Managing the Snack Attack

Maybe three times a week, when
my little brother and I got home from
school, Mom had some sort of snack waiting
for us. My favorites were toast strips with
cinnamon and sugar, along with some hot
chocolate. But aside from that, snacking just
wasn't really done.

Well, apparently I haven't gotten the
no-snacking concept across as well as my
mom did, because my kids seem to always be
ready for a treat. And it's hardly ever a request
for carrot sticks or apple slices. Sometimes
I'm so tired of their demands that I give in,
even though I know it's not good for them.

Someone suggested the kids earn the
treats through chores and good behavior,
but I didn't want chores and good behavior
to seem like something so extraordinary that
they got a treat out of it. I started thinking
about how they could pay for it in other
ways and thought maybe cash would work.

Then I noticed my seven-year-old daughter,
Emily, playing house and thought she might
like playing store, too.
I took my four kids to
the store and let them each
choose two treats, then threw in
fruit, vegetables, and some 100% juice boxes.

We stocked a shelf I cleared out of the pantry,
and since Todd, age ten, and Kyle, age
eight, are both learning math, I enlisted their
help fixing prices to each snack. The vegetables
are free, fruit and juice are around a
quarter each, crackers are seventy-five cents,
candy bars are two dollars, and everything
else falls somewhere in between. With that,
our little snack shop was born!

We open the doors after school every
day and plan on opening two times a day
during the summer. I give each of my kids
five dollars of pretend money for the week.

The first week Kyle and Anne, age five, spent
all of their money by Wednesday, but within
three weeks had managed to make it last
until Saturday. My kids are all learning to eat
healthier and becoming familiar with managing
money. In the last month, each of them
has wanted a turn being the shopkeeper, and
so they are learning some customer service
skills, too!

Do you have a great idea? A tip for a church calling? A fun
and educational family activity? Basically any idea that
has made your life a little easier or a little more fun? We
want to hear about it and share it! Email editor@ldsliving.com with your great idea.

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Great idea

Debbi in Portsmouth

My 2 daughters are constantly after snacks. I think this is a wonderful idea and will definitely start something similar in our house. Thanks.

What an awesome idea!

Renee in Australia

Hey, Not a mother (or wife) as of yet, but I think that is a great idea, and can be used to teach so many different things. I used to like playing shop when I was a little kid too! As a chekout operator for a supermarket, and a pre-service elementary school teacher, I really think this is an awesome idea, to use both in the home and at school. In my studies and at schools there is a big emphasis on not only informing kids about healthy eating, but also giving students freedom of choice, and this incorporates both, and teaches social, communicative and management skills as well! I'll have to keep this in the back of mind to pull out and use at a later date! Thanks for sharing!

Brilliant Idea!

Kathy in Thatcher, AZ

What a terrific, double-purpose idea! I'm going to start a store at my house, for the teens I still have a home and for my grandchildren, and I'm going to send a copy of this to my married children. I've been looking for a way to teach money management, and to lessen the snacking is an added bonus.

GREAT IDEA

Robert in York, Pa.

tHE BIGGEST REASON MOST PEOPLE ARE OVER WEIGHT THOUGH IS TV. FOOD COMMERCIALS AND PEOPLE EATING ON THE SHOWS CAUSE US TO REACH FOR THE JUNK FOOD EVEN THOUGH WE JUST ATE. TURN OFF THE TUBE AND PEOPLE WILL EAT LESS OFTEN AND GET MORE WORK DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Managing the Snack Attack

Diane in Huntsville, AL

way to go Heidi! Excellent idea...wish I'd of thought of that when my kids were little.