By blog team member, Kiran.To learn more about Kiran, check out our team page or her blog!
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Eating real food is important to me and just as important for my family. I know firsthand that this is not always easy, and it doesn't happen overnight. But as parents, I feel that it's our job to give our kids the knowledge of what healthy actually means—both in and outside the house.
Our First Soccer Experience
Last fall, my 7 year old joined the local soccer league - a very organized one at that. We're still in the stage of figuring out where our kids' talents lie, and for this season, it was soccer. One practice a week and one game on weekends...that I could handle. But the snack situation I could not.
The first game rolled around, and each girl was instructed to bring a water bottle. Super, I thought. They absolutely need hydration. The coach had brought a big bag of oranges, cut and ready to be consumed, which the kids ate during the 45 minute game. Awesome! I loved that they had a sweet, nourishing whole food snack and water to nosh on while taking a breather.
But then when they finished the game and were given a bag of Cheez-It's and a Capri Sun, I was baffled. Um, really? But what was I going to do, be the mean mom who wouldn't let my daughter take the snack? (I was not the mean mom this time.)
Shortly thereafter I received a sign-up sheet. Apparently this was going to be the norm. Each parent was to sign up to bring cut oranges for one of the games, and on that same day they were responsible for supplying the snack.
Snacks vs. Soccer
My first issue is this. When it comes to recreational sports for kids, they don't really need a snack afterwards. If they are fed a good, solid breakfast prior to the game and then they hydrate and eat oranges during, do they really need something else right afterwards?
I'll admit that I don't have a degree in sports nutrition, so I reached out to an expert on the subject. Nancy Clark is a registered dietitian and best-selling author who is known for her book, Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. She concurred saying,
"The determining factor is how hard the kids have played. If they have gone all out and done exhaustive exercise or if they will be playing again in 6-8 hours, they need to rapidly refuel. However if they just played a friendly game of soccer and are hungry afterwards, they can go have lunch. Kids bodies are very good at regulating; they know when they are hungry and know to eat when they are. If you put Cheetos in front of them, they will eat them just because...but they'd probably be fine heading home to have lunch."
I also have an issue with kids getting unnecessary snacks because, once again, I feel that we are programming our kids to think that you always get something when you do something. In this case, the kids were more excited about the snacks than the actual game.
Whatever happened to just being proud of playing and feeling good about what you just did? When did we lose this simplicity?
During our soccer season, these are some of the snacks my daughter received:
- Cheese-Its and Capri Sun
- Doritos and Gatorade
- Cheetos and a juice box
- Chex Mix and a juice box
- Potato chips and a Gatorade
- Pretzels (made from refined white flour) and a Powerade
I have to admit that I had angst for a few weeks before it was my turn. As the soccer team was poisoning (Okay, okay. Maybe that's a strong word. Brainwashing?) my daughter into thinking she'd have these highly processed snacks, what could I bring that would satisfy on all levels?
I opted for squeezable applesauce and whole wheat pretzels. And water. For Pete's sake, what's wrong with just some water to drink afterwards??!
I had two non-takers; I'm not going to lie. But most left feeling happy, especially my kids (I had brought extra for my three other children). And me. It was a win, and I'm not talking soccer.
What Can We Do About It?
I realize that I'm not going to change every sports association out there. Though I'm really, really hopeful (hint, hint) that some of you will read this and take action, I'm sure that snacks of some sort will continue.
So I've included a list of better choices in case you have to sign up for snack duty for your child's sports. And note that I realize many organizations probably won't let you make your own goodies to bring, though how great would that be??
Healthy Sports Team Snack Ideas
- Carrot sticks (in baggies*)
- Apple slices (in baggies*)
- Mini apples
- Whole-wheat pretzels
- Lara Bars
- Dried whole grain cereal (such as puffed brown rice or organic corn)
- Bananas
- Squeezable applesauces
- Unsweetened applesauce cups
- Dried dates (in baggies*)
- Strawberries (whole with tops cut off, in baggies*)
- Oranges
- Bags of popcorn made using The Popcorn Trick
- Small bag of almonds (Trader Joe's sells these) - not suitable for those with nut allergies
- Raisins
For more ideas check out our list of 85 snack ideas for kids and adults!
