One spot in our kitchen that everyone loves is the snack drawer. It’s easy to find and full of yummy bites that kids (and admittedly adults) enjoy munching on. If you have little ones in your home, creating one of these is truly a kitchen staple.
The main reason it’s such a hit for both kids and parents is that whenever your kids are hungry, they can head to the snack drawer—meaning they don’t have to constantly ask you for a snack. It’s a win-win!
Making a kid-friendly snack drawer might seem a little overwhelming, but with the right organizers, it’s easy and fun. My daughter Charlotte actually enjoys organizing the drawer and helped get it all ready for these photos!
Before you can fill a spot with snacks, it’s important to choose an easy-to-reach space and determine how you’d like to organize it. I’ve broken everything down below, from tips for making a snack drawer to the best bags, containers, dividers, and other staples for keeping it clean.
Snack Drawer Organizers
How to Create a Kid-Friendly Snack Drawer
- Choose an accessible place.
First and foremost, your drawer should be located somewhere that’s easy and safe for your kids to access, depending on their needs and ages. Ours is a bottom drawer, but maybe you’d prefer a section of the pantry or a specific shelf or drawer in your fridge. Determine what location works best and then build out from there. - Make it easy to keep tidy.
Invest in organizers that are simple and straightforward. You don’t want a convoluted set-up that’s hard to tidy and frustrating for kids to figure out. We have simple wooden dividers in ours, but clear containers, rotating lazy Susans, and bags can all be useful. - Get your littles involved.
They’ll be the ones pulling snacks from here (though nothing stops you from making the most of it either!), so it’s important to have your kids’ input on what snacks they love most. It’s also a great way to teach them about responsibility and helps them get in touch with their feelings and independence surrounding eating. - Set monthly clear-outs.
This can be monthly or another frequency that works for your schedule. The important thing is planning time to clean your drawer and reorganize it, as it can get messy—especially during busy times of the year. Add it to your usual cleaning checklist, and be sure to clear out all the snacks so you can clean the drawer itself, too, of any crumbs or spills. These all-purpose cleaning wipes are safe for skin and surfaces and make your drawer sparkling clean again. - Balance nutritious and fun.
I think it’s best to strike a balance between snacks that are healthy and tasty at the same time, so you can relax knowing your kids are getting the nutrients they need. If you need some ideas for healthy snacks, I have an entire list dedicated to that exactly! Filling that snack drawer and their lunch boxes will feel so much easier.
Snack Drawer Essentials
Keep scrolling for a list of useful snack drawer organizers that make it so simple to keep your drawer clean and compartmentalized. Both you and your kids will love it! I’ve pulled various options for each category that you can shop from, depending on how big your drawer is, what the setup is like, and where it’s located (in a cabinet, as part of a set of drawers, or in the fridge, for example). Happy snacking!
Dividers
These are so helpful for keeping different types of snacks separated and rows of bags or bars in order. We have three dividers and four separate compartments in our snack drawer, making it easy to offer the kids a variety of snacks and rotate them throughout the year.
BINS AND CONTAINERS
I love a good container, and there are so many amazing ones to choose from that make organization a breeze! They can keep bags in place and are ideal for separating out snack types, like sweet, salty, and fresh options. These are also helpful for snacks that aren’t prepackaged or that you buy in bulk.
AIR-TIGHT CONTAINERS
Nothing ruins snack time like a stale taste! For bites and munchies that come in bulk or need an extra layer of protection from air or other odors, these containers do the job. From snap lids to twist-off options, you have lots of choices and can choose based on what your kids find easiest to use and put away.
BAGS AND POUCHES
These are essentials for separating snacks you buy in bulk that don’t have one-time containers or bags. They also create an added level of convenience when you’re packing their lunches for school, as you can grab a bag from the drawer that’s already pre-filled. Equally, you can reuse these pouches and wash them out over and over again.
FRIDGE SNACK DRAWER ESSENTIALS
If you opt for a snack drawer in your fridge, there are a bunch of organizers you can use to make it easy for your kids to find snacks and drinks. From acrylic containers to juice box holders, there is no shortage of options, and you can even pre-cut and chop fruits and veggies and store them in specific containers so they’re ready to go.
