There’s no reason for your children to give up between-meal snacks, as long as the foods they eat are healthy. Allowing your kids to enjoy treats that are good for them and low in added sugar will help provide the nutrients they need to be mentally and physically fit.
Protein
Protein snacks are filling and deliver the nutrients your child needs for muscle development. Nuts and seeds provide protein and healthy fats, and they are filling. Dairy products, such as yogurt and low-fat cheese will fill your kids up and provide protein as well as calcium and other vital nutrients. When purchasing yogurt, choose the plain variety and add fruit, rather than buying sugar-laden fruit flavors.
Healthy Sweet Treats
Not all sweet treats are loaded with sugar. Fresh and frozen fruit are loaded with nutrition yet they can satisfy a craving for something sweet. Keep fresh fruit such as grapes, bananas, apples, berries, cherries and easy-to-peel tangerines in a bowl on the kitchen counter. Make frozen pops with fruit you’ve run through the blender or food processor and frozen in ice cube trays. Make fruit smoothies with yogurt, juice and fresh or frozen fruit. Encourage your children to eat fresh fruit, instead of drinking juice, for maximum nutrition. If your child prefers fruit juice, mix it half and half with water.
Savory Snacks
For a flavorful between-meal treat, consider giving your kids something savory. Serve raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, peppers or cucumbers with yogurt, peanut butter or low-fat salad dressing. Offer a variety of colorful vegetables for a range of nutrients.
Other options include toast with low-fat cheese, graham crackers with peanut butter, baked chips with low-fat dip, low-fat string cheese and homemade trail mix with nuts, dry cereal, dried fruit and low-fat crackers. Your child may also enjoy pita chips with hummus, a low-fat tortilla with salsa, rice cakes with sugar-free fruit spreads or peanut butter, and hard-boiled eggs with low-sodium seasonings. Toss some steamed vegetables with whole-grain pasta for a flavorful and filling snack.
High-Fiber Snacks
Add more fiber to your child’s diet with a high-fiber snack. Healthy options include air-popped popcorn, whole-grain pretzels, whole-wheat bread and crackers, dried fruits, low-fat oatmeal bars and dry whole-grain cereal. A sandwich loaded with raw vegetables on whole-grain bread is nutritious and will satisfy your child’s between-meal cravings. Most kids will enjoy a whole-grain English muffin pizza topped with vegetables.
References
- Health Notes; Sweet Treats Without the Sugar; Kim Beauchamp
- University of Florida; Healthy Eating: Sixteen Savory Snacks; Jennifer Hillan, et al.; February 2005
- MayoClinic.com; Snacks: How They Fit Into Your Weight-Loss Plan; May 2010
- National Fiber Council; Hungry Kids: Fill Them Up With Healthy High-Fiber Foods; Christine L. Williams
