I’m getting lazy. I’ve stolen the idea for this post from a comment I made on a post of Andrea’s yesterday about Tupperware. Sad, isn’t it? I was up all night with a barfy Simon, and I have to cram this in before the Bob the Builder DVD is done, so this is as good as it will get today.
Ahem, anyway…
I thought that having a kid in half-day kindergarten would allow me to dodge the bagged lunch woes for at least a couple of years, but I’m finding snack time almost as stressful.
Tristan is in morning junior kindergarten, which goes from 9:00 to 11:30. We’re supposed to send a snack and a drink every day. A healthy snack. A healthy snack that Tristan might actually eat. I mean, he’s only there for two and a half hours, how much does the kid need to eat in a day?
But fine, I’ll send a snack. Tristan’s actually a lot better with snacks than actual meals anyway. My real complaint is with the requirement for a drink. I hate tetra pack juice boxes. Hate them! I hate the waste, and the fact that they aren’t recyclable. And I still tend to water down the boys’ juice, which I can’t do with a juice box.
Well, you say, you could send a drink in one of those re-useable drink boxes with the straw, couldn’t you? Except I’ve yet to find one that doesn’t leak. At least three times so far this year, I’ve had to leave Tristan’s backpack spread out to air dry overnight after a leak.
On Parent’s Night at the end of September, I spoke up and asked if there was a water fountain that the kids could use, instead of wasting all the packaging of juice boxes. Not only the teachers but the parents looked at me like I had three heads. Uh – sure, the teacher said, looking rather bewildered.
And so I buy and send juice boxes. I hate the wasted packaging, I hate the extra sugar and I hate the cost. It figures that the one time I try to take the moral high road, it’s the wrong choice. And I’ve stopped worrying about thinking of goldfish and raisins as a healthy snack, too. At least the bag always comes back empty!
We refill bottled water bottles with a bit of juice and water – halfway. So far, they haven’t leaked for us.
I don’t like those reusable straw boxes either. They do leak!
What about a sippy cup, the ones with the the straws? Not a fan of sippy cups either, but they don’t leak and you can control what’s in them.
We refill bottled water bottles with a bit of juice and water – halfway. So far, they haven’t leaked for us.
I don’t like those reusable straw boxes either. They do leak!
What about a sippy cup, the ones with the the straws? Not a fan of sippy cups either, but they don’t leak and you can control what’s in them.
Tetra pack juice boxes aren’t recyclable? *blink*
I think they are here.
Tetra pack juice boxes aren’t recyclable? *blink*
I think they are here.
Dani,
The juice boxes are recyclable, I just got a notice in with my water tax bill about what Ottawa is “good” and “needs work” at recycling. Throw them in your blue box is what the paper says! I also did not know this!
I too try not to buy the juice boxes. I use the rubbermaid re-usable ones, I only half fill them because Colin won’t drink a whole on anyways. I find that they leak once they warm up, so keep it cold. I prepare the night before so that the whole container is in the fridge overnight then it is on an ice pack in his lunch box. It has leaked once on us so far like this and that was because Coin didn’t close the spout. If they are warmed up, just unscrew the lid a little to change the pressure in the container and then it will be fine too. OK, can you tell I work in an elementary chool and deal with these problems daily?
Good luck, I am also struggling with snacks…i try to send fruit every day becasue I have discovered that he will eat it there! I know it is not getting thrown out because Colin even repacks his apple cores!
Brenda
Dani,
The juice boxes are recyclable, I just got a notice in with my water tax bill about what Ottawa is “good” and “needs work” at recycling. Throw them in your blue box is what the paper says! I also did not know this!
I too try not to buy the juice boxes. I use the rubbermaid re-usable ones, I only half fill them because Colin won’t drink a whole on anyways. I find that they leak once they warm up, so keep it cold. I prepare the night before so that the whole container is in the fridge overnight then it is on an ice pack in his lunch box. It has leaked once on us so far like this and that was because Coin didn’t close the spout. If they are warmed up, just unscrew the lid a little to change the pressure in the container and then it will be fine too. OK, can you tell I work in an elementary chool and deal with these problems daily?
Good luck, I am also struggling with snacks…i try to send fruit every day becasue I have discovered that he will eat it there! I know it is not getting thrown out because Colin even repacks his apple cores!
Brenda
oh, I thought I would add the web site they also list…ottawa.ca/rethinkgarbage
oh, I thought I would add the web site they also list…ottawa.ca/rethinkgarbage
I am not ready to deal with stuff like this. Thank you, thank you so much, for giving me things to plan to agonize about.
I am not ready to deal with stuff like this. Thank you, thank you so much, for giving me things to plan to agonize about.
We use the rubbermaid straw cups, too. Like Brenda, we put in a freezer pack and only have seen leaks when she doesn’t close it after drinking. And, horrible parents that we are, we send MILK! Sarah has complained that her friends have juice boxes, and we say tough – but then we made the concession of adding strawberry or chocolate flavouring so she’s happy now.
Rice cakes, mini-go, and cheese strings are popular snack choices for Sarah these days.
