If it seems like your children are always hungry, you’re not alone. We’ve all had those days when it seems like the snack treadmill is speeding out of control! Here are a few easy ways to help tame the snack monster (and keep your sanity).
Kids thrive on routine, and that includes mealtimes. If you aim to serve meals and snacks at consistent times every day, that helps your little ones get into a rhythm — which should eventually lead to a decrease in the number of snack requests you hear per day!
We all have those days when the best we can do is toss out the packets of Goldfish and hang on for the ride! If you can serve a snack that’s full of fiber, protein and healthy fats, you’ll probably find your little ones stay fuller longer — think cheese and raw veggies, apples with nut butter, or avocado toast on whole-grain bread.
It’s easier to serve healthy snacks when healthy snacks are easy to serve! Try slicing up a whole bag of apples, soaking them in salt water for about 10 minutes, and then draining and rinsing. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for days without turning brown. Carrot sticks and cut celery will do well in the fridge, stored in water, for a week or more (a wide-mouth Mason jar is great for this). Sliced cucumbers do well on top of a paper towel in a sealed container. One naptime’s worth of prep can lead to a week of easy healthy choices.
Making choices about food is a great way for children to start developing self-reliance and trust their natural hunger and appetite cues. Try setting aside a drawer of anytime snacks in the pantry or fridge that they know they’re allowed to access when they’re hungry. For babies and toddlers, help them start to learn self-feeding with plates, cups and utensils that are designed for their developmental stage. (We love EZPZ’s line of fun and friendly silicone dishes!)
