To find the obsession with snacks weird

[yipyipyop]

I've noticed in recent years lots parents seem to think their children can't survive a few minutes without a snack. We live a 5 min walk from school so I don't but parents with a similar commute seem to have a bag full of snacks they're handing out. It just seems over the top

Why not?

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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