I just want to vent - Not so great snacks

[Breeder]

This is a tiny, itty bitty thing. Seriously shouldn't even show up on my radar, goodness knows I have enough to think about without adding things but this just gets on my nerves.

My son is on a team with the BEST kids sports organization (imo ) They are non-competitive, focus on fun and learning, his coaches are great, he has a great time playing and almost all of the kids are really nice. Everyone gets along.

We have a game once a wk and each family takes turns bringing a snack for the kids.

So far the snacks have included purple kool-aid type drinks, flavored water, some of these gogurt/fruit rollup hybrid things, and cookies. No one has brought a completely healthy snack.

It drives me crazy that no one has brought just plain old WATER. Kids need WATER when they've been running around. And not SUGAR water.

Maybe I'm a food snob but what's wrong with a little bit of fruit and some H2O? I'm not even asking that it be organic or locally grown or whatever. Just something that is actually GOOD for him.

It's his snack and I would be world's worst mom if I didn't let him eat with the other kids. I bring healthy stuff and I do make sure he gets some water in him, but to him it isn't about the food, it's about being with his teammates.

At least this week it's our turn, so I KNOW he'll be getting something good.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

When we were doing this, the assumption was that each child would have water throughout the game and thus snack didn't have to include water. Maybe that's the thought on the liquid provided? I certainly wouldn't want to have my kid wait until snack time for a water break.

I tried to make healthy things -- kids wouldn't eat them. I tried fruit, kids wouldn't eat it. Then other parents complained that my snacks weren't sealed so people didn't know if they were "clean" or not. Rule became that all snacks had to be in sealed containers -- totally eliminating both fresh fruit and home-baked stuff. I finally settled on the "least bad" cookies I could find. And at least the juice boxes I brought were 100% juice.

I figure once a week isn't going to kill anyone and its not worth the stress. As you said, all the rest of it is great.

[pinksprklybarefoot]

I lead a Girl Scout troop (we don't have the sealed snack rule) and the three snacks that the girls enjoyed the most were watermelon slices, tiny tangerines, and grapes. Sometimes plain ol' fruit can be exotic and exciting to kids who eat a lot of processed snacks, especially the expensive or difficult to cut up things like berries or mango. Sometimes a parent that sends fruit will also send something junky, as well (like doughnuts), but the fruit always seems to be the exciting part.

[Alyantavid]

We're doing this too. So far snacks have been capri sun and those little packages of crackers and cheese, and homemade chocolate cookies and punch. First of the combo of sweets and a sweet drink, make me want to gag. Second, my kids can't have dairy so some of these snacks, they don't get.

We bring water so that our kid can drink water during the game and I figure crap once a week won't kill him. Its our week next week and I'm doing rice krispy treats and water. One of the kids can't have red dye anyways so I figured I'll be the mom who brings water. The rice krispy treats aren't real healthy but they're quick and easy and most kids like them.

[Quinalla]

When I played recreational soccer as a kid, each week a different parent brought water and oranges and if they wanted to an additional snack. I think oranges are a nice fruit snack because they have a skin, so you peel them and know that they are as clean as your hands on the inside I hate rules about snacks in containers only, but I do understand some people feeling that way. You would think if they parents in the group get to know each other well, you can trust each other to make stuff though, maybe they just don't feel they know everyone well enough yet?

And I assume the kids have access to water throughout the time they are there? If not, then I would make a suggestion to change that.

[abarnes]

For those of you that need sealed snacks, most stores I have seen sell sealed packs of fruit. I have seen apple slices, spples with carmel, apples and grapes, mandarin orange cups, celery & PB, and baby carrots & ranch. It's worth a look in produce at your local store if you want something healthy to share but still sealed.

[4Blessings]

Our DS#2 has multiple life threatening food allergies. None of the parents we have run across wants to just give up providing snacks for sports events. We bring our own water and safe snack. DS is left out everytime.

I don't understand the need to provide treats for the entire team every week.

I might feel better about the whole situation if the weekly snack wasn't something that could kill my child.

I vote for drop the snacks altogether

[operamommy]

For my ds2's ball game last week we brought cheetos and kool-aid drinks. :

He has been VERY impressed by the snacks so far. I think they might be his favorite part of playing. He drinks water during the game, and I don't sweat the junk once a week.

[henny penny]

That would drive me crazy, too. Like others said, just be sure he's well hydrated with water and let the rest go. Consider it his weekly homeopathic dose of junk food. And set a good example with your weekly snack, of course.

[Breeder]

We don't have a sealed package rule. The first week they got pretzels in cups. (which was fine, really the drinks are my big pet peev)

I would LOVE some 100% juice as a second best to water.

Some of the kids on our team get water during the game, most don't have anything until the snack at the end.

I too would love to skip the snack all together but it's a tradition with the organization, so there it is.

My kid does eat some junk. We are big fans of ice cream around my place. But I feel like when a kid has been sweating and working off calories, good food and water should be put in it's place, not wierd artificially colored cornsyrup. Tomorrow though, it's water for everyone!

[VisionaryMom]

Originally Posted by Proud2BeAnAmerican

Our DS#2 has multiple life threatening food allergies. None of the parents we have run across wants to just give up providing snacks for sports events. We bring our own water and safe snack. DS is left out everytime.

I don't understand the need to provide treats for the entire team every week.

I might feel better about the whole situation if the weekly snack wasn't something that could kill my child.

I vote for drop the snacks altogether

For the kids, the after-game drink/snack is much a part of the rec-league culture. It also gives the coaches a time to talk to the kids, so I can imagine it would be something hard to eliminate. If your child were on my team, however, I would ask what I could bring that your child could eat, though most parents of kids with anaphlactic allergies simply don't want others to bring anything for their kids (which I totally understand).

We brought Gatorade, which I have mixed feelings on, but a couple of the kids refuse to drink water. DS has water during the game, but other kids drink other sugary drinks.

[NiteNicole]

I don't understand the need to provide treats for the entire team every week.

Me either, at all. I played some sports, was a cheerleader, did activites and there was none of this 'team snack' stuff. I just don't get the point. If we were hungry, we'd go home and eat or get something at the concession stand after a game. I don't understand why anyone would want to add something so pointless (and several times a week!). I don't know any parent who likes the whole "team snack" thing - everyone complains about it being their turn, they hate what everyone else brings, it sounds like a big PITA and I hope some brave soul takes a stand and starts to turn the tide on this before my child is old enough for tee ball.