About two years ago we decided that we weren't going to "do snacks" anymore. I didn't feel good about feeding them crackers and cookies and other processed snack foods. And the cost added up quickly with four boys who would eat an entire box of crackers in one sitting and STILL be hungry.
So we made a "fruit" rule. If they are hungry they can always have fruit. Any time of the day. Fruit is the answer. You wake up early in the morning, and you're hungry before breakfast, have some fruit. You want a snack before lunch? Have some fruit. Feeling hungry around 3pm? Have some fruit. Going to bed and want to top off the tank? Have some fruit. I figured if they ate fruit and were too full to eat a good lunch, oh well. They got full on fruit.
For TWO YEARS when they say they're hungry I tell them to eat fruit. AND THEY STILL KEEP ASKING.
It's like they're hoping I'll have a fit of insanity and say,
"Oh, you're hungry? Eat this bag of Doritos then have a gallon of ice cream."
You can tell which of my kids were little when this started. The 10-yr-olds fight me the most on fruit and one will just walk away and eat nothing (which I think means he wasn't really hungry in the first place, just looking for a sugar fix). The 7-yr-old eats fruit fairly well. The 4-y-old eats mainly fruit (and all varieties) and we have to work really hard to get him to eat anything else.
This is how I handle The Stocking of the Fruit -
fruit bowl filled with apples and pears - always
clementines or mandarin oranges - if they don't cost a fortune
bananas - always - usually 3 bunches a week
grapes - whichever color has a good price that week
baby carrots - it's not a fruit, but the same principle applies
persimmons - depends on price
pineapple - cut into chunks, once or twice a month
watermelon (or other melons) - once or twice a month
berries - whenever I can get a good price
lettuce & spinach - they know how to make their own salads and they do (don't fight me on the "it's a vegetable thing" - it still counts in the Have Some Fruit campaign)
I have been providing unsweetened applesauce, but have decided to stop that. I'm going to teach them how to make applesauce in the blender instead. How could they possibly resist the power of the Blendtec?
Now, what fruits or easy-to-serve vegetables am I missing??????
