How Much Snack?

[littlemissmuffet]

Here's some examples of what I provide for snack:

3 apple slices apple
5 crackers
2 cubes of cheese


5 cherry tomatos
handful of cheerios
1/4 cup yogurt


5 slices cucumber
1/2 mini pita w/ taziki dip
1/4 cup cottage cheese


3 carrot sticks
1/2 pb+j sammie


handful of berries
mini bagel w/ pb


large slice melon
mini carrot muffin
1/2 cup milk



I never ever serve juice. Only water, and occasionally milk!

[Meyou]

I am all about family style and allowing them to serve themselves, but I agree. If you give SA the freedom to take what they want, they WILL eat you out of house and home.

I use serving utensils that are the size of the right portion. (I am on the FP and follow their serving sizes.) So I can say "everyone gets one scoop/ two scoops, /whatever the particular serving is." Or I will say (and sometimes even write on an index card and place next to the item) everyone gets ONE soft pretzel, TWO slices of cheese, etc.

No one is allowed seconds until everyone has firsts. I only put enough out for everyone to have seconds, and after that, if someone doesnt want their seconds, then MAYBE the SA can have the rest, depending on how healthy of a choice it is.

I also have a tendancy to feed the SA all the stuff the littles didn't want for breakfast and lunch. (Extra fruits and veggies mostly) They are the best source for cleaning out the fridge. ::

So if they are REALLY that hungry, they get the green beans left over from lunch. That usually lets you know if they are truly hungry, bored, or just eating because its there.

In fairness to my SA though, they get lunch at 1030/1045 and dont get home until 4. I know they are really hungry, and sometimes need more.

:: I do this with my school agers too. In fact, they ask what's leftover the second they get in the door. They have their regular snack (today was a banana muffin, 1/2 apple and milk) and then they can have apples, plain rice cakes or leftovers.

They're lucky this week in that peaches are super cheap so they've been stuffing their faces with them since I was able to get a large basket at the same price as the apples.