The time when your child gets home from school can be tough to plan for, food-wise, because it's not quite dinnertime, yet your child needs a nutritional pick-me-up. Planning ahead with healthy afternoon snacks can get the job done without spoiling your child's dinner. Incorporating low-fat, nutritious options that your child has a hand in picking out can be the most well-received options.
Take a Dip
Kids love combining vegetables and fruits with a tasty dip option. Some good afternoon options include 1 to 2 tbsp. of hummus, fat-free ranch dressing, low-fat peanut butter or low-fat yogurt. Ask your child to choose his favorite sliced produce to pair with the dip. Options include celery sticks, carrots, bell peppers or apple slices. Incorporating his choices helps him feel more independent and ready to enjoy his snack. You can feel good because the snack incorporates protein to help your child feel full and nutrient-packed fruits and/or vegetables.
Switch It Up
If your child is the adventurous type, try mixing things up by serving traditional breakfast foods as an afternoon snack. Options include1/2 cup of cereal with milk, a couple of scrambled eggs and/or a slice of whole-grain toast. Having your child draw silly faces or designs with squeeze jam on the toast can be a creative way to enjoy an afternoon breakfast snack.
Feel-Good Fruits
Your child needs several fruits servings per day to get plenty of vitamins and minerals in her daily diet. This makes afternoon snack time the perfect opportunity to incorporate additional fruit servings into her daily diet. You don't have to just offer up an apple. Instead, you can create fruit kabobs by putting pineapple, melon, strawberries and grapes on a bamboo skewer. Another fun fruit option is a fruit smoothie. Blend 1/2 cup of low-fat yogurt with 1/2 cup skim milk and your child's favorite fruits like bananas, strawberries and blueberries for a cool, nutritious predinner snack.
Whole Wheat That Energizes
Carbohydrates can give your child the energy he needs to engage in a predinner play session. Offer whole grains, which will provide a steady stream of energy for your child. Examples include whole-wheat crackers served with low-fat cheese or peanut butter or a handful of blue corn chips paired with salsa or guacamole dip. You can even make a mini-quesadilla from a small whole-wheat tortilla with sprinkled cheese, warmed for 15 to 30 seconds in the microwave.
Member Comments