Fridge regulation for kids?
Guamybear
Posts: 1,061 Member
Just wondering if any of you regulate what your kids in the fridge? I ask because growing up, I could eat whatever I wanted in the fridge. I was pretty much raised as an only child and wasn't ever overweight in school. If I wanted to eat it.. I did..no asking if it was okay. I remember having a friend and her and her brother had fridge rules which I thought was odd..They had to ask permission for certain foods.
Fast forward...
I now have 2 kids, they are 10 and 11 and they do ask what they can eat etc.. I also buy specific food just for me that I don't want them eating because some of it just isn't cheap for them to devour in a 24 hour period.
My mother brought up how I never had to do that and thinks it is weird that my kids don't get to eat what they want in the fridge..
Just some side notes.. my girls aren't deprived food wise at all but because I know if they aren't watched when it comes to food they will pig out if they think they can. And now that I am trying to lose weight there are certain foods that I buy just for me.. I do let them try things but I make sure it isn't a free for all.. If my oldest thought she had free access to my chocolate almond milk, it would be gone in a day.
Any one else go through this or is it just me.. I honestly think that because there are two of them if they had full access they would race to finish up everything they could so they other wouldn't get anything..
Fast forward...
I now have 2 kids, they are 10 and 11 and they do ask what they can eat etc.. I also buy specific food just for me that I don't want them eating because some of it just isn't cheap for them to devour in a 24 hour period.
My mother brought up how I never had to do that and thinks it is weird that my kids don't get to eat what they want in the fridge..
Just some side notes.. my girls aren't deprived food wise at all but because I know if they aren't watched when it comes to food they will pig out if they think they can. And now that I am trying to lose weight there are certain foods that I buy just for me.. I do let them try things but I make sure it isn't a free for all.. If my oldest thought she had free access to my chocolate almond milk, it would be gone in a day.
Any one else go through this or is it just me.. I honestly think that because there are two of them if they had full access they would race to finish up everything they could so they other wouldn't get anything..
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Replies
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I don't have kids but my friends do and they come over a lot. They thought they could go right into the fridge and cupboards but they were wrong!0
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My kids have to ask
I dont want them eating food just before dinner
I want to know how much is left in the fridge so i know if i need to get more0 -
My kids have to ask
I dont want them eating food just before dinner
I want to know how much is left in the fridge so i know if i need to get more
Yea, both ^^ good points.
I didn't want my kids to 1. spoil their appetite for dinner, and 2. would not be okay if they ate all of something I had planned to use as an ingredient for our meal.0 -
I asked when I was little, but I don't know why. Probably just because Mom didn't want me eating right before dinner. I never felt like I HAD to ask. Just did.0
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All I know, is I don't even have to use air conditioning in my house, with the amount of opening and holding open of the refrigerator door my "spawns of satan", I mean kids do.0
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They do have to ask, even for things that are within their reach. They will always have to ask. I never had to when I was younger, and I remember eating half a box of Little Debbies probably 3-4 times a week in one sitting. Or eating two frozen burritos after school, loaded with cheese salsa and sour cream, and then dinner an hour and a half later!
My kids are underweight, currently. They are extremely picky eaters. I dont want them to continue to be picky, so I have implemented food charts for them. Some people think this is extreme and that I am wrong in doing this. The food charts are broken up into days of the week and they get stickers each time they eat a fruit/vegetable/meat/etc. They know that certain categories (for my daughter it is bread, she could eat a loaf a day if I let her) she only gets so many servings. Why? because when I talked to her doctor regarding how to get her weight up, my options were the Pediasure EXPENSIVE drink to provide additional nutrients and calories, or get her on a better eating habits, and not fill up on starches and liquids (juice, milk, etc). It isnt good to eat only one type of food, so her favorite food (butter bread) HAS to be limited. This is teaching her now that things need to be in moderation, rather than eating all the bread you want and not eating any chicken or whatever.0 -
My kids have to ask
I dont want them eating food just before dinner
I want to know how much is left in the fridge so i know if i need to get more
This^^ plus I also had a snack "area." It was either a drawer or space on the counter that had things that I could take from freely, as long as it wasn't just before dinner. It could be fruit, chips, veggies, etc. My mom would change the snacks weekly.0 -
My kids usually ask if they can have a snack, but they are pretty free to go and get what they want for a snack. Snacks in our house consist of rice crackers/cakes, fruits and veggies, apple sauce and pepperoni, jerky, lunch meat, hard boiled eggs. Nothing terribly exciting for them to go wild on.0
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Mine are regulated and have to ask. I do not think its weird I was not as a child allowed to go in our fridge if I wanted a snack I was to go to the fruit bowl and pick. My oldest is regulated regardless he is a bored eater so he has to ask for food and drink. Some might think its excessive but he is in no danger he is 9 and is 5'1 and 120lbs so he is healthy according to his doctor and I plan to keep it that way. My daughter is only 5 months old so its not an issue yet. I will never deprive my children of food but I will not allow them to graze either just because they are bored.0
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I don't have kids, but when I was a kid, I had free reign over the fridge or cupboard. I had my choice of cookies, crackers, ice cream, etc. I just never had the urge to pig out, and I was always skinny.
