How many times have we heard "Mom can I have a snack?" as soon as your kids arrive home from school? Have you ever answered "Sure if I can find them?"
Do your treats end up being as easily found as sunken treasure? Do all those odd shaped boxes & bags provide more of a obstacle course than a convenience choice? Well, follow a few easy steps & change that Scavenger Hunt to a Snack Central!
Sure we would love it if all that our kids wanted was fruit, but that's seldom the case. They want a well deserved treat for putting in a long day at school. Just compare it to your Tim Horton's fix during your work break. The problem is all of those "Snack sized" items don't actually come packaged that way. This not only creates havoc in your cupboards, but confusion in the kitchen.
They come in odd sized boxes or big "poofy" bags. This makes storage of these items quite difficult & ultimately becomes a time waster instead of a quick snack pick. How should you tackle this problem?
Why not treat snacks the way you do the rest of the edible items in the house? Give them their own spot.
Enter the Snack Cupboard! The Snack Cupboard should be a special place accessible by children where the items can be easily seen. It should be a spot where they can make choices & help themselves without having to dig through a pile of packaging. Not only does this make it easier on parents at snack time, it helps with lunch making options as well.
The best way to make the Snack Cupboard an organized haven is to get rid of all the odd shaped packaging. Using uniform sized see through containers are a much better option. They will stand or stack much easier and give the cupboard a clean look. Layout is the key. Make sure that the kids know what is where. How will they eat it if they don't know where it is.
Also keep a variety of items stocked. Snacks can be ANY quick convenient item. Many times my son will pick Instant Oatmeal as a snack, because he can see it as an option. It's just as quick to make oatmeal as it is to make popcorn so why not? If they see the healthier options they might surprise you & pick one. Isn't that what choice is all about?
So the next time you hear "Mom what can have to snack on?" You can say "You decide" A little independence can go along way.
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