She Said, Z Said: Snack Time
Will someone dare to turn the tables on peewee-league post-game smorgasbords?
She: You know I like going to Koss’ games, but I think I’m over the whole snack thing.
Z: You’re a sick and twisted spoilsport. Besides, you love snacks.
She: I like pretty little cheese tidbits to go with my wine. But why must every single soccer, baseball, basketball and chess game be celebrated with a mini-party of junk food?
She: When there’s wine or margaritas. But for kids’ sports, isn’t the game itself enough? Why must there be snack?
Z: Because they’re children. If they run around picking daisies and doing cartwheels — or maybe playing sports — for an hour, then they had better be fed. Otherwise, they may starve and die.
She: The worst is the four o’clock games. The game ends at five, and then it doesn’t matter what snack you get the kids, ‘cause all the parents are going to be annoyed that their kids aren’t hungry for dinner.
Z: That’s why I like to bring doughnuts to those games. And Coke.
She: It’s out of control. Next thing you know, the mothers will be sewing themselves cheerleading outfits and dancing on the sidelines with pompoms — for the math superbowl.
Z: Sweet. Time to start studying math.
She: It sounds good, but it’s really very complicated.
Z: Only if you make it that way.
She: When it’s your turn to be snack mom, you have to remember to bring your kid, his ball, cleats and shin guards, a camera, sunscreen, lip gloss and chairs. On top of that, you’ve got an ice chest filled with drinks and fruit for the half-time snack, and bags filled with salty or sweet snacks for the after-game snack. Plus napkins for the one fastidious kid who won’t wipe the watermelon on his shorts, and a bag for the trash. And, of course, I had to bring scissors to help open the packaging. It’s crazy.
Z: Doughnuts and Coke are much easier.
She: Then there are the extra snacks you need to have on hand.
Z: For what?
She: It doesn’t matter how many drinks and snacks you bring, the number of brothers and siblings and friends always exceeds the amount of food, and I refuse to be the mom who made that poor little girl cry because we didn’t have an extra red Gatorade for her.
Z: Red Gatorade?
She: Koss likes the yellow but insists we bring the red, too, because that’s what some of his teammates like.
Z: I love that red is the flavor of something. The only thing that tastes better is blue.
She: I don’t want to be the Grinch who cancels snack time, but I wish someone would step up and bring an end to the madness.
Z: We were one of the first to stop giving out those stupid goodie bags at birthday parties.
She: The ones with the plastic toys that litter your back seat for seven years and the candy that tastes like sweet plastic?
Z: Big bag o’ useless crap. I’m pretty sure it was a conspiracy by landfill owners who were getting nervous about all this recycling.
She: Sounds like a good idea, but I don’t know if I have the cojones to stop bringing snack. It’s different.
Z: Why?
She: Because the one time you don’t bring it could be the one time that they actually need it. I could be responsible for the whole team losing.
Z: On the other hand, you may prevent a few kids from getting diabetes.
She: Sure, but is it really worth the risk?
Z: Yes, dear.
Should sports snacks be abolished? Tell She and Z at .
» wrote on 10/25/08 @ 10:10 PM
Yes! Thank you. This is a pet peeve of mine too. Plus, if some parents think it’s important for their kids to consume some junk food after the game, let them go over to the snack tent so at least the money will go to AYSO. I think I’ll use that for my argument next year. People understand money more than good nutrition.
» wrote on 10/15/08 @ 04:43 PM
I knew Sarah would be all over this one. I agree 100%. It’s totally out of control. Besides the nutritional factors, just think of all the trash one AYSO Saturday generates. So why do all the parents look at you like you just said we should cancel Christmas if you suggest dispensing with soccer snacks?
» wrote on 10/10/08 @ 04:33 PM
Absolutely. With all of the overweight kids out there making unhealthy choices there is no reason to encourage more snacking.
» wrote on 10/07/08 @ 06:24 PM
Yes! A thousand times yes! With my U12 boys’ team we have eliminated the after-game snack and now just do fruit and liquid during half-time as their games are longer and the field is huge and they get tired.
I have suggested eliminating it in past years but have not always been up for the fight. There was a wonderful NYT op-ed on this a few years ago that I saved and refer to often.
--SW
» wrote on 10/06/08 @ 11:43 PM
Yes; let ‘em eat ketchup!
» wrote on 10/06/08 @ 04:35 PM
My husband and I gripe about this all the time. Thanks for bringing it out in the open.
» wrote on 10/06/08 @ 02:48 PM
Ha! Been there, done that. I was the first to bring granola bars and real apple juice (not the watered down, extra sugar added stuff). The kids looked at the healthy snacks, then looked at me as though I were a space alien, then tried to discover whether the granola was edible. Few takers.
One scientific point, though - eating sugar doesn’t cause diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where you stop making insulin; nothing you eat or drink could cause it. Type 2 results from too much body mass (i.e. fat), and your own insulin doesn’t work well. So, being overweight is a risk factor for 2, which could be extrapolated to eating too much of anything (besides celery).
I always enjoy your column! Go, Leslie!
» wrote on 10/06/08 @ 12:09 PM
This was a great conversation, and one we have all had
and never dared to print. The gogurt sugar sacks are my favorite fake food to toss to the future Olympians...that way there are more donuts for me.
» wrote on 10/06/08 @ 10:50 AM
Here, here! I am so with you guys about the over-dependence on snacking. Let’s get rid of it now before our kids are too fat and stupid to ever make that decision.