*A great alternative to regular plastic bags are these bio-degradable monster bags.
I'm not the only one who is fired up about this. Sally from Real Mom Nutrition has a great post that includes all the tools you need to be proactive about being a "snactivist" when it comes to sport snacks. School Bites has another great post on the topic.
Please share your thoughts. Have you encountered this? And if so, how did you handle it?
March 7, 2014 update:
I am ecstatic to share that I took some of the commenters' advice. A few of you had suggested not just talking about it, but doing something about it. So I reached out to our local soccer association who was 100% on board with it.
They had me put together a letter to go out to all parents regarding the topic, along with suggested snacks (above), though it's up to the coach to decide whether or not they want to implement a snack rotation. I was sure to suggest oranges and waters for during the game. They also are including this information on their website.
To be exact, below was their response:
"Thank you for your passion and efforts. Think this is a big issue and will support you in this."
You can read the entire correspondence with the team here if you'd like.
Thank you for encouraging me to reach out to them - and now it's your turn to also do so. Together we can make a difference!!
Sheri Rous says
Thank you for addressing this issue. It is so frustrating to me to try and teach my children to lead a healthy and active lifestyle then turn into bad mom when it comes to snack time. I am shocked at how many parents take the easy way out and buy a box of donuts for team snack or overprocessed bars, etc. then I become bad mom if I don't let me kids indulge in this junk. I have tried to ban snacks for the team when I have been team mom but then I don't hear the end of it until I cave. With our obesity rate, you would think people would take more effort to make sure their children ate healthier. I do not and never will understand this.
Liesel says
OMG OMG OMG This was my point of frustration last fall. My son who has played little league baseball for 3-years joined a Pony Fall Ball team. A similar situation ... The Team Mom supplied snacks after the first game and had a sign up sheet for the rest of the games. Most were packed with chips, "Go-Gout" as what I believe was thought to be the "healthy" component and maybe a piece of fruit. Of course, when it was out turn, there were comments, I took as snide, "Wow, so healthy". Perhaps because we didn't pack ours with processed sugar etc. The one that really made my stomach turn as the absolute laziness of handing out Lunchables! And it was probably the pack with the highest sodium content at that! Sure, it would have been much easier for us to get some pre-packaged tray of junk, but we offered waters, mandarin oranges and Lara bars.
Well, my son is back in Little League and there's no snack sign up - yeah! We can control the foods put in front of him. (Of course, I don't believe that only those in Pony vs. Little League do the snack detail or make poor food choices. There's a snack shack at the field full of Doritos etc. But at least no one is handing them over to our child "without our permission".
Kathy says
I coached a soccer team years ago and fought this battle every game. I tried it nicely and finally put my foot down when parents were giving their kids soda pop during the game-for energy!
Great article and really touches on when and how we should eat and snack.
Amanda says
I agree! I played sports back in the early 80'ss and we always had fruit or popcorn and water after a game.. And the occasional kool-aide drink (what 80's kid didn't, lol). As a parent now, I'm astonished by the good we feed our bodies and our children. So thankful for 100 days blog. I tell my kids this is how I ate as a kid and they LOVE the food! Thank you.
Theresa Ceniccola says
Thanks for this post, Kiran. I am totally with you on this! I don't consider myself a 'snack Nazi' as your friend Mary calls it…but I do think it's unnecessary and even harmful for these kids to have sugary processed snacks for every game. If you have a child who is involved in several clubs, sports, etc. it ends up being 4-5 times/week that they receive a snack that you - as the parent - would not normally feed them. That's not an occasional treat - it's a regular habit.
I was surprised this year to see this behavior continue on a middle school sports team. I figured with older children, the parents would just pack an extra snack in the lunch box for practice or game days. When the coach told my daughter that the team would be picking 'secret sisters', I was really ticked off. The girls had to fill out a form with their 'favorite snacks' and draw names…my daughter ended up bringing her secret sister a gatorade, skittles and potato chips for every single game. That's 2-3 days per week! And most of these girls sit on the bench for the entire game. Not only is it unhealthy, but it's expensive. I would not spend that money on snacks for my daughter - I'd pack her an apple and pretzels and a refillable water bottle. You can imagine how unpopular I was when I informed my daughter if she wanted to participate in this, she had to pay for half the snacks.
