Whether you grew up playing sports on Saturday morning or spent your high school career on a soccer field, there’s no denying that every kid looks forward to the parent-provided post-game snack of the week.
Usually a bag of orange slices and a juice box, things were really crazy if you got a bag of cookies to replenish with after an hour of chasing a ball on a field.
Oh how times have changed my friends. TikToker Chrissy Horton is a mother of five, pregnant with her sixth from San Diego, California. She offers candid glimpses into her life with a big family as a content creator and influencer. One of her most recent videos is a breakdown of what’s expected from parents who are providing sports teams with post-game snacks—and it ain’t orange slices.
“Can someone explain to me when the after-game snack protocol changed? When my kids started competitive sports, I was shocked that the after-games snacks were literally a lunch sack,” Chrissy begins as she haphazardly stuffs brown paper sacks. “I kid you not: This is the formula wherever we play: all snacks packs includes some sort of sports drink or juice box, chips of some kind, cookies or a little fun dessert. And of course fruit, to balance it all.”
“And I know that so many of you are seeing these snack packs and are mortified at how unhealthy it is — and all of the food dyes and America and obesity. And I get it,” she says. “But it’s once a week for two months and the kids don’t even eat everything in it. My kids always share it with their siblings. I know it’s the internet, so you’re going to come at me — but I didn’t come up with the formula!”
@hortonlane Oh how things have changed from when I played sports in the 90s 😂 Is this the new norm? Back in my day we got ONE thing from this snack pack, now these kids are getting a full lunch sack of goodies 😂 I don’t mind, but I am curious if it’s going to get bigger as time goes on. What’s the after game snack protocol for you? #millenialparenting #sportsmom ♬ original sound – Chrissy Horton
“Oh how things have changed since I played sports in the 90s,” she captioned the video. “Is this the new mom? Back in my day, we got ONE thing from this snack pack, now these kids are getting a full lunch sack of goodies.”
Turns out Chrissy’s Costco-haul of a snack is nothing compared to some of those who took to the comments to weigh in.
“Wait this is wild, we used to get one juice box and a little Debbie,” one user wrote in the comments.
“In Texas, we would see tons of bags and water bottles monogrammed with last names and #s. Every week!” Shared another.
“Sports mom x3 in Virginia Beach here, that’s EXACTLY how it goes! I don’t make the rules, I just do it too…,” echoed another mom in the trenches.
Several others weighed in with fresh eyes, assuring everyone that it is not ALWAYS like this. But Chrissy’s post still draws attention to an important conversation which is: How much is too much?
Especially when you consider how much money parents are already investing in playing these sports in the first place.
