Your kids want crackers. Then peanut butter. Then apples, candy, pretzel, cereal. In that order and right away. Obviously they're hungry, but if you listen to each of their demands, you'll have food sitting all over the place because they'll take one bite each and leave the rest.
Exhibit A:
For me, a tablespoon of peanut butter is the appropriate amount of dip for six little graham cracker squares. Not so for a four year old.
I also have bowls of lonely dry cereal and salty snacks strewn about my house.
Solution:
Offer your kids a choice between two of the things they asked for. When they pick one, give them a smaller amount than you think they need. If they finish it, you can be sure they'll ask for more, and if they want something else instead of that, they'll let you know. Tell them they can't change their mind after you've poured the snack, and make sure they put a good dent in it before considering giving them something else. Otherwise, you're teaching them that it's okay to be wasteful.
From experience, that control should extend to a lot more than just food. I can still remember how tough it was to make my son choose between a kiddie sports camp and toddler music classes in sydney.
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