IMG_1519-1 Every night after the kids go to bed my husband and I restore order in our house and clean up all the little messes. Toy messes are one thing. I can handle plastic stuff being scattered all over my house. What I CAN’T handle is when food is scattered all over my house. I’ve found banana peels under beds, Cheerios in the doll house, and apple cores between the couch cushions. It’s during those moments when I feel completely overwhelmed and feel like things aren’t simply messy, but they’re DIRTY. There IS a difference. A few years back, I was at my friend’s house, and after nap time each day her kids knew it was snack time and would promptly get their snack and go sit on the “snack rug.” Food didn’t leave the kitchen. Genius. We now have our own snack rug, and it really is quite amazing. I don’t mind shaking out the rug after they’re done. It’s nothing compared to the deep cleaning I have to do otherwise. IMG_1517

Plus, I  just love snack time with my kids. I love how they all sit down together. I love watching their little faces smile up at me. I love to sit and enjoy time with them without the stress of feeling like the house is being trashed one crumb at a time. We have a lot of snacks around here, but a family favorite continues to be Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish® crackers. Our favorites are the baby fish and the pretzel fish. I like them because we can do all kinds of fun things with them. They’re great for counting, forming a line, and learning how to share. There really are so many fun activities to do with them. I took a look at GoldfishSmiles.com  and found so many adorable ideas to do with the kids. For all you creatives out there, be sure to hop over there and share the stories you come up with during snack time. 

They are giving away all kinds of prizes: Each month, entrants are asked to share a photo and story for a chance to win a case of product. There is also the opportunity to win the Grand Prize – an awesome trip to the U.S. location of the winner’s choice, so that he/ she can create more Goldfish tales!

I would love to hear what snack time looks like at your house. Do you have a special place your kids go to? Leave a comment to let me know and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card! XOXO, Amber  

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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected. 

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About Author

I'm a mom of four kids, raising them in Southwest Florida alongside my husband Jake! I love to share motherhood reflections, travel tips, and everything we're up to as a family!

156 Comments

  1. avatar
    Jessica Lorenz says:

    We love Gerber puffs for our 11month old twins. Our toddler loves goldfish, granola bars and trail mixes. They all love sharing blueberries, grapes and graham crackers!

  2. avatar

    Oh gosh…we have no structure around snack time in our house. I find things all over the place! But I absolutely love the idea of a snack rug and definitely need to start implementing it ASAP! We’re going to be moving soon, and I’d really like to keep the new house clean…at least as clean as it can be with a toddler running around 😉

  3. avatar

    Totally know where you’re coming from! Crumbs are not allowed! haha x

  4. avatar
    Mami2jcn says:

    My daughter has a little Step2 table she sits at for snacktime.

  5. avatar
    Mami2jcn says:

    tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/598929720621854720

  6. avatar

    Outside on the back porch!! =)

  7. avatar
    Jessica To says:

    We are really bad about snacking on the sofa!

  8. avatar
    Natalie says:

    My kids love to snack in the living room on their favorite chair. They also love to snack in the backyard.

  9. avatar
    steve weber says:

    My niece loves to sit right in front of the couch and eat her snacks

    groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com

  10. avatar
    Lindsay Hutchins says:

    Our open living space makes it easy for my kids to always eat at the kitchen table – so then they can sit at the table and watch a cartoon while they have their snack. I’m one of those moms who don’t allow food outside of the kitchen!

  11. avatar
    Elena says:

    My son likes to have a snack on a porch

  12. avatar
    Christy says:

    Our only snack outside the kitchen is before bed. Our 2 year old loves graham crackers or pretzels & raisins and we sit on the floor in front of the TV and watch a princess movie.

  13. avatar
    Kelly D says:

    My kids usually sit at the kitchen table when they enjoy a snack.

  14. avatar

    What a great idea! My son is only allowed to eat at the kitchen counter or in the kitchen. With that said, I only have one kiddo and I can only imagine how the food would spread with more than one!

