To be sick of wasting food and having no idea what snacks to buy for 11 year old?

[EggsAndBacon83]

It’s half term and my 11 year old wants to rustle up some snacks herself. What sort of snacks do people buy for their 11-13 year old kids to make?

I personally don’t always want a whole apple, especially if I’m having it with cheese!

What exactly are snacks?
Either she is getting 3 meals a day, that are nutritious and filling or she is not, which leave her hungry.
I would look at the 3 meals first, but would only have fruit available for "in between". Also make sure that food given at mealtimes needs to be chewed well (what was the rule, 25 chews per mouthful?) as this stimulates not only the digestive process, but also the feeling of being full. Ensure enough drinks are being taken, water counts as a drink, no need for any additions unless a slice of lemon or lime or a squirt of fruit juice.
The idea that people have to be "grazing" constantly is marketing from the UPF sector.

I forgot MNers couldn’t possibly eat a whole apple! Far too filling.

Thanks. It’s great that you can indulge your principles and not be really into snacking and encourage kids to whip up a light meal, but some other parents have to choose our battles. If the child is going to school, that’s my No 1 battle sorted! Upsetting apple carts to implement my principles isn’t something I can afford to do.

You probably don’t mean to come across as holier than thou.

But some pre cooked chicken
Wraps
Salad
Sauces

She can assemble her own wraps

I think most 11 yo should be able to cook something simple on the hob or in the oven or toaster, if there’s an adult in the house and they know what to do if they do accidentally burn themselves.

Microwave popcorn (or bags of ready popped popcorn)

peanut butter and/or jam sandwiches

fruit

carrots / celery with hummus

crackers and cheese or peanut butter

pot noodles / ramen noodles

spaghetti hoops (microwave if you prefer that over hob)

sandwich with deli meat, butter/mayo, cheese (lettuce, tomato, if they like it)

small packs of crisps

fruit popsicles

cereal bars

small yogurt pots

Buy a panini press - tuna and cheese melts or ham and cheese paninis…

also pancakes with banana/frozen berries.

or get them to Google airfryer recipies. Apple and cinnamon to go on the pancakes? Airfryer pizza pockets using pitta breads?

my dd can help herself to fruit, cheese, yogurt, toast, cereal and sandwiches at any time. I buy her a pot noodle once a week as a treat and she sometimes makes herself pasta.

Because slices are easier to eat, and you don't need to worry about the pips.

Genuinely didn’t realise that apples were considered difficult to eat or that slicing them was a thing for people aged over about 3.

The thing is, you started the thread, asking what our 11 year olds snack on.

The fact you are facing all sorts of other challenges would have been helpful information to put in to the opening post. The fact you didn't, means people are replying, thinking about their own 11 yr olds, not the restrictions you have.

Not too filling: too acidic! Hurts my stomach. And you don’t know how acidic it’s going to be until you bit into it. Hence the slices.

“I also think the child is not finishing meals and going without food at school due to a noisy & busy canteen, which they find overwhelming!”
@EggsAndBacon83 I know it’s not the point of the thread but please look at Loops, they’re a type of noise defenders that are really effective and discreet.
Does your child have any safe foods that you can use as a base?
Nachos & dips, crisps, pancakes/ waffles, fruit, cucumber/carrot sticks maybe?

I’d agree with what a pp said about taking them shopping to choose (or online shops)
you could set a budget or some criteria prior to going.
i think it’s a nice way of spending time with a secondary school age child as well as potentially teaching new skills.

Ways to avoid waste: buy stuff that you or others in the house also like and keep an eye on dates.
I don’t buy soft fruit unless it’s to be specifically eaten that day as it is expensive and doesn’t stay fresh for long.
some fruit really lasts well in the fridge e.g. apples and satsumas.

freeze stuff like crumpets, bagels (loosen them in the bag so they don’t freeze in a big lump)

individual portions might seem more expensive but actually can be more healthy and less wasteful. For example it’s not economical to buy a large block of cheese if only one person eats it occasionally. A net of 6 chunks may be more appealing and lead to less waste. Same with biscuits etc. a big pack may not get eaten (wasteful) of someone might be tempted to eat the whole lot (unhealthy and wasteful in a different way)

When my daughter started secondary I gave her a small cupboard and baskets in the fridge and freezer so she could make her own breakfast and lunch, including packed lunch:
cereal, cereal bars, croissants
crisps, microwave popcorn, crackers
tinned fruit, salsa, hummus, fresh fruit, cucumbers and carrots
juice, cordial, hot chocolate, coffee when she got older
chocolate, biscuits, treats
super noodles, flavoured microwave rice, tins of pasta meals
bread, wraps
brie, mozzarella, pate, pre-cooked sliced chicken packs, feta, ham
leftovers
pizza, sausages, chicken nuggets

Explained what a balanced meal was and left her to it
Obviously we had a proper evening meal and ate together on weekends, it just took the pressure off me during the week when I was working

Oh and packet baking mixes to entertain her in the school holidays

I used to roast a chicken and then strip the left overs and keep them in a tupperware in the fridge, with some wholemeal wraps in the bread-bin. They made chicken and salad mayo wraps. But these were boys with hollow legs.

Making your own popcorn is fun, low fat. Sprinkle it with sweet cinnamon and a bit of sugar or salt and a bit of smoky paprika.

Well, now you know.

I prefer eating slices as they're less messy, I don't get sticky fingers from the juice running down my hands, and I can dip them into peanut butter that way.

You’d be surprised. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve started on a cherry tomato and had to wrap half of it up for later having been far too podged to finish it!

That is a massive drip feed OP.

Reach into fridge snacks could include sausage rolls or scotch eggs - maybe things you could have as a salad supper or lunch if they are ignored?

Ditto mini quiches or slices of quiche

Small Tupperwares with portions of chopped veg / cheese / ham / olives / cherry toms , again your lunch the next day if rejected.

Would a timer help with toasties or cheese on toast?

I don’t get people’s problem with snacks- yoghurts, beans on toast, ham and cheese toastie, fruit- very different to cereal bars, crisps etc (and they’re fine in moderation!) When we were young we definitely had snacks, and it was mostly toast, cereal, yoghurt and fruit. All of my friends had similar.

My kids love super noodles, brioche rolls, popcorn,waffles, ham and cheese toasties, and making pancakes & brownies. Have done since about age 9. Now they'll also happily air fry chicken strips/popcorn chicken with a dip, yogurt and fruit or make a smoothie.

I get it's hard if fave foods are always changing.

My dds are autistic so I get where you're coming from with picking your battles and counting being in school as a win. But with it being half term and not having to deal with the overwhelming experience of eating in school, this could be a great time to work on getting full meals to work during the day, rather than snacking.

Dd2 eats really well. Snacks on as much soft fruit as she can get hold of. She makes herself smoothies in my nutri bullet (we keep smoothie fruit bags in the freezer) - add yogurt or peanut butter for some protein. Or just a biscuit or two, or a hard boiled egg (I do them in bulk at the start of the week.)

Dd1 has a more restricted diet and mainly fills up on a glass of milk if she's hungry. We get oat bars from the supermarket for the protein but they're quite sugary. She'll also make herself wraps but she doesnt have a huge appetite so that's a full meal.

They're so different, it's hard to say what would work for your dd without knowing what she likes to eat.