I have friends with kids, and they have free reign over the fridge and cupboards. Once when I was visiting, her daughter had eaten an entire box of GoGurt in less than an hour (that was purchased only 2 hours prior), and helped herself to pretty much an entire 1lb box of chocolates I purchased as a treat for all of us, all this happened as the parents were making dinner. From pure observation, the parents do not monitor that child's actions, nor does she face any repercussions for her actions.
Whenever kids come over, they also think they can go through our fridge and cabinets and ask if they can have this or that. I'm glad they don't find anything very interesting in our fridge or cupboards!0 -
I've got an almost 9 year old son (who's not the thinnest) and a 6 year old daughter (that could stand to gain a few even)...and there's no way they get to just randomly dig thru the fridge or pantry. Everyday when they get home from school they ask for a snack (even though every time I say yes) and they also ask for the specific snack (Can I have a cheese stick, yogurt, candy, chips, etc) I have them tell me what they're eating (before they open it and waste it) because I might not want them eating cheese because I'm making a cheesy dinner (and my daughter has colon issues so a lot of cheese makes pooing even more difficult), or I've got a nice dessert planned and don't want them eating sugar, etc. I also just like to control what they're eating to an extent...and offer healthier choices if they're wanting to just load up on junk. We've got filtered water in a big jug and they have full access to it but have to ask for things like juice, koolaid, milk, etc...
Also my son has several mild food allergies and he's allowed an 'allergy load' (like he can't load up on tomato, soy, dairy all at once or he could have an allergic reaction, but if he hasn't had a lot of dairy that day then cheese is fine, or if he's not had soy or tomato he can have milk AND cheese...or tomato..lol it's confusing but long story short I need to know what and how much of certain foods he's eating)
But, even if my kids didn't have certain issues regarding foods, I would still keep a bit of a tight rope on what they eat because mine are like yours in that I think they'd overeat 'because he got one' or 'because it was the last one and she had one yesterday and I didn't want her to eat the last'..etc. Also, there's things i buy for me that I don't want them burning through..just like you LOL..and I don't think that makes me selfish, they have plenty of foods that are bought just for them (and are serious temptation for me..so they should consider themselves lucky LOL)0 -
I'm 22 and I still ask my parents if I can eat certain foods when I'm at home visiting!0
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My son didn't have to ask until one week a bag of Doritos and case of Sprite was gone in less than 3 days. After that, he was allowed no more than 1pop a day and a small bowl of chips that I had to get for him.
As he got older, he would ask if I needed something for a reason or if he could eat it.
As a kid, I was allowed in the fridge but don't remember just getting anything I wanted without
asking.0 -
Of course I watch what my kids eat!!! There is no way I'm going to let them take whatever they want, when they want it. But then again, I don't buy too much junk or I keep it out of reach. I am their mom and I need to set an good example for them so when they are older, they make smart choices. It's about health, not just calories.0
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They don't have to ask if it's healthy. If it's sweet or junk they have to ask because they have a limit and can't have it at certain times of the day.0
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i just want to say that i think this is fantastic, and not at all extreme. visual reinforcement combined with a tactile reward system = permanent healthy habits. bravo!They do have to ask, even for things that are within their reach. They will always have to ask. I never had to when I was younger, and I remember eating half a box of Little Debbies probably 3-4 times a week in one sitting. Or eating two frozen burritos after school, loaded with cheese salsa and sour cream, and then dinner an hour and a half later!
My kids are underweight, currently. They are extremely picky eaters. I dont want them to continue to be picky, so I have implemented food charts for them. Some people think this is extreme and that I am wrong in doing this. The food charts are broken up into days of the week and they get stickers each time they eat a fruit/vegetable/meat/etc. They know that certain categories (for my daughter it is bread, she could eat a loaf a day if I let her) she only gets so many servings. Why? because when I talked to her doctor regarding how to get her weight up, my options were the Pediasure EXPENSIVE drink to provide additional nutrients and calories, or get her on a better eating habits, and not fill up on starches and liquids (juice, milk, etc). It isnt good to eat only one type of food, so her favorite food (butter bread) HAS to be limited. This is teaching her now that things need to be in moderation, rather than eating all the bread you want and not eating any chicken or whatever.
