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Enough With the Snack Bags Already!
Oh boy, here we go! I might just earn a spot on the “Should Never Have Been a Parent” list with this one, but let’s get real about a topic that needs to be addressed: the absurdity of post-game snack bags. Seriously, what’s the deal with these?
Can someone please explain why little Emily needs a snack after kicking a soccer ball around for an hour? Is she truly going to starve? Did she burn a gazillion calories while playing tag with the grass? And why do I need to buy, prep, and distribute snacks for a bunch of kids who aren’t even mine? It feels like yet another way to spend an extra $30 I don’t have!
Every sport my kids have been involved in has a rotation where each parent must bring snacks and drinks for the team. I get it if they were in a tournament and missing a meal, but come on! We’re talking about a 45-minute basketball game — snack required. Or an hour-long soccer match — snack required. Even little Oliver’s short hockey game mandates a post-game snack. These kids don’t need a treat after a playtime that’s shorter than the average cartoon episode! And let’s not even mention that during younger ages, they all get equal playtime. So whether you have a star player or not, there’s no need for snacks.
Then there’s the pressure of what snacks to bring. They have to be healthy (like any kid actually wants to munch on the apple slices you packed) and allergen-free (totally get this, so no shade on kids with allergies). But honestly, do kids really crave a cheese stick after a game? Plus, your creative snack bag isn’t just judged by the parents; the kids have their opinions too. I’ve seen kids turn their noses up at perfectly good snacks, calling them “gross!” If I were their parent, I’d be sending them straight to the water fountain instead.
Who came up with this ridiculous tradition? Is little Johnny really unable to finish his game without a goodie bag full of snacks that he’ll likely toss in the trash?
And don’t even get me started on gift bags at major competitions. My daughter does gymnastics, and we’ve started doing snack bags for the girls after meets. To be fair, their meets are long, often lasting four hours, so I’m all for giving them something to munch on while waiting for awards. But I’ve seen other gyms come in with snack bags that look like they were prepared for royalty. Just the other day, little Mia tossed her entire bag aside without a second glance at the effort put into it. Seriously, how about a simple “thank you” before tossing it away?
And to the parent who spent way too much time on that snack bag—please let me know how you found all that spare time. I’m sure someone will say, “Oh, but I just LOVE doing this for my little Camilla. She just loves to see what I put together!” Sure, but she might be the same kid who demands granite countertops when she buys her first house!
Can we go back to simpler times? You know, when kids did their chores and homework without a full snack bar afterward? I mean, how many of us got a snack after sporting events in the ‘80s? Yep, not a single hand will go up. We survived just fine. Nobody starved, and we got our treats from the concession stand if we deserved them.
In summary, it’s time to rethink the post-game snack bag tradition. Kids can survive a game without a treat, and they’ll be just fine.
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