Food in the house

ArcticFox

Do you have rules about food in the house?

I remember my mom was pretty strict about it, food at the table only, but then she did get more lax and we would eat while we watched TV in the living room (snacks, not meals).

I however am so lax about it.. I think it is because I find it tough to chase both kids.  DD is eating a cheese sandwich on her bed watching a movie while I feed the baby downstairs and eat my lunch.  

I think though I am going to have to start enforcing rules about food in the kitchen only.  DD has been good about not making messes, but she doesn't sit well for meals.  My DH is rarely home so it's not like we eat as a 'regular family', but then when we go somewhere, DD never wants to sit through a meal.

Read2Me

My only rule is no food upstairs.  We all eat our meals at the dining room table but I let Eva snack at her art table or sitting on the couch.  She knows she can't walk around with food though, not because I don't allow it but because our dog would snatch up whatever she has right out of her hands.  Oh, I also don't allow non-covered cups away from the table.

brightning

As a general rule, DD has to be at the table to eat. Sometimes I'll allow dry Cheerios and a sippy of milk in the livingroom if she wants an early morning snack and I don't feel like making full-on breakfast at 6 a.m. But otherwise, I'm pretty strict about it (but it doesn't feel like being strict because this is the only way it's ever been so she just knows and it isn't hard to enforce).

VTbride05

We eat all meals at the table. Most snacks too. Rarely DS and I will sit on the rug in the living room and share a snack. We don't bring food upstairs or into our bedroom. So yeah, I am pretty strict about it.

April37

My only rule is that meals have to be eaten at the table.  I allow snacks on the couch, etc.  Oh, and I do give her a covered cup if she has a drink away from the table.

jlw2505

Food stays in the kitchen.  We eat at the table or the girls sit at the counter on the bar stools.  Drinks are at the table unless they are in their water bottles.  Every once in a while we do a movie night and will order in a pizza or have popcorn upstairs but not often (and since we just had the carpets cleaned this week - it will be awhile before we do it again!!!).  No food in the bedrooms although after the girls go to sleep, I will sometimes have a snack in my room but not very often at all as I try not to eat anything after dinner but I'll bring my tea or hot choc. with me if I'm reading or watching TV.  DH does snack upstairs at night while watching TV on the couch but again, he's not messy like the girls so not a big deal to me.

jsugrin

We're not strict at all, but we also have all hardwood so it's an easy clean up.  Our only rule is zero TV and eating, and that one I plan on seeing through for all long as possible.

luvmagoldn

Meals and snacks are eaten at the table. The only exception is popcorn in the family room when we watch a movie.   Food doesn't go upstairs.  I don't even like having sippy cups upstairs.  It's hard enough to keep track of them downstairs!

I'm pretty sure we would have continued to enforce this even if DS #3 didn't have food allergies.   Eating at the table is a good way to make sure cheesy, milky residue doesn't end up all over the house though.

howleyshell

Food at the table only (unless we're snacking on the go outside the house).

The only thing they're able to carry outside the kitchen is water but they don't really do it.  

They don't watch a lot of TV so there's not really a good reason for them to not come sit at the table if they want food. 

nsees

Meals are almost all eaten at the kitchen table.  Snacks are to be on the little kids table in the family room but DS2 sometimes takes his around to the different rooms.  I used to be pretty lax too but doing it this way does definitely cut down on the mess.

ceecee31

We allow DD to have small snacks (mess free) in her room like apple slices or granola bars--nothing crunchy or crumbly--and if it does break apart, it breaks up into clumps which is easy to pick up.  Meals, however, are always eaten at the table as a family--DH works out of town alot so when he's home, all 3 of us sit together and when he's not DD and I do.  I was raised by my grandparents and they handled meals the same way; breakfasts, lunches and dinners at the table and snacks in my room or outside.