i've always asked my mom what i can eat from the pantry or fridge, and even now that i'm grown up and only home to visit, i probably do it more frequently. we weren't allowed to have snacks too close to meal time or eat too much breakfast or dinner because we were on a budget, but we weren't starved or anything. just mindful i guess.0 -
I am trying to remember lol. I know mum would ask us not to eat some or leave a little bit of milk for dads coffee. We always had plenty of food available and I guess as we got older were able to just help ourselves. My kids ask for food. They are almost 4 and 6. Our main rules are if they have ice cream while out or at the grandparents they don't get that for dessert. I like to know what they are eating so we can suggest something else. My eldest is close if not underweight. We have to direct her to higher calorie but nutritious choices first. Like 'mum can I have some chips?' ' have you had a banana today? Or peanuts ' generally she can have a 'junky' snack if she is still hungry. My youngest girl would eat junk all day. She does however love fruit and veggies . So we say have these first. Otherwise she would eat chocolate and biscuits all day if she isn't taught. She is asking for heaps of food at the moment , but is looking skinny too lol.0
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Thank goodness.. I thought it was just me.. I really think if i only had one kid it might not be an issue but these two think they have to compete for everything.
Growing up I rarely had dessert..but then maybe I just helped myself if I wanted it..can't remember but my mother (who lives with us) got them hooked on a snack every night..I am slowly breaking them out of that.. if it is fruit, no problem but they don't need chips or cookies every night..
Do you have certain foods since you started this journey that you don't want to share due to price or something else? my main things are my almond milk and skinny cow ice cream sandwiches. I buy them regular milk and regular ice cream so is it wrong for me to not let them eat my "special" ones..0 -
Thank goodness.. I thought it was just me.. I really think if i only had one kid it might not be an issue but these two think they have to compete for everything.
Growing up I rarely had dessert..but then maybe I just helped myself if I wanted it..can't remember but my mother (who lives with us) got them hooked on a snack every night..I am slowly breaking them out of that.. if it is fruit, no problem but they don't need chips or cookies every night..
Do you have certain foods since you started this journey that you don't want to share due to price or something else? my main things are my almond milk and skinny cow ice cream sandwiches. I buy them regular milk and regular ice cream so is it wrong for me to not let them eat my "special" ones..
Most of my low cal sweets are off limits! But I do buy the 90 cal granola bars that anyone can eat, but those thin crisps are MINE (can't think of the name but they come in apple cinnamon, chocolate, blueberry, strawberry..WHAT IS THE NAME?!), I get skim milk that noone would want to drink anyways LOL...I'm sure once I get further into my diet (I'm just starting again this week) I'll have more 'diet' foods that are off limits. I stock them with plenty of food so there's really no need to eat mine. And you're definitely NOT in the wrong for keeping certain foods to yourself. At least I hope not because I'm the same way
(I used to be like that with the BAD foods, like cheesecake bites, occasional candy bars eaten in secret, etc) 0 -
I don't have kids of my own and my childhood isn't the best to draw advice from, but I LOVE what the people I nanny from do. One, the mom plans out the three meals and snack for her two daughters. It's typed out and posted on the fridge making it easier for me and the other nannies. There is some flexibility if they want a different fruit or something, but other than that it is whatever is on the menu. After dinner they are allowed one serving of whatever dessert they want and Fridays are junk food days where they have Lunchables and get to eat out for dinner. It's so funny because I hear them talking to each other about proper nutrition and they are only 8 and 9.
When it comes to snacks they are allowed a fruit and a grain from the snack drawer. All of these are healthy foods that they like but still allows them the freedom to choose. The parents are on a clean/healthy eating kick so there really isn't much junk food around the house except for dessert options. The girls know the menu and kind of eat on a routine schedule, but if they want more of something or to have snack early they just ask.
I have noticed though they just stick to a regular schedule of b-fast before school (or swim in summer), lunch in early afternoon, and snack right when get back from school or right after 2nd swim. Then dinner is around 6pm before their parents get home. It really is an amazing system and the girls know the food groups they need at each meal and it teaches them healthy eating both in terms of food and timing.0 -
Hm well, as a kid my mom definitely watched what I ate, and if she thought I was eating too much (and would get sick) which I would have if it weren't for her because I was a greedy little child xD she would kindly tell me so, and I'd listen to her. So it wasn't really controlling behavior at all, but rather her gentle warnings, which led me to make better choices as I grew up. Now, I take food out of the fridge, and she doesn't say a thing, as she knows my habits are much more improved, and that I eat proper proportions.0
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Do you have certain foods since you started this journey that you don't want to share due to price or something else? my main things are my almond milk and skinny cow ice cream sandwiches. I buy them regular milk and regular ice cream so is it wrong for me to not let them eat my "special" ones..
