How do I stop little ones from raiding the fridge and leaving empty containers and wrappers all over?

Question

I am beyond frustrated. Two of three of my children think it is acceptable to raid the kitchen and take food upstairs (on carpet), and not only devour the food but hide the garbage behind dressers, t.v.s or pretty much anything that will stand still! I would not be so upset if the garbage managed to find its way to the trash but my 7 and almost 5 year old find it easier to simply hide it. I have bought a locked pantry for all snacks and dry goods, and thought that would be sufficient. That is until I went upstairs and found cheese wrappers and empty bottles of gatorade and other beverages; not just empty bottles but open empty bottles (they did not even bother to put the cap back on, to reduce the chances of lets say...ANTS!!) I can not do any permanent damage to my refrigerator like put a lock on it...but need some suggestions! Are there tubs out there that can be locked so I can put my refrigerator items in the fridge and have a lock on them? What do I do? How do I keep my little ones out of the fridge and stop the garbage that has the potential of turning into an ant catastrophe?

Answer 1

Very simple old fashioned cure:  You whip them!

Answer 2

I had the exact same thing with my two.  I knew when we moved in this house I would allow them to have food in their rooms, because I wanted them to feel at home and get a sense that the house belonged to them, too.  Wanted them to have some respect for their room and their stuff.  Did not work.  At that age, they did not care.  I have found a glass half full of what used to be milk.  Luckily, it did not spill, because it was now alive.  Literally.  

Anyway, I sat each of them down and told them they do not have to hide the evidence under their bed, etc.  It is ok to eat in there.  I put a large enough trash can in their rooms and said that all trash should go in there and be brought down on trash days. Then, I made a special place for "their" snacks - a bowl on the bar in the kitchen.  I always make sure there is something in there salty and something sweet and something healthy.  That way, I know what they are eating and they don't have to go digging in the back of the fridge to find something that won't be missed.  I tried to teach them how to fix other things as they grew older (hot pockets in the microwave, etc.) and they do all right.  I don't want them to feel like a visitor in their own home by not being allowed to have a simple snack in their own room.  I could not very well eat in my room and then not allow them to.  

Answer 3

just tell them that you arent going to buy anymore snacks if it happens again.. thats what my mom used to tell me and my sister when we were little and we wanted our food so we didnt do it again!!

Answer 4

you should punish them.

Answer 5

That is completely unacceptable and nasty. At the ages of five and seven they should be able to follow basic rules.

Sit down with them and establish rules for snacking. Like no food can be eaten outside of the kitchen and dining room. And let them know the consequences of trashing the upstairs.

Answer 6

hide all of their food. and purposly only keep the stuff out that they hate but you love. and only feed them for meals and then maybe one snack a day. and tell them the food wont go back in teh kitchen untill they clean up thier act and dont act like savages. i say buy a cheap mino fridge or cooler and lock it in your closet in your bedroom or soemthing and put everything int ehre for a few days. dont let them know where the goodies are. good luck!

Answer 7

get on to them and putt locks on the fridge freezer snack cabenit and all that good stufe (not kide profe a 7 year old can get throught that) but a lock with a key or number code)

Answer 8

OOOH SNAPP! i did not read ALL OF THIS..BUT i know what u mean:))

all you need to do is tell them that if they DONT WANT ANTS/COCKROACHES in there awesum room crawling around them while there asleep TO NOT LEAVE wrappers like a person in the jungle would!! they will FREAK OUT and do what YOU TELL THEM:)))

hehe TRUST ME IVE DONE THIS, with my nephews and IT WORKS:)

Answer 9

For every wrapper/container you find, they lose an hour of television time or some other type of punishment

OR

For a week do not put any food, that kids would want to eat at least, into the fridge. Just cook frozen food or buy from outside, threaten that if you see ONE more empty container or wrapper you would continue like this

Answer 10

discipline your children they need it. there developing eating disorders. spank them.

or you can just put big trashcans in every room. whatever you want

Answer 11

I have the same problem I keep foods out of there reach doesn't work all the time but I do not let them leave the dining room with food. I will track them down if they do. I'm constantly on them about picking up trash they throw down. Don't know if they will grow out of this but I hope so Good Luck if you figure out how tell me please

Answer 12

Understandably, you don't want to have to lock your food up and you don't want to set up that type of expectation for your kids once they are older.  Only allow them snacks in the house while you are able to watch them - that way snack time is preset and should (hopefully) only take a small chunk out of your day.  When they are finished eating establish a clean up routine.  If you can consistently build a tradition with your kids to clean up their snacks then they can be responsible for it.  

It will be difficult for a time to keep them from raiding what food you do have in your home, so you may have to remove the temptation until they can take care of it themselves.