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Original poster

Does anyone else do snack baskets over half term?

192 replies

LauraSaidIShouldBeNicer · 21/02/2022 08:30

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

OP posts:

SirChenjins · 22/02/2022 19:15

Yes it's funny and I hold my hand up to having a good rant BUT my God if you have ever tried to get an underweight child to eat, and have spent nights worrying about it, suffice to say it is an issue which is very emotive. I know this thread is about snacks and not about anything deeper, but it goes deeper

I have. DD was underweight and under the care of dieticians for a while, so I’m very well aware of the emotions involved. I’m also aware that as parents we make decisions about our children and know them better than anyone, which is why some of these posts have been bordering on hysterical - and some have been nothing more than an attempt to insult and attack the OP unnecessarily. But hey, it’s MN and some posters can’t help themselves. They are children on their school holidays consuming some extra calories, just as we do on our holidays - it’s really no big deal. They will be fine.

Bananawings · 22/02/2022 19:52

Yes. And some can't help being superior under the guise of being understanding!

LubaLuca · 22/02/2022 20:04

I wouldn't set kids up like this with a basket (is it literally a basket? The thought of children being presented with a hospitality basket has really tickled me ) of snacks. It's more like a challenge than a limit.

SirChenjins · 22/02/2022 20:53

Yes. And some can't help being superior under the guise of being understanding

Can you elaborate?

SirChenjins · 22/02/2022 20:57

I’ve just reread your posts and I think we’re actually on the same page…I took your last post to be a dig at me, but now I’m not sure if it was?

FrownedUpon · 22/02/2022 21:03

One snack a day here. No way would I give them all those snacks & treats. You’re setting up bad habits.

SecretWitch · 22/02/2022 21:10

I love all the competitive under feeding on MN “ Oh I give my child a baby carrot and two beets as a snack.”

Op, do what works for your family. My fridge and pantry were always open to my children and their friends. All three of them have grown up slim and healthy.

LubaLuca · 22/02/2022 21:16

There's a HUGE middle ground between the no need for any snacks ever snacks camp and those presenting their children with a full snack presentation basket every day

Bananawings · 22/02/2022 21:28

@SirChenjins

I’ve just reread your posts and I think we’re actually on the same page…I took your last post to be a dig at me, but now I’m not sure if it was?

Oh many apologies SirChenjins if I totally misinterpreted that. I genuinely thought you were digging at me!

. I am normally polite on threads but there's something about this one that has got me riled

. I will go and chew on a sugary snack and calm down

Notdoingthis · 22/02/2022 21:48

Are you at home all day? I don't think this would work for us as we tend to be out between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner. It sounds expensive too.

Mundra · 22/02/2022 22:06

Could I be curmudgeonly and point out that it's "free rein" rather than 'reign'.
Sorry, but every single poster that has used the phrase with reign. It's linked to letting a horse decide their path/speed, not ruling.

SpidersAreShitheads · 23/02/2022 02:29

@SecretWitch

I love all the competitive under feeding on MN “ Oh I give my child a baby carrot and two beets as a snack.”

Op, do what works for your family. My fridge and pantry were always open to my children and their friends. All three of them have grown up slim and healthy.

I completely agree @SecretWitch (love your username btw).

I commented further up to say similar to you. I don't limit anything and my DC have remarkably healthier attitudes to food than I do. They're slim, healthy and make good choices while enjoying treats when they're in the mood. They don't automatically reach for junk food when they're hungry.

I know it doesn't work for everyone, but we've never limited or labelled "bad food". Knowing they can have whatever they want has worked well for us.

Same for dinner table battles - when they were younger, I went through hell trying to make sure they'd eaten "enough". As they've gotten older, what I've learnt is that by letting them be guided by their appetite, they eat well and according to their body's needs. Some days it's a clean plate, other days not. And it's not the meals that you'd expect - they love an occasional McDonalds but if they feel full up, they'll leave half a burger. Sometimes they smash the whole lot in haha! I think being able to recognise when you want to eat more, and when you've genuinely had enough is the key to healthy eating and good nutrition.

My two are both autistic and it's been tough in lots of ways over the years. I don't get to celebrate parenting wins very often, but food and eating is going well for us (famous last words...!).

SirChenjins · 23/02/2022 08:03

My apologies in return @Bananawings, I thought you were having a go at me! Once I'd read some of your earlier posts I realised that we both had similar approaches to food in that we don't tend to limit it for our children, probably as a result of having children that won't eat

Both my sons have very healthy appetites and like @SpidersAreShitheads I don't put anything off limits, make sure they eat a balanced diet, and make sure they exercise a lot.. A few packets of crisps and some mini rolls in the holidays (and elsewhere) won't do them any harm.

OhWhyNot · 23/02/2022 08:09

Children don’t need to be snacking all the time

Tonsiltrouble · 23/02/2022 08:13

Not so much anymore but when homeschooling etc I did set out food on the kitchen table for them which was sort of like a packed lunch (and sometimes still do after school if I have an important call). It’s usually fruit/veg, and a couple of snacky bits, maybe a sandwich. My children (5&7) eat a terrifying amount of food but there is nothing much to them! Both are very lean, and have good appetites at mealtimes. If the demands for snacks becomes incessant I just bring the next meal forward.

acquiescence · 23/02/2022 08:16

I totally get you OP and this sounds like a great idea. Different children have different levels of hunger and ways of eating. My 6 year old is a snacker and eats all his meals. He is slim and solid muscle and does loads of sport. He does loads of activities and just gets really hungry. The basket sounds good as I get so bored of the constant requests when at home.

inappropriateraspberry · 23/02/2022 08:18

I did this over lockdown! Helped them learn about self control, and pacing the snacks out as once they were gone, that was it for the day.
Not doing at the mo, but will probably do in the summer holidays as 6 weeks of moaning is a loooong time!

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