunch and tea.

In the half term I make them up a basket each filled with snacks for the day they can get themselves and once the basket is empty doesn't get refilled till the next day and anything left stays in for the next day. At first they used to eat everything but now they've got the hang of it.
The baskets are primarily fruit in today's basket we have.
An apple
Small bunch of grapes
2 tangies
Mini roll
Crisps
Belvita biscuits

Only on MN would someone get roasted for putting snack food in a basket for their children

Why are people calling her 'well trained'?! It's a few small snacks in half term, she hasn't given them free reign to a chocolate fountain. I think it's cute and if you are your kids like it then carry on x

I’m fine with snacks but believe in teaching children self regulation and working with them on that, I think the mind set of a basket is likely to be they should eat what’s in it, likely the sweet treats, so I’d not do this and didn’t do this. Food is and was freely available, Inc snacks and we led by example.

On saying that, as a pp said, you’re the parent so it’s your choice and if it works for you that’s all that matters.

Surely children should only have one treat/snack a day?

Those treat boxes are 7 snacks daily on top of 3 meals. Surely they'd be constantly munching, which can't be good for their teeth if nothing else.

I'd make sure the meals a full and well balanced and include fruits and veg in them. And then I'd let them pick a single treat daily.

We've tried set snack times all I hear is is it snack time yet? The contents vary and today its got more sweet stuff the kids helped me this morning make them up, rookie error this works well for us

What do they have for lunch? If it’s a sandwich with another bag of crisps, a chocolate bar and another apple, then your snack basket doesn’t sound that great.

Our dentist has always told us to try to swap fruit for vegetable sticks as a better alternative for teeth.

I’m not convinced that dc need the extra snacks, but if that’s how you choose to parent them that’s up to you. are they more active with it being half term and that’s why they are more hungry? Or are they eating more because they are bored?

@konasana

Only on MN would someone get roasted for putting snack food in a basket for their children

You are being obtuse. Its not about putting the food in a basket. It's the sheer amount of extra food given every day. Makes absolutely no difference if it's in a basket or not. It's excessive.

Hungry means bored usually. I would say 2 portions of fruit plus one treat and one healthy snack is lots for a day eg a miniroll or biscuits not both then perhaps carrot and cucumber sticks with humous. It's still a lot if they are eating meals

@mrsm43s

Surely children should only have one treat/snack a day?

Those treat boxes are 7 snacks daily on top of 3 meals. Surely they'd be constantly munching, which can't be good for their teeth if nothing else.

I'd make sure the meals a full and well balanced and include fruits and veg in them. And then I'd let them pick a single treat daily.

No, it shouldn’t be one snack a day, rigid rules based on nothing is not good,

I think it's fine if they can control themselves and space it out throughout the day. Mine would scoff that in one go.

My dc are a bit older (6&8) but they're passed the snacking phase I think

Oh, just wait until they're teenagers. I can assure you, you're not passed the snacking phase!

OP, just curious what you were expecting from this post? Because you asked if people gave their children multiple snacks a day, the majority said no and thought it was excessive sugar. Now you’re saying it works for you, not answering peoples questions about meals etc. so I’m a bit confused why you started the thread if you weren’t open to discussion?

I'd be most concerned about the grapes if they are eating them alone.
A child of five died near us a few years back in a pre school. Not a chance I would take

@Comedycook when you have teenagers you do away with the basket and just have the kitchen!

What’s wrong with snacking? When I’m at home I snack throughout the day and don’t eat big meals or eat just because it is a set time.. I eat based on how hungry I am. People ask me how I stay slim, and I honestly think that is it. Eating breakfast, lunch and then dinner is sometimes eating just for the sake of it, snacks break that pattern up a bit and mean that you are eating the amount that your body needs. Sometimes craving carbs and sweet foods, other times fruit or something savoury.

My DC eat like this too in the school holidays, they are stuck in the set meal times during term time because of the school day, so nice to have a break from it. They are also slim, and very active.

I think the danger of having snacks available all the time is if it’s on top of a “Three set meals a day and you must clear your plate!” type of attitude. That stops children from being able to listen to their own hunger cues and being able to regulate their intake by themselves.

We just never did snacks. Trained them to eat at meal times only ( of course some exceptions). It I think it has stood them in good stead with managing eating and their weight - kind of what you've never had, you never miss.
As young adults they have a very easy relationship with food and no weight concerns.

What if they choose to eat it all in the morning?
If mine ate all of that between 9-11am, then they wouldn’t eat the lunch I had made

I do let mine snack. But generally wouldn’t allow more than one morning and one afternoon snack. If he has a snack at 4pm, I wouldn’t want him snacking again unlimited at 5-5.30cm as he wouldn’t eat dinner at 6-6.30pm

I find mine are only asking for food oitside of mealtimes when they are bored. Maybe try doing more activities than throwing food at them to keep them quiet? 🤷‍♀️

If they need that much extra stuff throughout the day then I would argue that their meals are not of a ‘good size’
I also teach my kids to always include some protein in a snack otherwise it won’t actually help their hunger, that list is just pure carbs and they’ll be hungry again in half an hour

We have ‘snack baskets’ in the fridge, but they’re just where I keep the snacks and they’re at an accessible height for the children, no expectation to eat a certain amount of any during the day, I fill lunch boxes from them - anyway they’re pretty much all protein; one with cheese portions, babybels, cheesestrings, one with satay chicken and fridge raiders, and one with yoghurts, frubes, actimel things and then I portion up veggies into little Tupperware boxes some with a dip some without that they’re free to eat or not to eat
Much more satiating than a snack basket full of carbs all to be eaten in one day

I think they are probably thirsty rather than hungry and maybe a bit bored.

I do the same. Snack when I’m bored or thirsty.

I would offer them a drink of water first then distract them with an activity.

Colouring
Playdough
Hama Beads

Then if they are still hungry, a banana.

This thread has made me realise I'm really easy going about snacks and food in general.

Great idea OP. I also do something like this - what I most like about this system is the 'when it's gone it's gone' aspect, so the DC themselves can learn to eat it all at once or space it out.

Well they don’t snack like that at school, and they can’t both be going through a massive growth spurt, constantly.
Tbh, no one needs to have all those snacks, (other than pregnant women trying to avoid morning sickness maybe).
It sounds irritating for you and I would suggest they are more likely a bit bored and snacking through boredom not hunger.
I’d make sure they were out most of the day to distract them! I’m sure if they were having a fun day out they wouldn’t miss their food basket!

Although I think snack stations look good I don’t think they are a good habit to get into.

Wow there are some killjoys on this thread. I think it's a cute idea. Kids aren't going to become obese binge eaters with no self-control in a week. My kids like to eat little and often too. So do I, for that matter!

I like to give plain popcorn and rice cakes as they're not too filling and take a long time to eat. Babybels, carrot sticks and sugar snap peas in tiny tupperwares always seem to get them excited too for some reason.