15 Game Changing Snack Stations to Make Your Life Easier!

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If you are looking for ways to simplify your life with kids this is the post for you! Snack stations can save you so much time you’ll wonder why you lived without one for so long.

5 reasons for snack stations:

1. Kids can easily pack their own lunches. You can have sections for healthy snacks and “fun” snacks for your kids to choose one of each for their lunch.
2. Kids will be able to choose a snack after school or on weekends that is “parent approved,” and not have to ask you 42 questions about it.
3. Kids can be in charge of remembering their own snacks for after sports. No more “Mom, did you grab my water bottle and granola bar?” Nope, sure didn’t. Know why? Not eating it! :p
4. Kids will learn how to self-regulate. They will learn to have a snack when they are hungry, but not too close to meal times. If you establish the rule that they can have three meals and 2-3 snacks, they are learning how to eat properly for the rest of their lives. By providing treats, like small snack packs of cookies, once in awhile, kids will learn that treats are not an everyday thing.
5. Kids will try new foods. Be sure to broaden your kids’ horizons when it comes to their snacks! Of course they will go for their favorites, but be sure to incorporate new foods into their choices as well. If you kids love granola bars, but aren’t so much into dried fruits, be sure to keep providing dried fruits they may come to enjoy.

A little independence goes a long way with fostering self-confidence!

I loved having snack stations for my kids. We had a basket in the pantry that was filled with stuff they liked, and a drawer in the refrigerator that was filled with things like string cheese, Go-gurt, fruit cups, etc. for them to choose from, too. Of course fresh fruit, baby carrots and cut cauliflower were always available for the taking. I like to purchase items in large bags and portion them into single serve sizes (think popcorn, pretzels, baby carrots) to save money since the already prepared snack-sized portions can get a little pricey. Even now my college-aged daughter will gravitate to the snack basket for an on-the-go snack when she is home, and it has solved the problem of the little neighbor guys wanting to open my hubby’s bag of Doritos since they can reach the “kid basket” and have more choices.

Ready for some awesome ideas? Your new snack station is going to be the talk of the lunch table. 😉

Snack Stations

Up first, this three-tiered snack station is awesome if you have space! And it comes with plans! This would be great as a produce stand, too. 

100 Things To Do

No time to build a stand? This tiered stand is super cute– and it has a great chalkboard you can write fun food puns on the chalkboard, like “I don’t carrot all which snack you choose!”

Lacking space for a stand? No problem! Snack stations come in all forms, and you can easily convert a drawer that you can stock weekly with everything needed for a healthy lunch and snacks in between. Keep everything nice and tidy with these expandable drawers dividers. 

Good Housekeeping

Don’t forget the fridge! Keep the kids out of your fancy Oui yogurt once and for all. 😉 Individual reusable snack containers work perfectly for snacks like grapes, carrots and cherry tomatoes! You could dedicate a shelf to the kids’ snacks with these great fridge/freezer storage bins, because your snacks are for you!

Pinterest

This snack station is pretty sweet! It even holds a mini fridge, which would be great for sports drinks, juice boxes and water bottles. Snack stations that are all-inclusive, meaning they hold everything for the kids, are the bomb!PB Teen

Stackable bins can often be found at the dollar store, making this snack station super inexpensive and easy to put together in one quick trip to the store. These bins look roomy and sturdy and would be perfect in a pantry. 

Little Green Notebook

Lower cabinets are kind of a pain for us grown-ups, but they are perfect for kids! I love this one that has corkboard on the doors and seems to show the school lunch calendar, which is a great idea. You could also have a grocery list tacked to the door so kids can write down items that need to be replaced, as well as requests for certain snacks. Baskets with chalkboard labels keep everything in its spot and kids know where to look for specific foods. 

Of Life and Lisa

 

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