Thank you for starting this dialog and encouraging me to make alternative suggestions to coaches and leagues in the future!
Dawn B says
Amen! I have been saying this for years! You do not need Gatorade electrolyte replacement unless you are exercising for longer than a continuous hour. Water is sufficient.
I baked fresh homemade muffins with raspberries inside when it was our turn for snack and not one single child (except my own), or parent, took one (there was no frosting)! I was baffled!
Not many seem to share my concerns. The "hero" parents bring a big box of doughnuts!? The children just did something healthy being active so why inundate their little growing bodies with junk food afterwards? Totally illogical! Just like our PTAs selling candy at school as a fundraiser…
Treats are supposed to be occasional but they are everywhere these days and thought of as 'snacks'.
So happy to hear that there are others out there that believe in nourishing our children! :)
Janine says
I hear what your saying and for years I've hated the fact that junk snacks have been a part of sports. It's part of the culture and team building which I get. We had a choice this year on my sons team to bring our own snack but my son disliked the idea cause he wanted the junky snacks that we otherwise wouldn't get at home. Go figure! He's 9 and honestly getting to the point were I can lead the horse to water but I can't mAke him drink. We can shelter our kids at home but really when it comes down to it let's just hope what we has taught them has rubbed off and they by pass the teM snack in favor for something we brought instead.
Bob says
My wife and I are just honest with our children about how toxic most snacks are and they run up to the snack line just like everyone else, excited; however, they don't actually eat or drink anything (unless we know it's organic/healthy). They stay excited about the idea of the post-game snack because when it's something they are not allowed to eat (which is usually the case), they know that it will just be adding to the "hungry bag" that we keep in our car. You'd be surprised how quickly that thing fills up! And when it has a decent amount of goodies in there, we give it to someone less fortunate who is in the right place at the right time. If we're getting off an exit and there's a man/woman holding a sign looking for money--we give them the hungry bag. Same thing with Halloween candy. They go out dressed up like everyone else and enjoy the thrill of the gathering, but they trade the candy in for Mommy's cookies, and the candy finds a home elsewhere. They learn to make good choices on their own, and they learn to give from their heart.
Leslie says
Completely awesome Bob!
Katie says
THANK YOU!!! I thought that I was the mom that others looked at like what is here problem. Bringing baby bottles of water, popcorn, bananas or baby oranges. Yahoooo....I am not alone!!
beth says
completely agree with this post. i had a similar situation with my stepson in sports, who was *convinced* that he would pass out/die if he didn't get Gatorade during his little league games. if he were running a marathon, or playing football on a hot day, i might allow a sports drink. other than that, water. that was not a popular decision with him, but guess what? he didn't pass out. :)
Dawn @ Reveal Natural Health says
I agree that snacks after youth sports are not necessary. Usually these practices and games are in the evenings or Saturday mornings. On Saturday mornings we typically do lunch soon after the game so I tell my son he can save the snack he received to eat as an afternoon snack. For evening practices, depending on when they start we may go home and start getting ready for bed and in this case he would also not get to eat his snack that night. I have never told my son not to take a snack that is offered, but many times we save those snacks for a better snack time that works for us.
Suzy says
I think there are so many different extremes of people and what they eat. In my town, most send their kids with highly processed snack and lunches. I myself am doing my best to educate my kids and encouraging good food choices. My daughter for example helps me pick out a lunch she will bring all week. I am not as creative as Lisa planning a new lunch for her every day (kudos to you Lisa:) ). Her lunch and snack are very healthy in comparison to what her classmates bring. My son still likes cheezits and raisins every day. He brings an apple and a PB and fluff sandwich on organic whole wheat every day. For after school snacks it is something healthy.
My kids do not get dessert every night. We have "treat nights" that they love on weekends. Typically this is something they chose.
