Page 5 | Does anyone else do snack baskets over half term?

DSGR · 21/02/2022 10:31

Snacking is a minefield?! In an ideal world I’d let my kids have free reign but they’d just eat bags of crisps? We don’t believe in demonising foods so we have chocolate, popcorn and crisps in the cupboard as well as the full renege of healthy food.
We have snack times of roughly 10am and 3pm, half way between meals. The kids can help themselves to a snack then.
I don’t like regulating it but, if I don’t, they just raid the cupboards and wouldn’t eat healthy meals. Am interested in how other people do it. I’m bemused by those who think young kids don’t need snacks. Mine breakfast at 7, lunch at about 12 and family meal at 6. That’s a LONG time between meals. we can’t bring dinner forward as DH finishes at 6 and we like to eat as a family

Glowtastic · 21/02/2022 10:32

I don't so snack baskets but sounds ok if that's what works for you. My kids aren't governed about food in any way shape or form and never have been, fed x 3 me meals a day with snacks when they want them. They eat small portions at meal times as do I. I have a fair few snacks too. No biscuits in the house as I do the shopping and don't really have a sweet tooth. Kids are 12 and 15 now and buy/sort their own snacks. Both are slim and toned and do loads of exercise. I'm size 8-10 eaten what I've fancied and never had a weight problem, but my mum had a balanced non hectic approach to food too.

Middle class mum's love to compete over how healthy their kids diet is and pontificate about the causes of obesity like they're the experts. They also LOVE judging other parents. It's bullshit. And that level of control is contributing to the rise in eating disorders.

ChocolateMassacre · 21/02/2022 10:35

I think it's fine for half-term. It's absolutely fine imo to have some days where you loosen the rules. I took my DS out for a lovely afternoon tea as a half-term treat. The number of cakes and scones that were scoffed (and not just by DS ) would put your snack baskets in the shade! But then our other half-term outings were swimming, soft play and football camp so I think that's fine overall.

I also think it's important to have some occasions when kids can eat as much as they want without being controlled. This has been the first Christmas that we haven't rationed DS's Christmas chocolate and I found it very interesting that he stopped after half a medium chocolate Santa and a few chocolate coins and didn't want any more for the day.

I wouldn't make it a regular thing, though I must say I do always give extra food when DS asks for it, it just gets steadily less exciting. He may be bored but he may also be genuinely hungry or due a growth spurt. It's usually quite unexciting though... usually toast or cereal rather than biscuits and crisps.

ImALittlePea · 21/02/2022 10:36

Admittedly haven't read past the first page but I'm a bit 😏 at everyone saying it's way too much extra food! My 7yo DS would easily eat that amount (although maybe not that exact selection) on top of his three meals every day, and he's a tall skinny rake 😂

Fedupsotired · 21/02/2022 10:40

@deadlanguage we went on holiday years ago with my in laws. They are all overweight (to give you an idea their 11 year old weighed more than me when I was 8 months pregnant). What they noticed was that me and dh didn't snack but they snacked all the time, they always had food out in bowls and access to stuff.

SIL commented that it was odd we didn't snack!

TheWayTheLightFalls · 21/02/2022 10:41

Mine would end up eating everything in the basket just because it was there. I think in your shoes I would probably either stick to set snack times with for example fruit and a biscuit, or have non-stop access to fruit and a bit of popcorn.

SpiderVersed · 21/02/2022 10:42

They presumably don't snack this much when in school, which indicates it's boredom rather than hunger.

Tequilabeliever · 21/02/2022 10:51

@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

That’s a ridiculous amount of snacks for a child to eat in a day.

Dutchesss · 21/02/2022 10:52

I just came on to say a satsuma is not the same as a tangerine. I was offered a satsuma last week and was very disappointed to receive a tangerine.
Also, biscuits and cake aren't snacks, they are treats. 😁 We have treats and snacks at home, the difference being that the children can have as many snacks as they want but not unlimited treats.

ginsparkles · 21/02/2022 10:55

I did this for a while with DD and she was very good, she self regulated much better than I expected and didn't eat it all just because it was there. Ours had fruit, cucumber sticks, some chocolate or sweets, babybel cheese, yoghurt and a pack of crisps/popcorn. What surprised me the most was that the things that went first were not the crisps and chocolates! For us I found it helped her become more independent and responsible for her food.

Shes 9 now and knows where the snacks are kept so she can help herself, or make a sandwich/bowl of cereal if she's hungry.

Theoldcuriosityshop · 21/02/2022 11:13

I don't understand how a child can't go say 4 hrs without having to resort to a snack. This seems to be something that has appeared in the last few years, it certainly wasn't done when mine were small. Nothing in between meals was normal in those days, except perhaps an ice cream on a day out.

Wednesdayafternoon · 21/02/2022 11:15

I don't do this but I do like the idea!

MyDcAreMarvel · 21/02/2022 11:18

No snacking isn’t something to be encouraged and that is basket of crap and sugar.

Tilltheend99 · 21/02/2022 11:20

@LauraSaidIShouldBeNicer

Oh OP you’ll be absolutely roasted for not mentioning any veggies here!

Aren't tinned beans classed as a veg portion?

I scratch cook most meals the burritos will be made by me although not the wrap am not that good they will be filled with turkey, onions, peppers, mushrooms, grated carrots and rice and cheese with a homemade salsa on the side.....id say that's pretty damn good

Tinned beans are classed as protein/fibre. Can be quite sugary and salty too unless you are buying the low version or using naked beans. Obviously barked beans are fine now and then

Tilltheend99 · 21/02/2022 11:20

*baked

ExactlyThis · 21/02/2022 11:28

@Postdatedpandemic

Their snacks contain 650 cals and 58g of sugar.

