Anyone who has children will know that the treat box has supernatural powers.
I can hear the innate object, filled with goodies, come to life calling me from the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard, even when I am outside pegging the washing. It’s on the top shelf to stop the Kid’s freely accessing it…unfortunately I am 5’8″ and can reach.
It’s ‘Two for Tuesday’ this week as I have two top tips to resist the calling:
1. Make a box/tub/container (note I didn’t say buy) that has a lock on it. Lock it and send the key to school with the kids
or…. and more sensibly
2. Only buy one or two types of treat to last just 7 days.
Okay so how does number 2 work?
As a species we crave variety. I don’t know exactly why, perhaps back in our foraging days way back, humans looked for a variety of foodstuffs – natures way of ensuring we had a wide selection of nutrients maybe? I can’t say – I’m no expert.
I’ve read a little on the subject and it would seem that by reducing choice/variety we may be able to reduce the amount we eat. This tip is probably starting to make a little more sense.
🙂
The Wright Kiddos do have treats, I’m not a no-chocolate Mommy. I don’t buy chewy sweets, because I am concerned about their teeth – but everyone’s different and has different concerns about their children’s wellbeing.
What I do is buy two types of treat, so for example this week we had treat-size chocolate buttons, and treat-size bags of small chocolate coated biscuit nibbles.
What this achieves is that firstly it is very ‘childlike’ chocolate targeted at a young palate, not really my 36-year old palate. So I am not so tempted.
Secondly even if I am desperate and really cannot resist eating a pack of buttons (the biscuits really do not do it for me!) then I am unlikely to eat a second packet either straight away or later in the day. I crave variety, not 2,3,4 packets of buttons!
By not buying the variety-bag of treat-size chocolate bars, I without a doubt pilfer the Kids treats less – Fact!
If in doubt as to whether this works – try it – and please don’t forget to let me know if my top tip works for you!
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