Snack Bin - Simplify Your Snacking

"Mom, can I have a snack?" Right after breakfast. After lunch. And then again after dinner. That is my life with four children. They want to eat all the time. And I kinda do, too. It's sometimes hard to offer healthy options since veggies and fruits have to be prepared. So, I end up giving them some kind of salty snack, then grab some chocolate for me. Fine on occasion, but not every time. So, I found this idea on Pinterest and decided to simplify my life by doing it myself. I had one bin at first, until it became too difficult for me to remember which kid had eaten what. To avoid my toddler eating all the cheese and not choosing the veggies, I changed it to individual bins.

I put in things like cheese sticks, turkey slices, green peppers, blackberries, apples, trail mix, sugar snap peas, salad in a bag (a leaf of lettuce with some carrots), etc. Healthy options (and salty or sweet as a special treat). When my children ask for a snack, I tell them to get one from their snack bin.

It has revolutionized my day. And I'm not being dramatic (well, maybe a touch since I'd also say the same thing about electricity, the internet, and digital cameras).

I keep the same things in there until they are gone. Cheese is always the first thing gone. I don't restock the cheese until everything else has been eaten. Veggies and fruit are now the norm for the girls and me.

So if you want to save time, energy, and tantrums (kids, hopefully not you) - make a snack bin. This idea is also great for those without children!