How to Choose Healthy Snacks for Kids
All parents have seen their kids come running to them from school or sports practices looking for something to eat. This is a crucial time to teach healthy snacking habits to your kids, and even a few basic cooking skills if they are a bit older. Here are some ways to make sure your children have a healthy snacking habit.
Instructions
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1
Encourage snacking
Kids have smaller stomachs and can get hungrier quite a few times in the day. They normally tend to eat smaller portions more often. You do not need to worry as this is a common trend among children and is perfectly healthy. This also teaches them how to incorporate healthy eating habits on a daily basis. If the kids are aware of the fact that snacking is allowed, they will eat just until they are no longer stuffed and judge when they eat by when they actually feel hungry. You should also keep healthy choices close to you. When the kid is hungry, he/she will search the closet as it is an instinctive choice. Allow healthy snacking by keeping healthy food close to your kids’ reach, which is easily accessible to him/her when the need arises. -
2
Keep things simple
Most children love an easy snack that they can just take and go wherever they want. Keep fresh cut-up fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. The children can then grab them whenever they want without having to wash the snack first, peeling and asking the parents for help. Moreover, all the kids accept that things seem more attractive with the option of a dipping sauce. This is also a good way to get different food groups within a small snack. For example, you can give the kid cut-up veggies with some hummus or ranch dip, apples with peanut butter or graham crackers with yogurt. -
3
Choose the whole grain options
Whenever possible, keep things whole grain. This will provide more nutrients to your kid, and will also make them feel fuller for a long while and as a result, they will not ask for snacks a lot. Also, buy fascinating and different nuts and fruits from the supermarket. Take your kid with you to the grocery store and make them choose a new fruit or any other healthy food. This will make them more excited about experimenting with new foods and they may even find a new favourite snack to eat.
