Grab and Go Snack Solution. Because, Come Summer, the Average Child Eats 9 Snacks a Day (I counted)

Do your kids turn over the kitchen searching for a snack, especially after a swim? Keep it orderly and healthy with this snack prep solution.

Yay. So summer is here, full swing.

Know what I love most about summer? Shopping for groceries again and again and again. (Insert generous dose of sarcasm here.)

Also, cleaning the kitchen after the 3-hour long morning routine again and again (here too).

And also, watching my kids master the art of sustaining themselves solely on snacks and no meals at all in between (and here).

Alright. I don’t mean to sound bitter, because I’m really not. Summer is pure bliss. I intend to savor every moment of it.

But, I am determined to get to the bottom of this syndrome called: “Children in the summer eat twice as much as year-round yet they won’t touch dinner at all.” (Yes, you guessed it, I came up with the term. But the syndrome is legit. Just ask any woman with kids.)

I feel like I go to the grocery daily.

Wait. I do go to the grocery daily.

I feel like no matter how many snacks I buy, they are all gone within minutes.

I also feel like my kids are so hungry that they will eat anything, especially after a good swim.

So, the solution, and attempt to keep my kitchen somewhat clean and kids somewhat nourished (no dear,  Hot Sauce Chips are not in any food group) is this: Sunday Snack Prep.

Think of it as the little sister of Sunday meal prep. We have all heard, seen (read gawked) or even done some sort of meal prep in our lives. It’s all the hype now. Make a menu, brag about it, shop for it, and cook most of it (or parts of it) all on Sunday so that your week runs smoothly.

I need a nap just after writing this line. Sunday Meal Prep, not for me.

Sunday Snack Prep? That is more doable: The object is to prepare grab and go healthy choices so your kids can, yes, exactly that, grab and go. And not whine “there’s nothing goooooooood to eat!!!!” while standing in front of a fully stocked refrigerator.

Also, grab and go is the opposite of “10 minutes before bus comes, open every drawer and start cutting up a salad with a dip and  a topping and leaving every jar out and every cabinet open.”

Mornings are hectic enough, day camp is about to start, summer jobs need to be taken seriously and you must show up on time.

Grab and go snacks save the day.

Get the whole family involved. Make it fun!

Here are my ideas:

Store the snacks in these containers inside the fridge to keep things neat and organized.

Let your kids pair up what they want to grab along with what. Like, for example, one of my daughters prefers celery stix with nut butter while the other one prefers apple slices with that same nut butter. Or, one will make a mini salad with quinoa, olives and cheese. The other one will omit the cheese and add peppers. Get my drift? Make it easy, healthy and accessible.

Here’s The Best Way to Cut an Apple for School Snack