Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Menus, Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Ideas>Ending Continual Snacking
kcnjason 08:40 PM 08-22-2011
After going through a summer with a group of older kids I have realized I need to put and end to all of the snacking. They eat me out of house and home. My mom always used that phrase when I was a kid and now I know how she felt. I think that I struggle with snacks often because my own 2 girls are home and they of course are comfortable getting snacks anytime they want, which makes it hard to daycare. They do understand that I have the daycare kids and that they can't eat whenever but it seems that they are always wanting a "little more snack" and I have been too leniant. The problem is myself more so than the kids. How do you enforce only certain meals and snacks? I think when my youngest starts kindergarten this year it will be easier for me to crack down about that snacking.
AnythingsPossible 05:56 AM 08-23-2011
I serve breakfast at 8:00, lunch at 11:30 and snack at 3:15. We don't snack between meals, and do not do seconds on snack. As far as stopping the snacking, just don't offer them. Hopefully this doesn't come out wrong, but rather it is your daycare kids or your own kids, no one needs to be snacking all day. Maybe crack down on your own kids too so that it isn't just the daycare. My kids are 10, 12, 15 and they eat around the same times as the daycare kids, usually after them. If someone is complaining about being hungry, let them know that lunch snack or whatever time is coming up will be in x amount of time. Keep some veggie sticks in the fridge, and if they keep asking tell them they can have a few veggie sticks if they are hungry till it's time to eat. Maybe offer them water when they ask for something to eat.
Cat Herder 05:58 AM 08-23-2011
Originally Posted by kcnjason:
I have been too leniant. The problem is myself.
I have been too leniant. The problem is myself.
You already know.....
mismatchedsocks 05:59 AM 08-23-2011
My kids snack when the daycare kids do. Breakfast at 7-730, small snack at 10, lunch at 12-1230, snack at 230-3, dinner at 530, snack at 7 for my kids.
That is enough for everyone. If they are hungry after one meal, then the next food will be soon.
That is enough for everyone. If they are hungry after one meal, then the next food will be soon.
sharlan 09:03 AM 08-23-2011
The boys would snack 24/7 if they could. Of course, then they don't want to eat lunch or dinner.
They can always have apples, but that's not what they're looking for.
I've been using the word "NO" a lot more often.
They can always have apples, but that's not what they're looking for.
I've been using the word "NO" a lot more often.