by McKenzie Stamper posted in Products

Planning wholesome meals for your family can be totally stressful, particularly when everyone comes to the table starving and cranky. Building in snack breaks in your day to keep your kids' energy stable is a great idea -- but it can devolve into junk food all too easily. This has been a problem for me for years. But in the last few months of mom-life, I've finally hit on a system that works for me. Taking just a little time out of your week to snack-prep will make your life so much easier. Here's what I do.
Designated snack baskets
My kids know where to go to if they?re hungry and it?s not meal time yet. We have one big basket for the pantry items, and a couple of smaller baskets for the cold items that need to be refrigerated. I can?t count how many times a day I used to hear, ?I'M HUNGRY, I NEED A SNACK PLEASE!!!? It makes it a lot easier when I have their snacks all prepped and ready for them to grab and go. To be honest, they still whine for something to eat, but instead of having to get up and make them something, I can remind them to go grab something out of the snack box. Bonus, it's encouraging them to be independent!

Prep the snacks beforehand
Now that I?m finally getting this parenting thing down pat, I?ve learned that preparation is the ultimate key to success. Keeping snacks stocked and ready is literally a lifesaver and I thank myself for doing it every time. I?m probably not alone here when I say that my kids are ALWA...