Does your kitchen close?

[Punks in Ontario]

Yes. It's closed from 8:30 a.m. until noon with crackers and almonds available if anyone can't wait until lunch. It's also open for snack from 3:00 until 4:30 and closed again until supper.

 

We've had problems with kids not eating healthy foods and holding out for less nutritious snacks or eating large snacks late and then not eating well at supper. Daycare kids have done this the most. Also having an eating disorder in the house led to some changes to reduce some of the extremes.

 

When the kids were little, I was a lot more rigid with these times, but now that the guys are pretty responsible I don't get too worried as long as I don't catch anyone snacking right before a meal. Crackers and almonds are the only snacks for that.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

 

I wish I could do that. But my kids are just not snackers. They don't like snack grabby food. They are not terribly picky though. But yeah everything requires at least a bit of preperation.

 

 

What do your kids like to eat? In the fridge bags, I put small bags of grapes, carrot sticks, cheese sticks, yogurt, rolled up slices of deli meats, apples, peeled clementines, etc.

 

In the cupboard bins, I put small portions of pretzels or crackers, nuts, granola bars, rolls, etc.

[fairy4tmama]

I don't close the kitchen (although I'd like too :)) but I do say no to snacks while I am in the kitchen preparing food as this drives me absolutly BONKERS. If they are really hungry they can grab an apple or some carrots but even fixing their own snack during this time is a no go. This has less to do with them not eating well and more to do with the fact that our kitchen is the size of some peoples walk in closets. That being said, toddlers are totaly allowed to stand/sit in the kitchen while I cook and be handed this or that that I am preparing for the meal. I don't have a problem with the unfairness of letting the toddler snack when others cant. I remind the kids that when they were toddlers they had to sanck more too as their bodies were growing more rapidly and their tummys were tiny.

 

ETA although we dont do routine snack times if I fix a snack for someone I try to offer to all so I don't get asked for a snack 10 minutes later...I could spend.all.day.long in the kitchen otherwise!

[I.Dup.]

Yes, my kitchen closes! We control snacks and meals, I can't imagine how out of control the food issue would be if the kids could eat whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. How do you afford that? They have 3 meals and 3 snacks, I figure that is plenty. :confused1:

[meggie]

Not really. I serve the three meals. In between that, they get snacks if they ask for them. They're all mostly too little to do that themselves, but the six year old can get some things on his own. We have to be GFDF so our snacks consist of carrots, celery, almonds, craisins, and fruit. Digby has been caught several times with the peanut butter jar, but while that's annoying and gross, it's not the worst thing in the world to me. What I do make them do is drink a cup of water. They're usually somewhat dehydrated and I have heard that sometimes when you think you're hungry it's really because you're thirsty. They do need more water than they drink of their own free will.

[Liz CA]

I wish I could. I'd like to see it clean at least once. BUT my dh is in there every couple of minutes.

[Canadianmumof5]

Only in the morning. Kitchen closes at 8:30am. If you haven't eaten by then, you are outta luck until 10ish.

And I just started doing this recently. We had an issue with kids taking their time getting up, getting ready and then taking 45 minutes to eat, etc. Other than that hard cut-off, they can have healthy snacks whenever they want.

[TranquilMind]

Lately, I've been getting annoyed at my kids wanting to eat/snack at all hours during the day. This annoys me for two main reason: (1) my 4 yr old is constantly asking me for food when I am in the middle of doing something that requires my attention, like fixing dinner; and (2) they will snack in between meals and then hardly eat anything at mealtime. So, I was thinking of "closing" the kitchen for the two hours before dinner. But then part of me thinks it's mean to deny my kids food when they are hungy, especially my 21-month old, and it's not really fair to let her eat when I don't let my older DD eat. Does anyone here have a time when your kitchen "closes down."

 

 

We had regular snacks and I got them, so no, people weren't just going in there and getting what they wanted. There is a time to eat, and it isn't just any time and it isn't anywhere else in the house except at the table (when they are young - I've loosened up about that and we eat in front of the tv if something good is on).