Is it at all feasible to no longer allow eating in the car if you are the one driving the children?

[Anonymous]

I always told my kids to grab something they can eat in the car if we were running late in the mornings, or going from school to practice. But one of them is so messy; the car is disgusting. DH is also a big eater in the car. We got a new car and I love that it hasn't been destroyed by food. Can I just tell them no more eating in the car? I mean, I know I can do that, but will it lead to hangry kids?

[Anonymous]

Yes, of course you can not allow your kids to eat in the car. It might be a little harder to get your DH not to eat in the car.

[Anonymous]

Yes, once we started leasing a car we got more strict on food in the car. It helps once the kids are a little older. Just plan better so you have a snack before you leave.

[Anonymous]

You have two options:

Option 1: Plan your life so that you don't have to eat in the car. I have a friend that only allows water.

Option 2: CLEAN YOUR CAR! You can eat in the car, but...vacuum it every now and then. My DH is fastidious about this. He leaves nothing in the car. He doesn't allow the kids to leave anything in the car. It works wonders. We eat in the car, but every scrap of paper, cups, etc, exit when we do.

So pick one. Your family will adapt either way.

[Anonymous]

How about restricting to less messy foods? Like, have a cheese stick or sliced apples, but no cookies or crumbly things?

[Anonymous]

Less messy foods and use seat covers.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never let my kids eat in the car. If they are hungry, we find a place to eat before we get in the car and always have breakfast at home. I didn’t care about a messy car - I was worried about choking.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids. They have never eaten in the car. Ever. The only thing they have ever had to drink in it is water. Somehow they have survived.

[Anonymous]

Less messy foods. Goldfish, popcorn, etc.

[Anonymous]

Nobody eats in our car. For a long trip (an hour or more) a bottle of water can come in the car. But there's no food.

[Anonymous]

After the Great Chocolate Incident, there was no eating in the car for many years, until one of my kids needed to lunch en route between her Saturday activities. When I saw how careful she was, I reauthorized eating in the car. My kids are tweens and teens.

[Anonymous]

How old are they? I found eating in the car to be a necessity when they were younger. Now at 7 and 9, not so much except for the occasional granola bar to stave off hunger if we’re shuffling around at a mealtime.

[Anonymous]

Kids choke and die all the time in carseats. We always avoided it.

[Anonymous]

I just got a new car and this lasted about a week.
The only drink DD is allowed is water but I let her eat snacks, it just works better for our schedule. I vacuum it out about every 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

I allow nuts and water. After finding a dessicated cheese stick and nasty apple core? Nope, not again. Dropped nuts don’t get nasty.

I’ve always been anti-wet foods (applesauce!), other beverages and anything crumbly or that could be ground into carpet.