Snack policy with tweens?

[Anonymous]

I’ve always wondered who has chips and cookies around the house all the time. I thought only tv families did that. Like does anyone have an actual cookie jar?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve always wondered who has chips and cookies around the house all the time. I thought only tv families did that. Like does anyone have an actual cookie jar?

I have/had cookies at home pretty much all the time. Kids are in college, so not so much now, but as they are home more than near college...oh well. I did not grow up with cookies and chips at home. I grew up in Europe and if I wanted chips I had to ask mom or dad for money and go to the corner store and get the small pack. Same for ice cream. We had occasional chocolates the same way, usually snack size or if dad or mom brought a bar home, which was very rare.
Grandma made us crepes or donuts (Viennese style) here and there. Not more than once a month. When she got much older she would make it a bit more often. She would also bake strudel and pies on occasion. We cherished these treats! I loved and still love food! Strawberries and sugar were a treat, tomatoes were in salads and we ate them in season.
I was, according to all relatives, that kid that people who love food dream of having. The kid that eats everything and loves everything. A grandma's dream. I am not overweight, though I was getting there at 2 years old!
Fast forward to my kids, and they did not eat! I mean full FTT! DS below 1% in weight and height from 2 years old, seeing specialists at 13. DD GERD through the roof, FTT since birth. Refused breast, bottle, I fed her oatmeal at some 5 weeks old. Ph probe showed insane acid reflux.
So I was told to feed my kids whatever they will eat. If they ate a sugar bar that was a good day! I don't know what I did to get the kids that were the total opposite of me when it came to food. But, you all have to parent the kid you were given, not the kid you want. So, yes, at 19 DD is 100lbs, at 21 DS is maybe 143 lbs and 5'11" so those donuts and cookies did help. Whatever, I don't' even eat cookies.
I still hope that one day maybe I can show future grandkids some of my cooking skills! Grandma taught me to cook 1910 style.

[Anonymous]

I babysat for a family of 4 boys where the parents were super strict about snack and junk food. I would have to bring my own snacks and eat them after the kids were in bed. Crunchy peanut butter on wheat bread was about as junky as they would allow and one snack between meals. Every kid ended up with a drug and or alcohol problem in college. Maybe it was a coincidence but controlling parents will raise kids that lose control once they leave the home.

[Anonymous]

My son is almost 14 and I don't really pay attention. There are healthy things in the house to eat. There are occasionally cookies, when we bake them. Or rice krispie treats. I don't police him over those either. He may eat none. Or he may inhale 12. Mostly, though, the stuff isn't in the house.

He eats:

hard boiled eggs
deli meat (sometimes sandwich, sometimes not)
dried fruit
yogurt
cheese sticks
leftovers
makes himself an egg and cheese sandwich
heats up some frozen dinners.
pretzels

[Anonymous]

Growing up I think the only rule was no snacking close to dinner. We didn't have a lot snack foods in the house.

I have trouble with self-control and snacks so I also don't keep snack foods in the house now as an adult.

I think it's better to just have healthy foods around that you don't mind them snacking on. Let them snack as they need to and maybe have a rule no snacking within 2 hours of dinner or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve always wondered who has chips and cookies around the house all the time. I thought only tv families did that. Like does anyone have an actual cookie jar?

Of course we have cookies and chips in the house. Just because we have them doesn’t mean we have no self control. Y’all are nuts. M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve always wondered who has chips and cookies around the house all the time. I thought only tv families did that. Like does anyone have an actual cookie jar?

Of course we have cookies and chips in the house. Just because we have them doesn’t mean we have no self control. Y’all are nuts. M

DP, also since we don’t inhale them all after opening the packet, we put them in an airtight jar once the package is opened or they are cooled down (if we make them).

[Anonymous]

Having cookies, chips etc in the house is how you teach self control.

[Anonymous]

My sons are 9 and 10. My “rules” are one sweet (I mean a real sweet, like a cupcake or a few cookies) a day, and one non-milk or water drink per day. We don’t usually keep sugary drinks in the house, but DH has been buying them lately. NBD. We will probably cut back on those after the holidays because they aren’t good for anyone. However, since they are here, I’m not going to over-police them.

Other than that, I don’t care what they eat. 9 times out of ten, when my kids eat between meals it’s a piece of fruit or maybe a cheese stick. Sometimes Cheez-it’s or nuts. If you don’t want them to eat it or drink it, don’t buy it. At a certain point, they are too old for you to police their food. Buy what you want them to eat, and give them somewhat free reign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve always wondered who has chips and cookies around the house all the time. I thought only tv families did that. Like does anyone have an actual cookie jar?

Ummm...that doesn’t sound as sane or self-righteous as you think it does.

[Anonymous]

I let my two elementary aged kids (8 and 10) each pick out a junk food item per grocery trip (mostly once a week) - something like a box of cheezits. They can sort it out on when to eat it but once it's done it's no more (and I get to have a bit too if I want to)

after some free range and trial and errors they have developed a system to ration and I didn't have to constantly nag. There's always healthy snacks they are welcome to eat like fruits but they don't care for those enough to be an issue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve always wondered who has chips and cookies around the house all the time. I thought only tv families did that. Like does anyone have an actual cookie jar?

Ummm...that doesn’t sound as sane or self-righteous as you think it does.

If there's a whole jar of cookies then it's all for mama

Work from home with two kids in DL = I'm first in line for any stress eating food...

[Anonymous]

I didn’t read the replies but my kids are 12,12, & 10.

Years ago I realized any sweets etc will pretty much be inhaled. Basically, i only buy small amounts at a time and when it is gone it is gone (so on a weekly shopping trip I might buy one 12ct box of granola bars and one bag of chips or whatever). When that is gone, it’s gone. We always have fruit, yogurt, cheese, nuts, dinner leftovers etc etc to snack on. Or they are forced to get creative. This way I don’t have to police it.

Also good for me, as we rarely have junk food around so I’m not tempted.

[Anonymous]

Cracking up at how many of you think a granola bar is junk food.

[Anonymous]

My kids are 10 and 13. We have a pantry shelf with all the granola bars, packaged cookies, chips, pretzels, and popcorn you could want. We also have string cheese, plenty of fruit, homemade yogurt, and other healthy snacks around. As long as they are still eating a good variety at mealtime, they can have whatever snacks they want in between. The only time I'll say no is when the 10yo is asking for something really junky (cookies, ice cream) right before dinner - then it's not "no", it's "you can have some after dinner".

If they take something from the kitchen while I'm working, I wouldn't think of it as 'sneaking' food. It's getting a snack while I'm working. No problem.