Snack Bins

Being diagnosed with Celiac Disease when I was 7 years old led to maturing very quickly and getting over the “embarrassment” of being different. I realized I had to take responsibility for watching everything I ate. During elementary school, snack time seemed like the worst hour of my life. All the kids would run to see what snack the school provided them for the day. It ranged from cookies, to goldfish, brownies, and any other delicious snack a child would love. Each day I would stay seated as the kids enjoyed their snacks. They would ask me questions like, “Ava why won’t you eat this?” or “You can’t eat this? Well that’s too bad because it is soooo good! I couldn’t live without eating this.” These comments always hurt me and I never knew how to react because what else does a child want besides fitting in at that age?

Eventually, I told my mom what had been going on at school and how I would sit out at every snack time. My mom instantly thought of something to make me feel better. She took me to Michaels and told me to grab a cart full of stickers and a box. In big letters we wrote the words “SNACK BOX” on the top of it while I decorated it with stickers of all the things I loved. Next, we went to the grocery store and picked out my favorite foods. My mom and I filled the box up to the brim. We then went to my teacher and got approval to keep my box in her room. I felt so much gratitude towards my mom for finding a way for me to fit in with my classmates.

For the rest of elementary school, I looked forward to snack time because I always was eating something I loved. I even felt special sometimes when the kids were disappointed with what the school provided, because I was eating something from my box that the kids envied. If you are a kid that ever felt like me, there are ways to overcome the feeling of embarrassment by changing your mindset and taking matters into your own hands. Having a great support system is very helpful, but it is up to you to take control of what you eat.