yes- I have a few things my son always tries to eat-- that are 'mine'. For the first several months of my 'journey' I was using meal replacements thru Kaiser. He had no interest in the 5 shakes a day I drank-- but he LOVED my peppermint cocoa crunch bars (think girl scout cookie flavor, in a bar!) -- my only real FOOD each day -- and he always wanted one. But for me-- it was a meal replacement- not just a snack. Mind you, these WERE meals-- 160 cals, 20% of all the nutrients I needed for the day, and over $2/bar. Not your typical Quaker oatmeal cookies n cream granola bar where a box of 10 costs $2. So I'd always have to 'police' him on those!! Also- now, my Greek yogurts. At about $1 a piece-- I have MY stack of yogurts, and then his stack of regular ones (Yoplait or GoGurts)... about 1/2 the price or less!!
Funny!!0 -
My 7-year-old daughter is in the normal weight range, healthy and active. She has a snack shelf in the pantry stocked with mostly healthy snacks that she can have any time. She can also get milk, yogurt, cheesesticks or pudding cups out of the fridge without asking. She often makes herself a bowl of cereal in the mornings if she gets up first. She is fairly picky and does not eat compulsively, so I'm okay with her eating by her own hunger cues. Most of the time, she gravitates towards her own healthy snacks. She has a basic understanding that healthy food should make up the majority of what we eat and that we should only eat junk and sweets in moderation. She does ask permission to eat chips, cookies or other junk if it happens to be in the house.
I am and have always been a very compulsive eater. Luckily, she seems to exhibit no tendencies towards compulsive eating/overeating and I don't want to mess with her internal cues and/or create sneaky or hoarding-types of food behaviors.0 -
My children have always eaten whatever they want whenever they want, especially "my food" because I have always eaten a wide variety of food. My children are both in excellent shape with good eating habits today 16 and 19 years old.
It bothers me a bit when I see adults eating prime rib and veggies while their children eat hotdogs and French fries.
Having said that though, there is no right or wrong way as long as you are consistent so that they know their boundaries and feel safe within them.0 -
We never had good food as a kid. Everything took forever to make so I guess that was my regulation. Now I definitely regulate what my kids eat. I don't buy $200 worth of groceries to be gone the next day. If they could they would eat 10 packages of fruit snacks, all the granola bars, all the fruit and no way there not doing it. When they have they were never hungry for dinner/lunch.0
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My kids have to ask
I dont want them eating food just before dinner
I want to know how much is left in the fridge so i know if i need to get more
Not only this, but if my mom had let us eat whatever whenever, she'd have been replacing pilfered Pop Tarts, granola bars and fruit snacks several times a week. Living in Mexico where these items were not readily available for several hundred miles and had to be bought every two months on a weekend trip to El Paso, this was huge no-no.
We were allowed into the fridge for fruit, and cupboard for crackers but that was about it. I plan on raising my son similarly. I feel it helps curb the development of unhealthy snack habits.0 -
I was trying to feed three kids on a 50% below poverty income. I sure as hell had rules.
3 kids x 2pcs of fruit a day plus one alternative snack a day of the healthy variety plus breakfast, lunch & dinner...
That's a lot of f'n food. And many times I didn't eat or had one meal a day so they could eat.
Even when my income finally grew if I let my kids eat unhampered my food bill was about $1200/mth. If I kept control over it it was about $700/mth Teenagers are locusts in disguise.0 -
As a kid, I was allowed to eat what I wanted, but it was all healthy. Meaning that I was not allowed to have chocolate, or ice cream, or peanut butter, or cookies, or candy. Only once in a very long time. What eventually happened is that when I got older and my parents stopped regulating that so strictly, I would go out of my way to eat sweets and "rebel", and ended up gaining weight because I didn't understand that it was the bad foods that were contributing to my weight gain.0
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yes! i regulate the fridge and the cupboards! i have 5 kids, and if it were up to them, they would sit around snacking all day. regulation 100%0
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I was trying to feed three kids on a 50% below poverty income. I sure as hell had rules.
3 kids x 2pcs of fruit a day plus one alternative snack a day of the healthy variety plus breakfast, lunch & dinner...
That's a lot of f'n food. And many times I didn't eat or had one meal a day so they could eat.
Even when my income finally grew if I let my kids eat unhampered my food bill was about $1200/mth. If I kept control over it it was about $700/mth Teenagers are locusts in disguise.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is an amazing mother right there. What a perfect example of love and sacrifice for your kids. Bless you for putting first things first, and I certainly hope you are doing better now. :flowerforyou: 0
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