If You Feed Them They Will Come


Yes it’s a movie reference. We tend to live by movie quotes around here. Another thing we do a lot of around here is EAT.
Someone once made a comment to me about how much my kids snack. I hadn’t really thought about it since raising my kids was all I knew. I don’t really know how much other people’s kids eat, or don’t eat. I thought about letting it concern me for a little bit but then I just looked at them, how active they were, how we had someone in a growth spurt at all times, how they ate their entire plate at meals, and then sure, they needed a snack every couple of hours.
That was early in my years of parenting.
Fast forward a decade and I’ve had teenagers in my house for over 7 consecutive years. We have about 7 more to go.
Going through food in the fridge and the pantry happens faster than my cycle of laundry (finished folding and putting away, that is).
I’ve tested numerous tips and tricks of how to ‘monitor’ their snacking habits. Unless you put an alarm on the pantry door (is that a thing?) you cannot stand there and be the food czar. Nor does any busy mom want to.
The question wasn’t how to keep them from snacking but rather how to keep it under control. My finances needed this answer more than their diets.
Yet I wanted food readily available for when they’re hungry (let’s face it their metabolism is different than mine). I can’t understand what their appetite is from kid to kid definitely compared to my own.
I’ve outsmarted, outmaneuvered and downright been more stubborn than my kids many times. This wasn’t an exception.
Divide and conquer…. The snacks.
My kids faves: cheezits, cereals, peanuts and pretzels. Buy all the boxes, take 1/3 or each, mix with some melted butter, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and tobacco sauce, bake in the oven then divide into 8-10 baggies.
This lasts me three weeks before having to buy more supplies. (1/3 mix each week).
My pantry has these baggies for grabs as well as pb crackers, protein bars and granola bars.

Cheers to 14 years in the raising-teens trenches folks!

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