I can say that at sports events/games I haven't seen any snacks in my area yet. I wouldn't like it if it was every game. I don't want my kids to expect something at a game each and every time. I can't say I would stress about it if it were on occasion but I wouldn't like it if it were every time. I would probably address it as well. I did approach my daughters Girl Scout leader who was bringing high sugary snacks at each and every meeting that starts at 430 and ends at 6pm. I said I didn't think snack was necessary as all the girls went home first and had a snack. My daughter was not eating dinner. She is still bringing snacks but not as sugary....last meeting it was grapes, cheese and pretzels. My daughter says she brings a lot and say to the girls "I am sure you will finish this all". The leader has also said "you can have more...you haven't had the serving size" It drives me crazy. I plan on talking to her again. Play dates are another place. Not all families monitor what their kids eat. In my house you ask unless it is fruit.
My thought is to teach healthy food choices and allow others choices in moderation. In the house that has not rules the kids don't know what is healthy and what isn't. In a house that is too strict...it could back fire when they are adults. I have seen it plenty of times. One example is A neighbor of mine was rarely allowed to have junk food. She became an adult and out on her own she had no control. She spent most of her adult life over weight.
Allie says
Roni's comment alone illustrates why there should be no group snack after ANY event. I for one do not have the time or the extra money to be buying or making snacks catering to all kinds of allergies and dietary restrictions. You want your kid to have oranges and water? Bring it yourself. You want your kid to have a liter of diet coke and a little Debbie death cake, bring it yourself. Considering how much money some parents fork over for sports and other activities( looking at you hockey moms) we should not feel pressured to feed the neighborhood on top of it.
Molly says
Really enjoy this blog. Such great information! Seems like everyone has their own family approach to nutrition and what works for some doesn't work for others. It is each family's right to do what they best see fit for their kiddos. With that being said if you don't want your child to have something that someone else has brought then how about just telling your child NO. A simple explanation of we don't eat that in our family---Some families do but we choose not to. You can supplement a different snack or just forgo the snack all together. Problem solved.
kathy Bradford says
I like all of the dialogue. The one thing forgotten here is the obesity issue and the poverty issue. Some kids in our area really would not go home to lunch or dinner. They were playing for free with no parent and the snack for some was a big deal. The education that it takes to help people see this issue well is just that. Educating. We do not need to act holy because of our food choices. See this as an opportunity to teach others, your kids, and yourself how to work together. Grace goes a long way.
Charla Lane says
As a mom of kids with allergies, one nut and one food dye, snacks are a nightmare.
Our family isn't a snacky family in the 1st place. I had to draw the line when a momma whipped out cans of coke and chocolate ding songs after a late game. Which meant I had to be the mean momma who said no thank you to all that sugar at 8:30 at night. I think the best policy is no snack. If your precious baby lamb needs a snack then freaking bring them one. Gah but don't make me take your crazy GMO laden, hfc dripping, chemical hot mess, that my kids can't even eat!
Amanda says
I think the main issue with those types of snacks isn't even about whole food vs non whole food... From a nutrition and athletic perspective, eating Doritos and a Gatorade is not the best way to refuel after a workout. Most experts will tell you that! It messes with your blood sugar, will cause a crash, and doesn't properly give your muscles what they need to recover. I remember getting fruit roll ups, chips and even sodas as after game and half time snacks.... Were teaching our kids bad habits. These habits stick with them into adulthood and are hard to break. I don't have kids yet, but when I do I want them to have the best nutrition because that's what's best for their bodies. You say it's occasional and shouldn't be a big deal but by the time you add all these "occasional" things up you now have every other day of eating junk...That's my decision and I should not be criticized for that. Go watch them make Doritos and tell me if that changes your mind.
anne says
And why shouldn't the recreational sports snacks be regulated? With the Healthy Schools Act (I think it is nationwide, not just in NY State), kids, families, schools, and teachers are only allowed to provide foods that fit a certain criteria with regards to sugar, fat, processed ingredients, etc. etc. etc. The same should be true of organized sports...especially of organized sports! Heck, my daughter's dance school has a sheet in the waiting roomy that provides a list of 'acceptable' foods to bring when in dance class for several hours. Several hours that is, not a 45 minute class for kindergarteners. If my kids are exerting themselves for a long time, I would toss them an apple and head to lunch. I agree with you whole-heartedly..."rewarding" them with a salty, processed snack accompanied by a sugary drink does nothing but teach unhealthy habits.
