Do you allow your kids to eat in the car?

[cdncasper]

Since I practically live in my van we are allowed food in it. The girls are allowed water or ice tea in sippy cups and easy to clean up food (cheese cubes, crackers, pretzels, apple slices and french fries)

 

[solmama]

Yes, I do. And sometimes they get a bit yucky, but for the most part there's nothing a vacuum or damp washcloth won't clean up. I only let them drink water in the car. And nothing super sticky or crumbly (hard to make a 13 mo old even sort of be neat). We go on two long road trips each year and snacks are part of the trip.

 

[lovemyfamily]

I try to limit it to stuff that is easily swept out of carseats, but it doesn't always happen that way. DH took them fishing the other day and on the way back got ice cream which he let them eat in the car. DS#1 is the cleanest eater, not a drop on his seat, but DS #2, his straps are covered in chocolate drops! UGH!

 

[Erika Ruth]

My Mother in Law had a no milk rule in her new van.

She INSISTED my daughter was hungry (she was 3 months old), I said she wasn't. I fed her anyway (Because my MIL who raised 4 kids told me she was).

I went to burp her. (We were stopped in a parking lot).

She threw up EVERYWHERE. It was projectile.

Guess what? She joked that I was a milk product, and wasn't allowed in the car...

(She gave up on that rule for grandkids, they drink Chocolate Milk in her cars now).

Erika

 

[Judi]

lol!

 

[broxbourneDELETE]

Sure we allow all sorts of dry foods like cheerios and bit-size brownies. But I don't allow any type of utensil or lollipops or popsicles b/c I am afraid the stick portion will get lodged somewhere bad in an accident. So far no major disasters.

 

[ThreeBeans]

You were a milk product! :ROTFLMAO:

 

[MsFacetious]

It's unavoidable unfortunately. They only drink water in the car and we stick with the least messy foods possible. But usually we are in the car for lunch and sometimes dinner so they have to have something to at least hold them over till we get home.

 

[CDNTech]

We always have Nalgene bottles with water in them in the car. Dry snacks are allowed and non-drip, non-messy food is allowed on long trips or all day outings with friends. Seriously, who wants to take 3 or 4 kids into a restaurant when all they want is some food and a bed at the end of a long day out.

NO ketchup or sauces or anything else that could stain. Soft drinks allowed on long trips but the drink stays up front in my cup holder and gets passed back for sips, then it's right back into my cup holder.

 

[InTheWoods]

Yes.

Nothing drippy or too messy and definitely no ice-cream. No open-top drinks. But pretty much anything else is fine.

We spend 1-3 hours in the car most days. Not eating in it would be unrealistic for us. The kids are so used to eating in the car that as soon as we get in it, 2yo DD says, "Sna-aack." Very habituated!

Kristin

 

[littleangelfire]

Yes. And I haven't really had any huge messes so far. The biggest thing I had to clean up was a size small ice water from McDonald's. My son tried to put it in the storage thing next to his seat, but it didn't fit. M&Ms aren't pretty, but he gets to pick a treat after a long grocery shopping trip and that's one of his favorites. On anything longer than a 10-15 minute trip, it can help keep him happy. Also, if I had to never go anywhere during, breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack times, I'd sure find myself at home a lot! LOL

We are actually the epitome of eating in the car, I've taken him to Sonic for no other purpose than so he can sit in the front seat and eat. Its his favorite mealtime treat to get to eat in the front seat of the car and pretend to drive.
Amy

 

[beeman]

Yup, my trucks a disaster. I eat sunflower seeds in it, so you really can't say no to much else if you allow those. No gooey stuff to slime on the seats, and just make sure the crumbs go on the floor.

 

[jn__]

nope. I'm paranoid they'll choke, I can't see t hem, plus my car is clean. I never even let my husband eat in the car! I do have water or gatorade in the console. I don't want to give them sippies because they are hard plastic.

So why then, did mice take up residence in MY clean immaculate car instead of my husband, which is parked right next to mine, and littered with fast food wrappers and leftover bits of fast food??? no fair.

 

[supercrunch]

We do allow foods that aren't going to make a huge mess, and water.

My ds has been dealing with silent reflux since he was born. It's hard to get him to eat some days...and the car is one of the places he is almost always willing to eat.

I just have to choose my battles


Oh...and we nearly lost a Roundabout to a little chocolate ball wrapped in foil when my ds was about 18 months old. He apparently snagged one at my dh's grandmothers house when we were on the way out the door. We found it when we arrived home late at night from the long drive. He had fallen asleep with it in his hot little hand and the thing just seeped chocolate everywhere.
It washed right out of the cover...but I had to break out the q-tips and work really hard to get all of the little nooks and crannies clean on the seat.

 

[beebear23]

We do eat/drink in the car. I try not do anything messy, but it happens all the time anway. We have 45 min. drives now just to get to a decent store, and we get thirsty/hungry.

And we can't even make an hour drive w/o at least one bottle of water, so we are always drinking in the car.

 

[Bryana'sMomma]

My dd has been eating in her black/grey Marathon for three years now and cover still looks new. I picked a great seat cover I guess.

 

[libranbutterfly]

ODD's current car seat is a WRECK, I hope to cut down on the eating in the car. I usually try to keep it to the dry foods, light drinks, but she is talented at making a mess. When we get our new seats, nothing but the occasional french fry, and cups of water. But I'm sure DH will contridict that.

 

[R&J'sMom]

My boys can only drink water in the van and have dry snacks like Teddy Grahams or crackers. I like my vehicles to stay nice and clean with no clutter. I use my hand vac and vacuum it out every night (only takes a couple minutes).

 

[Morganthe]

NO ketchup or sauces or anything else that could stain.

LOL -- Anyone else just laugh at the drive-through window clerk when they try to hand out ketchup & mustard packs to you?
I had a very concientious server yesterday at Sonic who came up 3 times with her tray making sure we didn't NEED Ketchup, mayo, or other sauces I was very polite, even though by the third time I wanted to bean someone in the head.

I don't mind crumbs, but optional items that stain & clump -- YUCK! :thumbsdown:

 

[TxMomma]

I don't anymore. The new MA is too pretty and if Ashlynn saw the other two eating she would throw a fit! Besides they'll be getting their Regents soon and I want them to look nice as long as possible. Plus I'm tired of finding old food in my floor board lol.

Yeah, I'm quoting myself lol.

The most we are ever in the car is 20 minutes or so. I will let them have water in straw cups anytime, no matter the length of the trip. If we were to go on a longer drive I would not deprive them, it would just have to be something that doesn't stain and isn't sticky.