  15. avatar

    Love this – we have a snack rug too! Although for us, it just happened naturally that they sit there to and wait for their snack. I agree, I love seeing them next to each other, looking up at me as they wait! 🙂

  16. avatar

    Snacktime extends to pretty much everywhere around here, but a majority of the stray crumbs are picked up by our dog. Seriously, I don’t know how people have young children and no dog!

  17. avatar
    Kim D says:

    I let the boys eat on the couch, which means we get plenty of crumbs on there and on the floor. There’s nothing worse than Cheerios all over the floor.

  18. avatar
    Julie Wood says:

    Well I think we are kind of messy. When it is nice outside, we have snack time out on the patio, so the mess can be cleaned up easily, but in the Winter we are a mess by eating our snacks on the couch while watching movies!

  19. avatar
    Sarah says:

    The best is to load them into the stroller for snack time. I get to be active and the mess is outside!

  20. avatar
    Jennai says:

    My kids like to go to the zoo and places like that and stuff fruit roll ups in their pockets!

  21. avatar
    Sara Percifull says:

    I love this idea! Snack time is pretty crazy at my house. I may have to invest in a snack rug!

  22. avatar
    shelly peterson says:

    A snack rug is a great idea. My grandson pretty much has snack anywhere.
    cshell090869 at aol dot com

  23. avatar
    shelly peterson says:

    tweeted
    https://twitter.com/cshell202/status/599764829306392576
    cshell090869 at aol dot com

  24. avatar
    Jessie C. says:

    My kids snack either in the kitchen or on the patio.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

  25. avatar
    Jessie C. says:

    -https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/599777609308766208

  26. avatar
    Gina M says:

    my son sits outside on the kid-size picnic table for a snack if it is nice outside.

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

  27. avatar
    Gina M says:

    tweet–https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/600008971987111937

  28. avatar
    Mindy says:

    Outside if possible!

  29. avatar

    My kids LOVE to snack! We usually try to sit by our picnic table in our breakfast nook or take our snacks outside 🙂

  30. avatar
    Kayla says:

    Snack time is always outside-weather permitting! They love to snack while they play. When weather doesn’t allow, we use the fun snack catchers by the table in side.

  31. avatar
    Amy Moyer says:

    We either have snack time at their little table or outside. I hate did in the living room also because I always end up scrubbing the couch or carpet if we do! This way, I enjoy snack time and seeing then share and laugh. It seems so stress free compared to meals and it’s our time to just enjoy each other and talk when everyone is calm and happy!

  32. avatar
    Candice Kantor says:

    We snack on the couch or at the kitchen table, but only things that can be cleaned up with a quick vacuum!

  33. avatar
    Melissa says:

    Either the kitchen table or in a blanket in the living room!

  34. avatar
    Kimmy Ripley says:

    My daughter loves to play outside in the sandbox! She could play there for hours.

  35. avatar
    Abby says:

    Depends on what snack my little is eating. If it is goldfish, cheerios or something small like that she gets it in a snack cup and can eat it wherever (that may change when we add more kids to the family). If it is bigger – graham crackers, a cookie, etc. we put her in her high chair to contain the mess. We have a dog, so any crumbs my daughter drops, the dog pounces on.

  36. avatar

    Snack time at my house is usually on the living room sofa

  37. avatar
    nickie says:

    My son likes to have a snack on the sofa

  38. avatar
    Tara O. says:

    My daughter loves to have her snacks in the living room. She has a little tray we use so she doesn’t make a mess on the couch or floor!

  39. avatar
    Margaret Smith says:

    Snack time is usually at our kitchen table or if it’s nice, at the table on our patio. Thanks so much.

  40. avatar
    Margaret Smith says:
  41. avatar
    Cynthia C says:

    The crumbs trailing around the house tell the whole story! I was never good at enforcing snacking rules.

  42. avatar
    paige chandler says:

    We snack on popcorn and pretzels during Sunday night game time.

  43. avatar
    Debbi Wellenstein says:

    Snacktime is usually at the kitchen table-we love popcorn and fruit, and Goldfish crackers!