Pam says
My husband is the coach of our team and our team mom had been with us for a year now. Wetslked all together and decided snacks were not needed at all on weekday games because we are all heading home to have dinner. On the weekend just waters and fruit, cheese will do to replenish. We had the first game and that's what the kids got. No complaints. Unfortunately the league handed out a big bag if junk to tall the teams from their snack shack. I think most of our parents - definitely not all - will follow our lead. Oh and we bring a large cooler if water for during the game (we are in so cal and it is hot most if our season). But I will follow your lead and send a note to our league and see if they will follow suit! Thanks for a great list of items to choose from!
Azalea says
Could you share the letter? My three year old is just starting her soccer "career" and I'm in charge of the snack schedule. I'd love to be able to start the parent's snack mindset off right! Thanks!
Liz says
I think I'm in the fortunate minority. The town where my kids play soccer seems to run rampant with other snack nazi's like us!! The worst my kids have gotten after a game has been smartfood (not healthy but I can tolerate that) When its our turn I usually opt for organic granola bars, whole wheat pretzels, or something along those lines. I do also get an organic juice for the kids. We have found that its fun for the kids to have a snack after the game for the social aspect as well. They get to stick around and play and talk with each other outside of the structure of the game.
Ramona says
I just bumped into a similar situation with a toddlers group we joined. First, I was kind of shocked that a snack was included in a zoo program from 9:00-10:30 am. I mean, didn't we just have breakfast? Then I was more surprised when they handed out sugary apple juice and cookies. I want my kids to get used to real flavors and whole foods first. I know they will have candy and cookies and snack foods as they grow up. But this is a program for 2-4 year olds and a snack isn't even necessary, let alone a "treat"! I suggested we all bring our own snacks and got a lot of "Oh, one of THEM" looks... but I might try your suggested snacks above and see how it goes. Thanks!
Leli says
Amen! I'm definitely a fan of the occasional indulgence, but between classroom birthdays, friends' birthdays, sports, church groups, playdates, holiday celebrations, and treats from grandmas, neighbors, friends, bank tellers, store cashiers, the doctor's office, etc...it's a daily thing. Sometimes multiple times/day. Every single activity my kids participate in involves snacks chock full of sugar, artificial dyes, and chemicals. This irks me on two levels: 1) It's just plain bad for their little bodies and brains and 2) My kids think they get a 'treat' for everything they do! Grocery shopping? "What kind of treat can we get?" Time to put shoes on? "Can we have jelly beans if we do?" Bedtime? "If we go to sleep can we have chocolate in the morning?" Arrrgggg!
Rachyl says
It seems that we encounter this on a daily basis! At some of our sporting events we are required to buy tickets for the kids where they go to a concession stand filled with processed food to get their snack.....it drives me crazy that I am required to buy these tickets too! Also, my kids are offered cheetos, doughnuts, goldfish etc at church and at vacation bible school and the choices for lunch are usually corn dogs, chips, cookies and koolaid...ugh! We have started making our own organic snacks to take to church and games and don't go along with society, but it disturbs me that my child is feeling left out because we don't want them given processed junk on a daily basis. To make matters worse, I am a physician assistant and a nutrition Nazi and a lot of times I feel like my family and friends think I am this crazy control freak...which on some levels I guess I am! However, just because I want my kids to fuel their bodies with actual food and good nutrition shouldn't make me the bad guy, but it always makes me feel that way. My family usually gets mad at me...they ask can we bring such and such food over...which I reply no, we are really trying to eat healthy 90% of the time so we would prefer not to; or they say that cookie etc isn't going to hurt them. My children witness this power struggle and I don't know what to do about it except keep making the choices I know will benefit my children! By the way, my children to get the occasional processed food/snack at events and parties...so they are not totally left out as everyone thinks!!
Tricia says
I like Jackie's answer....and I am the Mom who brings the healthy snack, it's been rejected, but at least I know I am feeding the kids something healthy and non GMO. And I believe in the everything in moderation, but it seems snacks and candy are everywhere and it doesn't seem to be a treat to me anymore but the norm (one that I don't stand by). Processed food causes many of the diseases and ailments people seem to be fighting these days if you've (those who have responded negatively) taken time to do any research. So I stand behind this blog post and thank you for writing it!!
