Wasting Fruit!! Uggg!

[SunflowerMama]

The kids are driving me crazy with the amount of fruit they waste in a day. I try and stick with healthy snacks...fruits, wheat crackers, cheese, etc. and then if they are hungry between meals/snacks they can have a piece of fruit.

The thing is they will ask for something, take 2 bites and say they are full. It's driving me bonkers. And of course if someone asks for fruit they all have to have it. They'll take 2 bites of a banana and throw it away or do the same with the apples.

I buy organic fruits and veggies so everytime they do this I just feel like I'm throwing away money.

Does everyone deal with this or does anyone have a successful rule about actually eating the fruit you ask for ?

[Lucy]

When one kid asks for something and they all want it, cut the banana into about 6 pieces and give them each a slice. Should be about 1-2 bites, which might be enough. If they say they're still hungry, I'd say, "well lunch (or snack) is in X minutes. I think you can wait." Or just give them something to drink. That should hold them over.

IMO, if you're already doing snacks and lunch, they shouldn't need something in between. I would go with "lunch/snack is in X min" right off the bat.

ETA: if only 1 or 2 end up wanting banana, here's a little trick. WITHOUT PEELING, cut through the banana with a sharp knife. Only the amount you actually want to use. The rest will still be good for the rest of the day. You will only need to slice off about 1/8 inch of the part that was exposed to the air. Works great. I have two 2-yr olds, and for a snack, they each eat about 1/4 banana with something else - something crunchy usually. That way I don't waste the whole banana. Hope this helps!

[thatgagirl]

I cut it up too, you can precut apples and store in tupperware, and most other sliceable fruit. I split bananas because my kids can chow down on a banana...

almost everything can be cut up

[SunflowerMama]

I try and cut it all up and then they complain they want a whole one .

[misol]

When one kid asks for something and they all want it, cut the banana into about 6 pieces and give them each a slice. Should be about 1-2 bites, which might be enough. If they say they're still hungry, I'd say, "well lunch (or snack) is in X minutes. I think you can wait." Or just give them something to drink. That should hold them over.

IMO, if you're already doing snacks and lunch, they shouldn't need something in between. I would go with "lunch/snack is in X min" right off the bat.

ETA: if only 1 or 2 end up wanting banana, here's a little trick. WITHOUT PEELING, cut through the banana with a sharp knife. Only the amount you actually want to use. The rest will still be good for the rest of the day. You will only need to slice off about 1/8 inch of the part that was exposed to the air. Works great. I have two 2-yr olds, and for a snack, they each eat about 1/4 banana with something else - something crunchy usually. That way I don't waste the whole banana. Hope this helps!

Exactly what you do. I don't serve food between meals, I let them know when the next meal/snack will be ready. I cut up all fruit and serve it a few pieces at a time. Oh, and I do this all the time with bananas! About a year ago I found by accident that bananas were "self-sealing" and I have been cutting them this way ever since.

[Lucy]

About a year ago I found by accident that bananas were "self-sealing" and I have been cutting them this way ever since.

I found out when a mom used to pack a small snack for her toddler (she didn't have to, she just wanted to), and she always had about a 2-inch piece of banana for him. That was about 5 yrs ago and I've been doing it ever since.

[SilverSabre25]

Ditto the nothing between meals things. I get really tired of giving snacks and feel like I'm in the kitchen preparing something half the day anyway...seriously, we go from morning snack to outside to making lunch to eating lunch to naps and then to afternoon snack...there's not much space for between meal munchies.

[Rachel]

I would just say no, but maybe I'm mean. I slice fruit except bananas (everyone I have can eat a whole one, no problem. I have older kids now, next year I will have younger).

How about making fruit salad in advance so there is no "whole" option.

[DancingQueen]

we have breakfast at 7
snack at 9:45
lunch at 11:15
nap then wake upand have snack at 2:30-3
then they go home
I can't figure out why someone would need to eat between those unless they are not eating what you have for your meals and snacks.

I'd just say no..LOL
and do. I always say "not snack time yet - 10 more minutes.. (or... whatever the case may be...)"