I’m convinced this thread was written by and for the anti-Stanley cup moms.

The use of the word “allow” in the context of food disturbs me; it feels as if OP is projecting some kind of food relationship issue of her own onto her kids. Other posters sound far more reasonable, as in “leave done for other people” and “well, that’s all I’m buying this week.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t gatekeep food, especially fruit. Shop at Aldi if it’s too expensive to buy your teens as much produce as they want. I cannot believe people would limit fruit. If they’re eating it all, BUY MORE.

+1.

My kids go through spurts, one week it might be endless clementines, the next week it might be bunches of bananas, the following week it's baby carrots. I'm happy to supply it all.

A bag of clementines daily is not healthy or normal. If kid is that hungry, he/she needs to eat something with protein and whole grain.

I try to buy things seasonally. Aldi is a really good source for teen quantities of fruits and vegetables. It seems that between my husband and son no matter how many grapes I buy they can eat them all within 36 hours.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t gatekeep food, especially fruit. Shop at Aldi if it’s too expensive to buy your teens as much produce as they want. I cannot believe people would limit fruit. If they’re eating it all, BUY MORE.

+1.

My kids go through spurts, one week it might be endless clementines, the next week it might be bunches of bananas, the following week it's baby carrots. I'm happy to supply it all.

Anonymous wrote:I generally don't mind the kids eating fruit, but a bag of clementines a day per teen/tween is hard to keep up with.

What are your rules?

That’s $210/month in clementines for this kid. What else is he eating? What’s your family’s per person food budget?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No limit in our house. We go through pounds of berries, grapes, mangos, apples, bananas, kiwi, oranges/clementines, pears, pineapple, melons, peaches/nectarines/cherries (strangely, these are the only fruits that I only buy in the summer) etc week after week.

My kids probably eat about 3-4 cups of fruit per day. We have always served fruit as a side with every meal. It doesn't seem to mess with their teeth or digestive system. But it is expensive.

Isn't the recommended amount 2 cups of fruit per day?

do you spend a hundred dollars per week on fruit in the winter?

Berries right now can more more than $5/pint (this week at Giant there was nothing under that--I know because we didn't buy any due to cost). We bought some apples and a pineapple but those were the only fruit that were in budget

Yes, we probably do spend about $80 to $100 per week on fruit in the winter.

I don’t limit fruit or vegetables. I am thrilled when my kids choose an apple over a bowl of goldfish, though we have both at home.

OP do you kids like bananas? Bananas are so cheap - even organic - that they are practically free! Have you taught your kids how to make banana ice 'cream'? Freeze a few bananas, blend them, sprinkle with cinnamon or drizzle with honey/syrup or just eat plain - terrifically sweet and beyond healthy! And, CHEAP! Try to get your kid to go wild on bananas, you can accommodate that for pennies a day.

I don’t gatekeep food, especially fruit. Shop at Aldi if it’s too expensive to buy your teens as much produce as they want. I cannot believe people would limit fruit. If they’re eating it all, BUY MORE.

My 2 teen girls just don’t eat that much of anything. I buy apples and bananas every week. And then probably 2-3 other fruits each week on a rotating basis. This usually includes some type of grape and/or berry and one small bag of clementines. Melons and peaches in season.

We also eat a lot of hard boiled eggs, cucumbers and baby carrots and hummus.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have rules but I'm not buying 15 bags of clementines a week either.

Agree - I probably buy one a week and if it's gone, it's gone.

This is the way. They can spend their allowance on clementines if they wish.

Anonymous wrote:Clementines are halfway to candy. Over a pound a day is gross.

Mix in some filling food.

BS - you seem to be entirely deficient in nutritional science awareness.

Clementines are NOT anywhere close to candy. They have tons of fiber and fiber is FILLING. The fructose in fruit does not harm the body the way the fructose in candy, cookies, cakes, sodas and fruit JUICE does.

OP, disregard this nutritional ignoramus entirely, please!

With tweens and teens you can’t make them eat or not eat anything. You can suggest they diversify and have a protein rich snack, but they will ignore if they don’t want to.

Personally I dont limit fruits or vegetables. Only bc I do have a teen that has a tendency to impulse eat high carb foods in large quantities. I will say something if they are eating an entire baguette I bought for dinner or having a third serving of rice (while barely eating protein), but fruit, I let it be. I go to the store daily and replenish as needed. Better that than Oreos.

If there is hogging, then you can portion out their share. I don't limit fruit per se but I want a clementine every once in a while. One DS has a tomato weakness but, if he eats too many, the tomatoes get their revenge.