Roni says
This was the first year, that the Soccer coach asked in the beginning of the season ..."Are there any kids on the team with Food Allergies?" And Once I raised my hand, the coach said, we don't have to do a snack, Are Oranges Okay ? I said I didn't want to burden the other parents or kids from missing out on a snack just because of my food allergic child and the other parents were actually nice, they all agreed what a hassle it was to remember to bring snacks. So all the parents agreed on just water and Oranges. I couldn't have been happier (for my kids' self esteem and self-worth) not to mention for their life -- since their allergies are life-threatening.
Although, I like your suggested list of snacks, the LARA BARS are cross-contaminated with Peanuts and Tree Nuts too. A lot of pre-packaged pretzels also have a "PEANUT BUTTER STUFFED VERSION" so that makes all of their regular pretzels cross-contaminated with Peanuts. Some bagged pretzels contain "WHEY" which is derived from Cows' Milk. So they are not a good choice for Nut or Milk Allergic Children either. And of course, Pretzels contain gluten, not good for a Celiac child.
Both of my kids have severe life threatening allergies and one has Celiac.
They already feel less than, when the snacks are handed out. Classroom birthday parties, school dances, lunch in the cafeteria, amusement parks with food stands... I just don't remember having snacks at practices either. We didn't even have water. I got a drink of water from the rusty water fountain in the playgound area after baseball practice/game. I feel if you HAVE TO HAVE a snack it should be a "Enjoy Life" or similiar treat, that is NON-GMO and Free of the top 8 allergens, which are Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, Soy and Wheat. Or just water and/or Fruit (although they are children with Fruit Allergies too )
My Children's allergies are so severe, so I would be weary of cut-up oranges too. If the snack mom cut the oranges in a kitchen area where there is cheese, peanut butter, wheat etc. The knife, cutting board, sponges, etc in the kitchen could have that residue on it and then make the orange unsafe for my highly allergic children. Sounds overly protective, but I've seen my children go into anaphalaxis on just the residue of said Allergens.
Or as Nancy Clark suggested "... they'd be fine heading home for lunch..."
Don't scoff about the Fish allergy either -- I have found "fish gelatin" in the ingredients of gummy treats and marshmallows.
My kids are allergic to the top 8 (and more) so we always forgo the snack and go home right after for lunch. If you don't want to be held liable for a near fatal life-threatening reaction, just bring water and don't bring any of the top 8 food allergens. I feel it's discriminatory and hurtful.
Leah says
Sometimes I wonder if people who comment understand what the point of this blog is..? Maybe they just stumbled across it and don't know the objective? My son is only 2.5 but I am already dreading the school parties and sports snacks. It will be tough to find the right balance between snack nazi and making the best choices for my son. I like all the ideas here and I hope other parents are like-minded and will make the best choices too :)
Valerie says
I couldn't agree more with this post. The kids just come to expect that EVERYTHING they do is rewarded with junk food. Soccer game? Cheetos and Gatorade! Band concert? Everyone's going out for ice cream sundaes afterwards! Gotta grab stuff at Target? Swing through Starbucks and get a Frappuccino. This is literally the mindset my 13-year-old stepdaughter has. In fact, when she suggests doing something, I often think in the back of my mind "Yeah, and what treat does she want out of this experience"? My own son is just 19 months so we're not dealing with the snack crazniess yet, but I really do dread it! I don't want him to automatically think "Soccer = Junk Food" like I know my stepdaughter does.
Alex says
I felt compelled to post. I see a lot of commenters stating things like, "wow, snacks nowadays?" And "can't anything these days not involve food?" I am 26 years old and grew up playing soccer (and other sports) my whole life. Snacks were ALWAYS at the end of games, even as I got older. I just want people to know its not something new.
I feel as though this post emphasized the snack aspect so much more than what it is worth to the kid. I actually rarely thought of anything going on after the game until the snack was being handed out. I grew up healthy, I.e. salads, fruit, veggies, but we had plenty of bad stuff too. I can tell you that the snack at the end of my soccer game when I was eight years old didn't influence my eating habits. I can also tell you I remember my parents being at every game, the color and names of most of my teams (even when I was 3! :), and how happy I was to play with my friends and do something I enjoyed.
