Snack shack - now open for responsible toddlers

I've always made it a rule in my house that food should never become an issue. I fed my babies not as much on a highly regulated schedule as learning how to identify when they were indeed hungry and letting that dictate their eating. I don't get uptight about meal schedules. I do provide healthy meals at regular times during the day, and though we are not members of the "clean plate club," I do expect my kids to try what is provided.

There is no food after dinner (if Hope chooses not to eat what is prepared for dinner, she is simply left to a healthy appetite for breakfast the next morning) but if she becomes hungry at other times, I do allow her healthy snacks. When my friend Emily recently mentioned something she was implementing in her own household, I thought it was a great idea and decided to do likewise. Hope now has a special drawer in our refridgerator that is all hers.

I've stocked it currently with healthy items including a few individual portions of carrots, cherry tomatoes, and ranch dip cups, yogurt, raisins, apples, blueberries, cheese, two juice boxes, and a cup for water.

Whenever she needs something to eat, she is now able and responsible to go choose whatever she likes from her own special drawer and eat it in the kitchen. Actually, she was very excited about this. And it works well to give her a sense of responsibility and choice, while freeing me up from being interrupted at inopportune times. Plus, while I was preparing things for her, I made sure to prepare a couple of things for myself to ensure that my own snacking habits are filled healthily and with the ease I appreciate. 

Posted by Tricia Morgan in

I've always made it a rule in my house that food should never become an issue. I fed my babies not as much on a highly regulated schedule as learning how to identify when they were indeed hungry and letting that dictate their eating. I don't get uptight about meal schedules. I do provide healthy meals at regular times during the day, and though we are not members of the "clean plate club," I do expect my kids to try what is provided.

There is no food after dinner (if Hope chooses not to eat what is prepared for dinner, she is simply left to a healthy appetite for breakfast the next morning) but if she becomes hungry at other times, I do allow her healthy snacks. When my friend Emily recently mentioned something she was implementing in her own household, I thought it was a great idea and decided to do likewise. Hope now has a special drawer in our refridgerator that is all hers.

I've stocked it currently with healthy items including a few individual portions of carrots, cherry tomatoes, and ranch dip cups, yogurt, raisins, apples, blueberries, cheese, two juice boxes, and a cup for water.

Whenever she needs something to eat, she is now able and responsible to go choose whatever she likes from her own special drawer and eat it in the kitchen. Actually, she was very excited about this. And it works well to give her a sense of responsibility and choice, while freeing me up from being interrupted at inopportune times. Plus, while I was preparing things for her, I made sure to prepare a couple of things for myself to ensure that my own snacking habits are filled healthily and with the ease I appreciate.