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The Kids’ Drawer

Next time you hear the words, “Mom, I’m hungry; will you make me a snack?” we have a proposal for you. Send them to the “kids’ drawer.”

kids' drawerOh sure, there’s nothing wrong with making your kid a snack, but it gets old. Not to mention that if you’re solely in charge of the food, the control is all in your hands. Instead, why not give your kids a little control and make them feel more empowered (and self-sufficient)?

A Free Zone for “Anytime” Food

The basic idea is to set aside an area of the kitchen that’s a “free zone” for “anytime” food. For most families, it’s the bottom drawer of your refrigerator and/or the bottom shelf of the cupboard. You tell your kids that whenever they want a snack they can have whatever they want from the bottom drawer. From then on it’s in their hands.

In our bottom refrigerator drawer, the kids will find a container filled with watermelon and cantaloupe cubes; another container with carrot and celery sticks; and then string cheese, blueberries, grapes, cherry tomatoes, and clementines. The grapes and blueberries are not washed – we don’t want them to spoil. But the kids know that if they take some they’ll need to wash them, and that’s a job they love to do. The cheese is something they probably shouldn’t have in excess, but our kids are not likely to eat more than one at a time anyway.

In the bottom shelf of our pantry we keep a large Tupperware container filled with healthy cereal. It doubles as an “anytime” snack and also as breakfast for those early-morning risers who don’t want to bother Mom or Dad. Initially, we tried putting the milk into a small container on the bottom shelf of the fridge. However, a few messy accidents later, we decided to wait until the kids were older before putting them in charge of milk. They can get water whenever they want from the little dispenser in the door of the fridge.

Bowls and Plates Come In Handy, Too

That brings us to the last part:  At least some of the cups, plates, and flatware need to be accessible to little hands. You don’t need to have everything out in the open. But if you set just a few bowls and spoons on a lower shelf, your kids will be able (and proud) to serve themselves.

Once you’re set up, your little chefs should be able to fend for themselves when hunger strikes. Score one for kids learning to solve their own problems. Score another for the parents who now have just a little more time to spare.

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2 Responses to The Kids’ Drawer

  1. Heather December 3, 2010 at 4:20 pm #

    I really like this article and your suggestions for snacking. I think I will start a drawer in the fridge just for my kids. I’m always on the hunt for healthy, fun snacks.

    • jollytomato December 3, 2010 at 4:30 pm #

      Thanks, Heather! It’s worked well for us!

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