Food is not the point of these sports, I can agree. BUT my point is that it has been going on for a long time and the things that your kids will likely take away from playing soccer is not the Doritos or whoopie pie, but instead the first time they scored a goal, or how their mom was there to tell them how well they did at the end of their game. Perspective.
Jackie says
How about each family feeds and hydrates their own little Cooper or Molly? If your kid wants a snack after the game and you think Doritos and bug juice are fine, by all means, bring them for him or her. That allows us to avoid the pressure of choosing appropriately and teaches the kids a bit about personal responsibility--something this world seems to be sorely lacking these days.
And don't tell me "community" snack has anything to do with team bonding. In every team situation where this nonsense has been rolled out, the kids grab the snack and off they go to their cars.
p.s. By the way, I am also the Mom who does not give party favors.
Melissa D says
Jackie, I'm with you. Why not just feed and water our own kids? To each his own -- snack, that is.
Bonding over No Goody Bags Needed,
Melissa
Claudia says
We have the same situation in Little League. We only eat organic or non-gmo. My son knows that he can always trade what he receives for something organic. He gets to choose what that something is and I am always prepared. However, if what he chooses is a "treat", I'm ok with it. He doesn't always choose sweets and he's just as happy with fruit. This is also what I do for situations at school and parties. He knows GMOs aren't good and he chooses appropriately, but I never want him to feel that he doesn't at least have a choice for the organic equivalent of what the other kids get. Most of the time, his friends want what he has (it's all about the presentation:). I feed him whole, healthy food the rest of the time, so I don't stress about these situations. I understand you though.
Claudia says
I was compelled to repost, because we just had our first game of the season and the team mom brought the 1st snack (cupcakes and caprisuns!!) I felt like clarifying, "Are we supposed to bring a snack or a "treat"?" Of course, I didn't. My son politely declined the cupcake and when he also declined the caprisun, she looked at us incredulously. Imagine a kid turning down junk food! Well, we may get that same look when we show up with organic fruit when it is our turn. As always, I was prepared and he did have an organic snack which he happily devoured, instead of the junk. I also meant in my previous post, that I'm okay with it if he chooses an organic "treat". Conventional treats are never allowed for our family, no matter who is passing them out. My son is okay with that though, because he is my biggest ally when it comes to fighting GMOs:) Now I just have to deal with the mandatory peddling of junk food in the snack shack during games that all parents are required to participate in at least once in the season. Thinking about donating some healthier alternatives to sell in the snack shack.
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We've been a lot of volunteers along with opening up a fresh program within our community. Your blog provided us valuable information so that you can artwork with. You've done any good endeavor as well as our whole neighborhood may very well be grateful for your requirements.
Mary says
btw, in case you are wondering, my husband and I are also very active and healthy. He plays in several adult sport leagues. I have run multiply marathons and am currently training for a half-ironman. Nutrition and exercise are very important to our family!
Way to go Kiran! says
Mary, you obviously dont need to be here, why dont go train for your marathon and let the rest of us benefit from the wealth of information we get from Lisa, Kiran and the Team.
Mary says
Who said anything about once a week? I don't count, don't keep track, don't hover, don't monitor. While at Disneyworld on vacation, we ate at a buffet and I let the kids get whatever they wanted. I'm not exaggerating, they were allowed to select 100% on their own what they wanted to eat. You know what, they made great choices!! Proteins, grains, veggies and fruit. And a cookie. They modeled what we eat at home, which is "real food". I cook family meals from scratch and we sit and eat together. But when soccer snack rolls around, I don't stress about it. Fruit roll-ups gross me out and I don't buy them but if they are the birthday party snack its really ok. I think you are assuming the influence of the soccer/birthday/preschool snack is far greater than what your kids eat day in and day out. I promise you, it isn't.