  44. avatar
    Denise S says:

    My kids like eating in their room although I hate the mess they leave.

  45. avatar
    Angela W says:

    We snack on the breakfast nook

  46. avatar
    Stephanie V. says:

    We eat goldfish on a road trip whenever we saw an out of state license plate! We are in the car a lot so snack in the car a lot! At home, hummus and cashews are faves too!
    tvollowitz at aol dot com

  47. avatar

    When it is nice we go outside to eat, otherwise it’s wherever.

  48. avatar
    Ashley C says:

    We usually have an afternoon snack outside on the porch

  49. avatar
    Kiara says:

    We snack on the couch.
    austma7@aol.com

  50. avatar
    Barbara M says:

    In our home snack time is in the kitchen.
    thank you

  51. avatar
    Anastasia Falling says:

    Snack time usually coincides with homework time. So everyone is working and mom dishes up some snacks at the table to keep everyone going 🙂

  52. avatar
    sarah hirsch says:

    my kids usually watch tv while they have their snack

  53. avatar
    Stacey B says:

    I try very hard to keep snack times in the kitchen but it doesn’t seem to happen that way. Food always ends up in random places like you described in your blog post… A snack rug sounds like an awesome idea!!

  54. avatar
    mickeyfan says:

    Our snack time is like much of the rest of our lives…..total chaos.

  55. avatar
    Stephanie Phelps says:

    My kids always have their snack at the dining room table.

  56. avatar
    Jeffrey says:

    My kids are getting a little older so snack time isn’t as messy as it used to be, heck we had to have the vacuum cleaner on standby most of the time. When the youngest eats peanuts in the shell at the table he still makes a mess!

  57. avatar

    My kids always have snacks at our kitchen island. It’s convenient and easy to clean up. The dinner table is reserved for family dinners!

  58. avatar

    My kids can’t sit still to save their lives so they have mastered the art of eating on the go!

  59. avatar
    Johanna @Lillie's Lovelies says:

    We Eat our snacks at the table but for those with a few littles the rug is such a great idea! Just vacuum it up when you’re done!
    http://Www.lilliesloveliesbydgt.etsy.com

  60. avatar
    erica best says:

    we snack at the park

  61. avatar
    rachel cartucci says:

    My son enjoys playing with his food so he either eats in the kitchen or snacks at the coffee table in the living room(which has a rug underneath it that I can shake out when it’s dirty)

  62. avatar
    ANGEL JACKLYN says:

    DEF THE KITCHEN… RULES, UGH 😉

  63. avatar
    Kathleen says:

    My daughter sits on the couch for her snack time.

    kport207 at gmail dot com

  64. avatar
    Debbie B says:

    my niece & nephew enjoy their snacks on the couch in front of the tv

  65. avatar
    joe gersch says:

    We eat snacks in our den

  66. avatar
    Kristen says:

    Snack time mostly takes the form of grazing! We keep around fruit, peanut butter, cheese & crackers…and of course goldfish!

  67. avatar
    Rosanne Morrison says:

    They sit @ the kitchen island-graham crackers and milk are one of the snacks

  68. avatar
    joni says:

    My daughter curls up in her favorite spot on the couch with her snack.

  69. avatar

    Our house is sorely lacking in pantry space, so all of the snacks are just laying on one end of the kitchen table where we can just grab a snack and go whatever/whenever we want. 😀

  70. avatar
    rachel says:

    My daughter is one, so I haven’t mastered the art of getting her to sit for snacks!

  71. avatar
    Susan Smith says:

    My kids love to snack in the living room on the couch or on their bean bag.

  72. avatar
    Brenda Haines says:

    Since it’s sunny again, we like to snack outside as much as possible,

  73. avatar
    Leela says:

    The kitchen table or couch.

  74. avatar
    maria cantu says:

    Usually at the kitchen table.

  75. avatar
    Nicole Dziedzic says:

    We love snacking with Gold Fish on the go, like at the parks, lakes, and when out on the patio.

