feeding kids while your at work

Ooh, they could do the farmer's market on Wednesdays!
I like the "in single serve containers" theory - it can work.
I know my kids are active and growing and are probably eating the right amount since they aren't gaining unnecessary weight - It just seems like they are eating a lot more - of course they never eat outside of home during this time either.
Thanks for some useable advice MagnetMom!
And cereal isn't a breakfast food in my house either.

I work from home, but it's an old two-story house and what happens on one floor, stays on one floor. :)

My son played water polo for two years in high school and was eating six or more full meals a day. Since I'm of the multitasking meal making philosophy, I'm as likely to make double batches of lasagna or whatever. Imagine my surprise when a day later an entire TRAY was gone.

If the kids are old enough to be left home alone, then I'd say they're also old enough to know what food is snack food, and what's off limits. For my son, the rule was large trays NO-NO, little leftover containers--Open Season. Anything in a leftover container is available--pasta, chicken, etc. Or cereal and milk (which isn't considered breakfast food here, for whatever reason).

My daughter's not allowed to have peanut butter at school, so her new fav is to make her own half PBnJ.

I feel you on the summer fruit, but I don't know an alternative to going back often--it goes from ripe to beyond ripe so fast, it almost has to be gobbled up quickly. Can the kids be in charge of returning to the store (on bikes or by bus) or the Farmer's Market and picking up fruit for you during the week?

Have a great summer!

I apologize that my post comes across as a judgment; it is not. I'm reading what you're posting, and I've gone back and re-read and posted accordingly. I did post a few suggestions to your situation both with regard to new snack ideas as well as how to deal with the situation. Here is a recap of what you said that stood out to me in *your* prior posts:

"I try to limit the amount of junk I bring into the house, and separate snack food into single portions but that doesn't always keep my kids from boredom (or chore-avoidance) eating when they are at home and I am not."

"... when the herd is in they eat the whole buffalo. I have had to change my shopping habits because if I buy enough fruit to last us 2 weeks they will eat it all in 2 days and then pay the consequences."

"And I hate going to the store - I try to go every two weeks, but then I end up running back to buy fruit..."

"They don't have this problem when I am there, just when they are on their own."

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Of course with any post on this website or any other site, you can take the help offered or ignore it. You asked for advice; I gave mine. Take it or leave it. I won't be hurt if you do what you want in the end.

I wish you and your kids the best.

I don't keep rebuying if they eat more than their allowance for the two weeks. I have just adjusted the buying of certain items (fruit being the number on culprit) to small batches and doling it out in little bits rather than letting them eat it until they get sick. Maybe I stated it wrong, but I wanted some new ideas on what kinds of things I can have prepared ahead of time so it remains convenient for them to eat the healthy stuff instead of the junk. They have been told flat-out that what is brought into the house on grocery day is it until the next grocery day and it is up to them if they want to eat it all at once or stretch it out over the two weeks - since fruit and veggies are some of their favorite things - I have changed my buying habits to fit the need.
Once again, as I have mentioned to others - there is a difference between offering help and advice and judging a situation you haven't seen - I am sure your kids have never overindulged in anything in their lives because you are the perfect example to them at all times.