To want to lock some food away so the kids don't eat it all on the same day I buy it?

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I am sick of buying food like yoghurts, snacks etc and them all being eaten within a few hours of getting them. Especially stuff that is supposed to be for their pack lunches for the week!

Does anyone have a solution, I've told them so many times! seriously considering finding a lockable plastic box to put them all in (food not kids)

My Mum used to say "Once it's gone, it's gone", but then we weren't allowed to help ourselves. She'd say it when we asked to have squash, crisps, whatever, it meant we kind of self monitored as she wouldn't replace things when she knew she'd bought enough to last.

Cat if I had a child that seemed "almost compulsive" and "not able to control themselves" to the point where I had to lock food away then I think I would seek a medical opinion.

Some kids are just grazers though, one of my dd's is and shes like a bean pole. She is especially hungry when she gets in from school. She would graze and still eat her meal so i know she is hungry.

The kids are probably hungry which is why they are snacking. Perhaps meal times are not as filling as they could be?

I often ask have you ate all your dinner at school and she says she has so i dont know. The other dd's not too bad when she come in.

Just to add that it might be worth looking at what type of food you are serving at meal times.
Some foods are fast release and just don't last, resulting in feeling hungry very quickly.

Shes fine once she in and been fed. Shes really picky in a good way and only eats cooked homemade meals, pasta, casseroles, roasts and all her veg and pudding then will go till supper. Its the point between coming in and tea at 6pm where she will graze. Even if she grazes she eats her meal.

DS will eat everything if he knew it was there, and it's not even meant for him - it's for his sister's lunchbox. He has a school dinner.
I can try the just say no approach, but it will become a constant battle which is not really worth fighting

Seriously? Saying no and meaning no is no longer worth the fight?

Where does it end? I really don't get it.

I must be totally weird but to me, saying no and expecting your children to know you mean it...well that's just general parenting isn't it?

DS is 16 and he still asks if it's ok to take certain stuff.....

Not fruit,which dissapears before tomorrow,

But 'wrapped' biscuits etc...

Which are for lunchboxes.

Lol I'm just thinking...even my DH shouts out (head in fridge) are these anyone's lunch or can I eat it?

But really, living as part of a family does mean showing consideration and respect. I don't think that's OTT...just part of living together.

One of the boys I nannied for used to do this. His parents locked the fridge but forgot about the freezer in the garage. The boy (he was 9-11 during the years I was with them) would say he was going outside to play and then sneak food.

I saw an episode of supernanny once where the kids were allowed to choose 3 snacks for the next day, and each of the kids had a snack jar. All other food was out of bounds. Good system I thought.

Sounds like you have a real problem with authority in your household...

You should be able to explain the situation to the children and insist that they do NOT help themselves. That should be enough!

start to instill some discipline.

I am also in this very predicament. I have cut my food budget by £100/week - just as food is going up in price. However, we just have to make our budget stretch further and food is one of those things that we can do this.

My husband won't just eat 1 yoghurt for pudding - he has 2 at a time. Sometimes he will have 4! My children won't eat just one baby bell - they eat 3 or 4.

I also have to 'hide' food. I remember a friend's mum in the 80's locking her fridge so that my friend and her brother and all their friends couldn't eat her out of house and home every day. Perhaps you can buy a fridge lock?

I have decided to do lots of smaller shops so there is never lots and lots in the fridge/cupboards. I am also making muffins as these are cheap to make (just throw in a large handful of value sultanas) and then they can eat those to their hearts delight.

Whoatemysnickers - my DD would love dry oatcakes, raw veg and fruit for lunch!
Some kids and adults are not good on portion or impulse control, so if certain foods are out of bounds then they either need a 'special' place - where they are not touched without permission, and if that means locked or hidden then fair enough, but I think it helps to teach these things to have some food available to be taken when needed/wanted.

Why buy small yoghurts and babybels if people eat more than one? Buying large cartons of yoghurts is usually cheaper and buy large chunks of cheese. Babybels are ridiculously overpriced and far too small. If a kid is eating 4 babybels then give him a large slice of edam, or cheap chedder if money is tight.

Ds & step dd's are allowed to help themselves to fruit, veg or yoghurts but i often find a half eaten apple down by the swings and it infuriates me so much that now I am considering hiding the fruit as well!

Worra - yes that's what I meant too - the DSs are not asking for breakfast, lunch, dinner, fruit or drinks. Just snacks and luxuries. Quite reasonable IMO.

Pingu2209 - I'm shocked, 4 yoghurts for pudding or 3/4 babybels at a time is just plain old-fashioned greedy. Presuming you are having a proper dinner too, there's just no need for it. I couldn't afford to maintain that for a week let alone permanently!

When my 4 were little I used to split the packs, of say wrapped biscuits or frozen lollies and write the childrens' names on with a marker penon so they all knew they were allowed say 2 each, and when they had eaten their quota there was no more until the next shop.
It stopped one guzzling 3 or 4 snacks leaving nothing for the others.It also meant that the guzzler learnt a little more self control to see his sisters' treats still there a few days later.
Now my guzzler (12)gets out the marker pen himself to label up any treats such as cans of fizzy or ice creams.

YADNBU.
My kids have a habit of nicking stuff out of the cupboard.

I've tried saying no (they nick it when I'm not looking)
putting it in different locations (gets found by DD1)

putting it in the shed (fattened up the mouse population instead)
and fridge locks (no lock exists that DD1 can't overcome and I don't want my kitchen looking like Alcatraz)

Last week we said goodbye to 25 pre-wrapped biscuits, 12 yoghurts, 32 cheese strings, 3 custards and a whole banana cake. Between 2 girls and an equally guilty DH.

I just buy once a week now and when it's gone, its gone.
However stealing from mum's chocolate stash will be punished with extreme measures

From the answers here it just goes to show we are all different. Thank you to those who gave constructive advice and I will certainly be using some of the suggestions, fruit and sandwiches ready for when they get home from school.

To the person who thinks I have no discipline. You made me stop and think, I have the nicest most loveliest DCs and if eating a few too many snacks is the worst thing they do then I'm very very lucky, thank you for putting this very minor problem into perspective. You've made me appreciate my kids.