We use the rubbermaid straw cups, too. Like Brenda, we put in a freezer pack and only have seen leaks when she doesn’t close it after drinking. And, horrible parents that we are, we send MILK! Sarah has complained that her friends have juice boxes, and we say tough – but then we made the concession of adding strawberry or chocolate flavouring so she’s happy now.
Rice cakes, mini-go, and cheese strings are popular snack choices for Sarah these days.
“Juice Volcanoes” a.k.a. tetras are not encouraged in our daughter’s SK class… besides, she would throw most of it away. Rubbermaid flip top has always been fine though she often asks if she can “just drink from the fountain”.. SHOCKING! Yogurt tubes, applesauce, small amount of fresh fruit or veg… they only get like 5 mins to eat. I figure it’s more about the social skills than the eating.
“Juice Volcanoes” a.k.a. tetras are not encouraged in our daughter’s SK class… besides, she would throw most of it away. Rubbermaid flip top has always been fine though she often asks if she can “just drink from the fountain”.. SHOCKING! Yogurt tubes, applesauce, small amount of fresh fruit or veg… they only get like 5 mins to eat. I figure it’s more about the social skills than the eating.
Our school only allows water for JK/SK. The note they sent home said to send water or let the kids drink from the fountain we have right in the classroom. They don’t want juice or milk due to cleaning up spills. I use the rubbermaid drink boxes and haven’t found too many problems with leaking. In the summer, when the heat seems to cause a capillary action and force the juice/water up the straw if the box is left sitting, I just take the straws out. You have to tip your head to drink from them, but they don’t make a mess.
Our school only allows water for JK/SK. The note they sent home said to send water or let the kids drink from the fountain we have right in the classroom. They don’t want juice or milk due to cleaning up spills. I use the rubbermaid drink boxes and haven’t found too many problems with leaking. In the summer, when the heat seems to cause a capillary action and force the juice/water up the straw if the box is left sitting, I just take the straws out. You have to tip your head to drink from them, but they don’t make a mess.
Ditto here for the Rubbermaid Straw things – very few leaks. We keep the box in the lunch kit so if there is a leak, you only need to wipe out the lunch box.
For snacks – baby carrots are popular as are mini rice cakes, cheese and crackers.
But kids are fickle and sometimes it all comes home – just as it was sent.
Ditto here for the Rubbermaid Straw things – very few leaks. We keep the box in the lunch kit so if there is a leak, you only need to wipe out the lunch box.
For snacks – baby carrots are popular as are mini rice cakes, cheese and crackers.
But kids are fickle and sometimes it all comes home – just as it was sent.
My younger kids keep reusable water bottles in pockets in their backpacks. For snacks, it’s ususally graham crackers, string cheese, or grapes.
My younger kids keep reusable water bottles in pockets in their backpacks. For snacks, it’s ususally graham crackers, string cheese, or grapes.
I know what you mean! Water here is better for them anyway, fewer calories, flouridated for teeth, less sugar. Yet you suggest the water fountain and suddenly the DFYS is calling. It’s better to do the fountain with a piece of fruit than a juice box. But the lure of the straw . . .
I know what you mean! Water here is better for them anyway, fewer calories, flouridated for teeth, less sugar. Yet you suggest the water fountain and suddenly the DFYS is calling. It’s better to do the fountain with a piece of fruit than a juice box. But the lure of the straw . . .
Hey Dani, those tetra paks are recyclable. You put them in your blue box. Hubby didn’t believe me until the “garbage report” came last week and I was able to show him tetra paks on the list.
As for me, we buy the “sun-rype” brand veggie juice and mix it half with water. J still uses a sippy most of the time, but I bought a Starbucks small sized travel mug and it doesn’t leak (if you close it properly) and he has been using that more and loves it. Or try those “chubby” brand water bottles, when Tristan finished the water, keep the bottle and refill it.
Best of luck!
Hey Dani, those tetra paks are recyclable. You put them in your blue box. Hubby didn’t believe me until the “garbage report” came last week and I was able to show him tetra paks on the list.
As for me, we buy the “sun-rype” brand veggie juice and mix it half with water. J still uses a sippy most of the time, but I bought a Starbucks small sized travel mug and it doesn’t leak (if you close it properly) and he has been using that more and loves it. Or try those “chubby” brand water bottles, when Tristan finished the water, keep the bottle and refill it.
Best of luck!
I use the bottles with the pull up spout, and usually they do not leak. I also like to buy those little screwtop juice bottles, and then reuse them. I water the juice down too.
I use the bottles with the pull up spout, and usually they do not leak. I also like to buy those little screwtop juice bottles, and then reuse them. I water the juice down too.
Rubber maid here too. NEver leaks unless warm. Ice pak on top. As for Healthy sanck my guy is pickier than Tristan so I send Garnola bars and cheeze. Never friut. He won’t eat it.
Nathan doesn’t like change.
Rubber maid here too. NEver leaks unless warm. Ice pak on top. As for Healthy sanck my guy is pickier than Tristan so I send Garnola bars and cheeze. Never friut. He won’t eat it.
Nathan doesn’t like change.