I have had several people comment to me about my "snack basket"(the blue basket in the picture!) so I thought I would take the time to explain my concept.
I got tired of having several(make that MANY) open boxes of snacks sitting in my cupboard, or bags of homemade goodies sitting on top of my toaster. And then to top it off, having the munchkins asking me "What's for snack?" So I decided it was time to get a little inventive. I got myself a basket and emptied all the different boxes into it. AHHHH!!! There is space in my cupboard! It doesn't look too cramped now AND the best part my munchkins know what is available for snacks. I don't get that nagging question, "What can we have for snack?"
So now the question remains what do you have in that basket for them to choose from?
Answer:
I have granola bars, fruit snacks, snack crackers like teddy bears, graham crackers, triscuits, better cheddars, crackers & PB, fruit bars, goldfish crackers, nilla wafers, popcorn, homemade muffins or quick bread, homemade cookies or brownies, and peanuts. Then instead of a basket in the fridge, I use one of my crisper drawers in my fridge for other snack type things like cheese sticks, cheese slices, candy bars, yogurt, individual fruit cups(applesauce, pineapple, peaches), grapes or other in season fruit. We also have special(rare occasion) snacks like popsicles and ice cream(usually vanilla). I use the ice cream mostly for making homemade chocolate shakes. Here is a full list of the snack options that I use on a monthly basis! :)
Now you may think, she keeps ALL those things available for her munchkins?
Answer:
Actually, I don't have all of those items in the basket all at once. They are usually rotated thru on a weekly basis or til an item is gone then I refill the basket with a new item. When it comes to grocery shopping for snacks I usually buy them once or twice a month. I also either buy them in bulk at Sam's Club or when they are on sale at the local grocery store.
The Rules of the Snack Baskets are:
1. They can only have one item out of each "basket"and not two sweet/treat type snacks at one time.
2. Snack time is not the time for another meal, just to have something to keep the hunger pangs away through the night!
Items needed to create your own:
--small plastic basket from the dollar store that will fit on your cupboard shelf or in your fridge.
--variety of individually wrapped snack food(either prepackaged or wrapped in plastic wrap or in a sandwich bag.)
16 comments:
I have a red wicker basket on my counter with a variety of granola bars in it! gmta!
Now that is a *great* idea! I'm gonna have to do that. The boxes of snacks just take up so much room in my cabinets! Thanks for sharing, Sonshine! :o)
That is a great idea. I still have to keep a really good idea on the kids or they would eat all of them up!
That's a great idea. I now now what to do with all the snack boxes that only have one or two things in them...a snack basket is the solution.
Great idea - I'm going to give it a whirl!
Louise
Oh what a great Idea! I will definatley put this idea to good use! It will sooo much help me stay organized as well as keeping my cupboards less cluttered. THANKS
what a great idea!
I do similar. I have a lg. basket for granola bars, cereal bars, gotarts, etc and a lg basket for snacks like 10caolorie, fruit chews, prebagged nuts and dried fruit(i bag them) etc and a sm. basket for grits, oatmeals etc and a sm. basket for spice, dressing, soup and gravy mixes that come in packets. This way I can remove the box tops etc and toss the boxes right when I buy them. It takes less room and the kids dont go nuts on "one" item because they see the box and return visit more than I like/alllow
Great idea!
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Karen
www.homeschoolblogger.com/cookalatte
I love this idea, I have baskets for everything else, why not this too. Plus my son will only have the option of what is in it or nothing. Thanks for the tip.
This is a great idea! I don't have kids yet, but this would probably be helpful even for just my husband and me! We're pretty bad about staring at the pantry for ages wondering what's there to eat.
Thanks for the great idea. I'm still sorta working it out for our family, but I've now got a basket in the cabinets that is filled up every Monday for that day's week work of snacks. It's worked great so far!
I did something similar to this for the "sides" for my kids school lunches, I pre bag in snack sized ziplocks all of the type of things you use for snack basket and I have it all in a "crate" on one of my shelves. I also placed a sign on the front with a large red NO sign (circle with the slash) and note that says: Food in the black crate is for school lunches ONLY-see the snack shelf for snacks. This way I could keep track of the munchie stuff and know I wasnt going to be sending in only pbj sandwiches and a quarter for milk that week LOL
OMGoodness, this is brilliant! I am going to get me a basket TODAY and implement this. Thank you for sharing such a great idea!
Reading this post brought back so many memories.. I still have my basket.. on that shelf.. but no one ever looks at it, now that they are all so grown up.. and cook for me!
I wanted to add.. I had another basket, in my refrigerator that I stuffed with half sandwiches of different varieties, each morning. (Sometimes celery sticks with peanut butter, apple and cheese slices.. baby carrots and ranch dressing, in a lil thing.. Our cold snack basket.)
Our days were just too busy.. and my baskets got us through.
Great idea! Thanks for visiting and leaving a foot print for me to follow! :) ~Heidi, outside Charleston
I'm working on creating a similar system. So far, I have all potential snacks on one shelf in the pantry (my shovels are very small!), to keep them from standing in front on the pantry saying, "What can I have for snack?" However, I haven't made a spot in the fridge and I really need to be more intentional about my "shelf." Thanks for sharing your ideas on the topic!
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