They have you very well trained.

Absolutely!

OP,

I feel you have the best intentions here. But we are in an obesity crisis and aside from that, you have to think of health.

Insulin resistance is a very real problem causing lots of issues in later life. It doesn’t happen overnight, it takes decades. Prevention is really important or you’re running the risk of dementia, diabetes and cancer.

3 good quality meals a day (containing healthy fats, fibre and protein) plus two small snacks if desperate is fine. Snacks should either be something like a piece of cheese, a boiled egg, maybe a piece of chicken, or fruit. Protein over sugar, always, and that means protein before fruit (although fruit is of course better than processed nonsense like crisps and a mini roll).

Also, choose berries first. So a small bowl of mixed berries, maybe with some full fat Greek yoghurt, is going to be much better for blood sugar and satiety than a tangerine and a mini roll.

cherryonthecakes · 21/02/2022 11:30

I offered a snack of fruit at the time that it's break at school and another snack at the time that they normally get home. I set the kitchen timer so they knew when it was "time"

okformoreinfo · 21/02/2022 11:35

What a reaction. Honestly.

I have a 14 year old with hollow legs. He grazes all day. Prefers that to 3 big meals a day. We each do what's right and works in our own households.

nongnangning · 21/02/2022 12:35

@exactlythis But the sugar is the whole point! That's what the DCs al want - sugar! We all know this - this thread seems very well-educated about the evils of sugar. We all want sugar too ... well I do anyway but as an adult I am a bit better at self-regulating (not much) than a child. Actually I am using posting on this thread as a distraction technique for not eating any, right now!

Any parent (mother) who has the time and the energy to manage their DC's diet so as to be able to exclude all sugary processed foods and offer instead a play activity of Hama beads (suggested by one PP - I pictured the child doing the beads for 5 mins and then brightly whining 'can I have my Rolos now') or a delicious confection of frozen berries and yoghurt - good on you. Mine would eat the frozen berries and yoghurt which is quite a frequent snack in our house - no word of a lie I am so middle class I have a constant supply of organic berries and organic Greek yoghurt on tap - and then ask for the Ben and Jerrys.

When I went out on Saturday night I came back and found DH and DC had had Domino's pizza - thereby undoing all my great work with the organic frozen berries in one fell swoop.

You stick with your baskets @OP - they sound completely inoffensive to me. I think quite a lot of parents who currently give unlimited snacks including fizzy drinks, crisps and choc bars but who would like to be able to manage their children's diets better so as to help with health and weight would like the basket approach.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 21/02/2022 13:20

MN threads on food really pulls in the extreme. In my kids class of 30 there’s one kid who isn’t allowed fruit or snacks or sugar. At a party I saw her running her finger along the edge of a cake to eat the leftovers!

Not having snacks is hardly something to be proud of.

ExactlyThis · 21/02/2022 13:27

@nongnangning of course they do! And what do you say? No. My children come at me all the time asking for junk food. And I say no, or I say have some fruit or whatever else there is available. Or I say you’ve already had a biscuit, so no more junk. My children know what is healthy food and non healthy food.

Equally pizza is fine - just not every day. Moderation is key. Putting out (and making available) crisps, mini rolls and biscuits every day along with fruit and 3 meals is not teaching regulation or what am appropriate snack is. When they’re teenagers / adults, they’ll do what they shouldn’t be doing - choosing half a packet of biscuits over something nutritious. It is our job as parents to educate our children and keep them healthy. The fact so many people think OP’s stance is ok is exactly why thin people are in the minority (I’m not thin by the way, but I’m not fat either).

I wish my parents had educated me, because I had some miserable years being overweight, thinking supernoodles were an ok snack, and spending all my money on the tuck shop at school.

Natsku · 21/02/2022 13:34

[quote RegardingMary]@Natsku

As far as getting a handful of frozen peas.
Thats the part I find odd.

You could offer a rice cake with spread, some cheese, a piece of fruit. Which is more like what you'd pick yourself.

Do you really offed your son frozen peas if he's hungry. He'd need to eat hundreds to get any calorific benefit.[/quote]
Well for a start two of those things are things he does not like so of course I wouldn't offer those, and fruit is not a great snack to have between meals because of the sugar content, better to have with/straight after a meal (advice from dentist). Peas have protein and fibre, they're a pretty good snack, we just shared a bowl of them right now and it took away the desire to munch on something nutritionally devoid like crisps or biscuits.

TopTabby · 21/02/2022 13:51

It's a tricky one. I feel a bit sorry for the OP as it is a decent idea that works well for her family.
To everyone up in arms about sugar, your dc will probably be the ones cramming biscuits into their mouths at friends houses & will probably undo all your good work once they get any sort of freedom.
Self regulation is actually a really good idea & that's at the heart of what OP is trying to do.

ShortnStout · 21/02/2022 13:57

This is why there are so many fat children in the world. Attitudes like this.

Children don’t need to eat all day long. 3 good meals and a piece of fruit if needed is enough.
And they SHOULD be hungry by the time the next meal comes around.

This honestly is exactly why there is an epidemic of obesity.

NETSRIK · 21/02/2022 13:58

@FireInCairo

Wait until they get to 15 OP

They literally don't stop eating.

Just parent how you want to and have some confidence in your decisions. You want to fill baskets full of goodies? Do it.

This. With bells on. I was once at a children's party where a mum kicked off because her daughter had access to a custard cream. Ffs it's not crack.