Heather says
I'm a little surprised by your intolerable reaction to this blog post. Kiran is sharing her story and her suggestions on her situation and how she parents. It's not your place or anyone else for that matter to judge or compare that their family does things different and there turning out fine. This website is about whole foods and will write suggestions on how to handle various situations outside of the house. I appreciate Kiran story and will take away from it what fits best for my family.
Mary says
For pete's sake, calm down! The majority of comments seem to come from parents of young children. I hope you look back on all of this angst and laugh at yourself.
I have served all 3 of my children a wide range of foods and have never felt the need be a "snack Nazi". Would you like to know the favorite food of my youngest (8 years old)? Tomatoes. Second, bananas. Yeah, she likes ice cream too and THAT'S OK!!! She eats it, just not frequently. My 12 y.o. cannot wait for summer so we can have grilled zucchini and spaghetti squash out of the garden. And he likes Skittles too. My 14 y.o. will pick strawberries or snap peas over candy any day of the week. All of my kids are slim, healthy and very very active. And we eat dessert. My husband and I have never made food out to be any kind of issue. I think that swinging the pendulum the opposite direction is just as bad as those that bring Cheetos and capri-suns.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Mary,
I certainly wouldn't want anyone (my kids, especially) to think of me as a "snack Nazi". I grew up eating whatever I wanted whenever I wanted - yes, I did eat PB straight for 5 days, and another time I had spaghetti for 6 days straight. I had more candy and Little Debbie's than I'd like to admit. And yes I'm "fine" today and like to think I eat pretty well. I'm not afraid to let my kids have junk here and there - I just don't want it to be an expected thing or associated with sports, school, parties, etc. As they say, everything in moderation; I get it. I'd just appreciate if I can determine how that moderation suits my family and let them appreciate the other rewards of sports, fellowship, etc. instead of expecting some processed product each game, day of preschool, etc. which DOES add up to being more than just once a week.
Cheryl S says
Kiran, I applaud you. Mary, why are you even reading this blog? Obviously you've got it all worked out. You have perfect children, a perfect husband, perfectly balanced diets, plenty of exercise, etc. So why are you here? To put down the rest of us trying to make changes? Well Good. For. You. Commence the slow clap for Mary, everyone.
Stephanie says
I absolutely loved this blog post. I am just winding down my second year as a preschool mom. We go to a small school, so the parents take turns bringing snacks for the children. My kids always bring something relatively healthy. This last time, my girl brought apples, peanut butter, whole grain bunny crackers, and whole milk. Some of the kids complain about the snacks, but we continuously get kudos from the teachers and staff because they know that when my children bring snacks, they will be fit for human consumption. One day, there was cupcakes and Kool-aide. I'm glad I'm not the only mom out there that is angsty about what my kids are consuming. Thanks for writing about this and putting it out there! We moms struggling to keep our families healthy in this craziness need to hear it :)
Jen says
I also tried this at our VBS....kids who were non-takers at first realized there was no other snack option besides a banana and they loved it and wanted more.
Jen says
I just sent this to our tball league, praying it creates a community of likemindedness and not controversy ;) Change is hard...but I think it would be so good for the kids. Thanks for sharing.
Kiran Dodeja Smith says
Good for you, Jen. And good luck!!
Annalisa says
My husband is the coach to two teams (lucky us boy and girl twins... life would have been easier if they were boy and boy or girl and girl but oh well) and I am the team mom to both teams. Every year this is a HUGE battle for me and I have actually have lost friends over this. Each year I have put it to vote not doing snack at all (but this is never taken well), and allowing each family to worry about their own child at the end of a game taking off the stress of the family to remember to bring something the financial responsibility to the families and in the end bring processed food.
Nathalie says
I totally agree with you. I find it pretty challenging just sending a homemade snack to school with my daughter for her first recess (when most of the other kids have a snack). My daughter eats them just fine, and even prefers them over store-bought, pre-packaged snacks. But I've found it helpful to label the bag I put it in with "Nut Free Snack" or something like that, because my daughter's school has a strict nut-free policy (quite a few kids with nut allergies, some even life-threatening). If I don't label my homemade snacks in some way, then sometimes my daughter hasn't been allowed to even open the bag. Pretty ridiculous. And kind of sad to think that we've come to a point where we trust the big food manufacturers over what moms loving make themselves.