After School Snacking

For a short time after I had my first child, I worked for a tutoring company that had me traveling all over to tutor various kids. Although I enjoyed the kids, the pay wasn’t great, as it was costing me more in gas and babysitters than I was making. Every so often, I think of the 8th grade boy I tutored and his daily after-school snack. I would get to his house two days a week at 3:30 pm, and it never failed that he had a Mexican-style fast-food restaurant burrito bowl there waiting for him. Every. Single. Time. Now, before you assume I’m a snobby foodie on my high horse, continue reading. I didn’t and still don’t judge. I don’t recall this situation out of disgust, but because of the burden I felt for the mom. I didn’t know her very well, but I made the assumption she didn’t enjoy cooking, or that maybe it brought her joy to give her son his favorite fast-food. Whatever the reason, I simply remember thinking how she was probably spending a lot of money unnecessarily, and how he probably didn’t eat a great dinner since he had dinner food at 3:30. Since then, the concept of being prepared with after school food for my own children has been tattooed on my brain.

I assume we’re all on the same page with the all-too-often question: did you bring a snack?! For me, it’s the first thing out of my children’s sweet, little mouths, immediately bypassing my ”hi, honey!” and, ”how was your day?” I am almost certain we could swap stories of similar meltdowns and the familiar feeling of panic that follows if you answer the question with a big, fat no. Especially with my middle daughter, my answer to that question will determine the course of our evening, be it marvelous or dreadful.

To avoid the dreadful, I’m here to share my tips on how to skip the car-ride-home-meltdown that ends with you speeding to the nearest drive through. The fast-food route should be your once-in-a-blue-moon option, as it’s not the healthiest or most budget-friendly if it becomes habit.

As I previously mentioned in “When hunger strikes, strike back!”, being prepared and allowing your children to help will not only take the guesswork out of fulfilling their snack needs, but will provide your children the opportunity to build their responsibility skills! The night before, or even the Sunday night before the week starts, ask your kids (if they’re old enough) what they’d like as their snacks. Set up the snacks in a buffet-style and allow them to choose and place their snacks in small travel bins or bags. Or use individual snacking containers, such as the ones used in lunch boxes. Speaking of lunch box containers—there are a plethora of options out there! Almost any store (even thrift stores) have a wide variety to delight any person’s fancy. You may think I’m beating the dead horse here, but allowing a child to select their own container will encourage them to in turn, pack their own snack! Ownership and independence go the distance distance in the life of a developing child. They’ll have pride in what they’ve picked, both in their container and snacks. Do you have a child who struggles with decision making, or can get easily overloaded sensory wise? Narrow down their choices by giving them three options. This also works if you have a child who tends to choose something way out of the acceptable realm, like my third child who if left to her own, would pack a stick of butter and candy as her snack.

Whether it’s you, your spouse, a family member, or nanny/sitter picking up your children, having these items ready-to-go for them is also a win. If all else fails, and you’ve forgotten the snacks, keep a large bag of almonds and dried fruit (or another long-lasting food) in your glove compartment or console. Every month, plan a special after school treat, like stopping in to your favorite ice cream shop, bakery, or even Farmer’s Market to let your kids choose something to their liking. Are your kids in routine of frequently visiting places such as those? No worries! Work on breaking that routine by slowly implementing the new snack system, and reward them with a trip weekly (if necessary), and then monthly, once they are on board for the new snack system.

Being prepared creates happy snackers! Happy snackers make happy mamas and dads. Who wouldn’t be on board for that?! Speaking of happy snackers, did I mention I’ve created a printable snack plan for you and your kids? Check it out in my store to download the Happy Snacking System printable. Cheers to your future snacking victories!