  76. avatar
    Erica B. says:

    They just like to cuddle up with their snacks.

  77. avatar
    Madeline says:

    Our child likes to snack in the living room while we watch TV. That sounds worse than it is. We don’t watch a lot of TV!

  78. avatar

    Snack are usually eaten at the kitchen table.

  79. avatar
    Karen Drake says:

    My granddaughter is allowed to snack in front of the tv, our livingroom has tile flooring so clean up is quick and easy.

  80. avatar
    D Schmidt says:

    Snacktime usually revolves around the lounge and a cup of tea

  81. avatar
    Daniel M says:

    usually in front of the tv

  82. avatar
    Stephanie Larison says:

    My oldest daughter eats on the couch while watching tv for snack time. My youngest is 9 months so she goes into the highchair.

  83. avatar
    kjasus says:

    snack time at our house is on the floor in front of a favorite tv show

  84. avatar
    Amanda Sakovitz says:

    We usually have snacks in the family room

  85. avatar
    Stephanie Galbraith says:

    Snack time at our house is typically chips and salsa in the living room. We all share.

  86. avatar

    Snack time is walnuts out of a Lalique Bowl!

  87. avatar
    Thomas Murphy says:

    We like to have our snacks in the living room.

  88. avatar
    Kerry says:

    My kids are older – so they snack pretty much everywhere all the time!

  89. avatar
    Marcia Goss says:

    We snack just about anywhere, sometimes at the kitchen table, sometimes on the couch while watching tv.

  90. avatar
    Francine Anchondo says:

    we have no structure for snack time sometimes we eat in the kitchen other times in the living room.

  91. avatar
    Sarah L says:

    No kids. I snack on popcorn, cheese and veggies.
    Thanks for the contest.

  92. avatar
    tina reynolds says:

    We love snacking on the picnic table that daddy built out in the back yard

  93. avatar
    Tabathia B says:

    they enjoy snacks at the kitchen table or on the patio at the table

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  94. avatar
    Tabathia B says:
  95. avatar
    Amy P. says:

    Snack time is definitely held in the kitchen!

  96. avatar
    Ellie Wright says:

    My boys have a little table they like to sit at when they have their snacks.

  97. avatar
    Sue Barney says:

    My boys usually eat their snacks at the dining room table while they are doing there homework!

  98. avatar
    Betty C says:

    My children are all adults now but when they were young their favorite gathering place was the kitchen table. They would snack and share their day, do homework or play games.

  99. avatar
    Richard Hicks says:

    When they get their little goldfish, they love eating them while watching cartoons

  100. avatar
    Tracey byram says:

    The kids eat snacks in their treehouse

  101. avatar
    Marie says:

    Nowadays the kids are usually eating their snacks as they run around the neighborhood playing with the other kids 🙂

  102. avatar
    Sarah says:

    My son loves to snuggle on the couch with a book while he eats a snack

  103. avatar
    Kathryn C says:

    #SweepstakesEntry
    during the warm weather, our special place for hanging out and snacking is our deck / picnic table- otherwise its the rec room sofa

    KC
    kacor7@hotmail.com

  104. avatar
    Charlene says:

    They normally snack at their little table, but also occasionally on the couch.

  105. avatar
    Heather says:

    I never thought of a snack rug! This is an awesome idea. My son is only 6 months so he just started eating solids (aka gumming).

  106. avatar

    I like to take my nephew to the forest preserves when he is over.

  107. avatar
    Tanya Reid says:

    we eat all our snacks at the kitchen table

  108. avatar
    Birdiebee says:

    Snack time at my house is when ever the grandkids get hungry. We like having popcorn with Goldfish Crackers, M&M’s and peanuts.

  109. avatar
    Denise L says:

    Sadly no special place. In fact, we’re usually snacking on the run!

  110. avatar
    Brailey says:

    Love this idea! With three boys 5 & under snacks at our house are a mess! I see a snack rug in our near future!!

  111. avatar

    Simply just had to mention I am just thankful I stumbled upon your site!.

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