Watch now: Set Up a Snack StationWhat’s a snack station? It’s a spot in the kitchen where family members can easily pack themselves a little snack. It has two drawers (or more if you want more snack options) for water bottles, containers and, of course, the family’s favorite snacks.
When is the snack station handy? Liu and her family use this spot every day. On weekdays, they pack a treat for school or work. In the afternoons, they fill small bowls with pick-me-up nibbles. And on the weekends, they reach for the trail mix before they go for a hike. If the whole family is headed to one of the kids’ sports games, they might snag a whole jar or two to share with other fans and athletes. She also serves guests a little something during happy hours at home. “For this purpose,” she says, “I always make sure to have some savory, salty or even spicy nuts in our snack station.”
Where should I put my snack station? Liu likes to use two drawers — one for containers and one for snacks — next to each other in a corner of the kitchen, out of the path of other kitchen activities.
What types of snacks work well at the station? Bulk goodies poured into matching airtight jars work well. Liu and her family like to buy in bulk because it offers variety, saves money and avoids plastic packaging. But don’t overbuy. “
There is really no need to buy a 10-pound bag of almonds for a family of four. It’s much more fun to keep smaller amounts but more variety on hand,” Liu says. “Plus finishing one jar and then letting the kids decide what type of nut or fruit or treat to get next turns out to be super fun for them.” Liu’s snack station has nuts, such as almonds, pecans, peanuts and cashews; the family’s favorite dried fruits, such as raisins, cranberries and apricots; and her kids’ favorite snack, dried mangoes. The kids can also pick up a few sweet treats, such as chocolate chips, jelly beans or gummy bears. “They know that they cannot pig out on those,” she says, “but adding a few chocolate chips to your snack mix helps all of us with that candy craving.”
How can I keep the containers organized? First, keep only a couple of empty snack containers for each person in the house. Then you’ll need to dedicate a drawer large enough to hold them. She matches each container with its lid and stores them together. “Yes, you give up on some of the space efficiency of stacking bottoms,” Liu says, “but in the end, who likes to rummage through lots of tops in order to find a match for the bottom?”
When do I clean the jars? When you get to the bottom of the jar, pull it out and wash it.
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