Let’s face it, kids love snacks. From chips and candy to popcorn and ice cream, snack time can easily become the most popular meal of the day for many children. But fear not! Eating snacks all day doesn’t have to mean your child’s diet is missing out on important vitamins and minerals necessary for a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Here are some tips on how you can make sure your kids get what they need even when snacking takes center stage.
Be Smart About Snacks
It goes without saying that snacks shouldn’t be replacing meals, but if they do, there are a few things you can do to make sure they’re still providing your child with the necessary nutrition.
Whenever possible, try to opt for more nutrient-dense snacks like fruits and vegetables or whole grain crackers with cheese. Instead of chips or cookies, offer something like trail mix with nuts and dried fruit or yogurt with fresh fruit slices. This ensures that your child gets a variety of nutrients instead of just filling up on empty calories from processed foods.
Portion Control Is Key
Snacks are meant to tide us over until our next meal—not replace them! As tempting as it might be for your kid to scarf down an entire bag of chips in one sitting, it’s important to keep portions reasonable so that their stomach isn’t too full when mealtime rolls around later on. If you’re worried about them going back for second helpings throughout the day, try making smaller individual servings beforehand so that there aren’t any leftovers sitting around tempting them later on.
Get Creative & Have Fun!
Snacking doesn’t always have to be boring—it can actually be a fun way for kids (and adults) to get creative in the kitchen! Try setting aside some time each week for you and your family members to brainstorm healthy snack ideas together using ingredients from local grocery stores or farmers markets. Get creative by playing around with different food combinations and presentation techniques like cutting fruits into shapes or creating fun faces out of veggies! Not only is this a great way to bond as a family, but it also teaches kids valuable skills while helping them develop their own unique tastes in food!
Making sure the diet is balanced
To ensure your child is eating a balanced diet, it is important to take into consideration the five food groups. This includes fruits and vegetables, which should make up about one-third of the food that your child eats; proteins like lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, peas and nuts; whole grains such as oats, brown rice and quinoa; low-fat dairy products like milk and yogurt; and healthy fats such as olive oil.
Healthy packaged snacks
Healthy packaged snacks for kids can provide a great alternative to the common unhealthy snacks that are often found in the snack aisle. They can be packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are essential for the growing body of young children. Many companies such as Annie’s Homegrown provide organic, gluten-free and all-natural snacks that feature a delicious combination of grains, fruits and veggies. Not only do these snacks provide balanced nutrition, but they are also yummy enough to make even the pickiest eater happy! Plus, they come in fun shapes like stars, animals and even smiley faces that kids can enjoy.
In addition to attractive packaging and tasty flavors, many healthy packaged snacks also contain wholesome ingredients such as quinoa, oats or whole grains. These ingredients have been proven to help maintain blood sugar levels in children who have diabetes or other metabolic conditions. Furthermore, some products may be fortified with extra vitamins A & D which helps support healthy bones and teeth development in kids. With more antioxidants than most other snack foods, you can feel good about providing your child with quality nutrition from these tasty treats!
Moreover, certain companies are committed to sustainability by using recyclable packaging materials and renewable energy sources to produce their goods. For instance Nature’s Bakery is one of the leading brands that strives to protect the environment while providing convenient snacks for families on-the-go. All this makes healthy packaged snacks an excellent choice for parents who want their children to eat nutritious meals with no hassle involved.
Here’s a list of 15 healthy packaged snacks for kids available on amazon:
1. Kind Bars Kids Variety Pack
2. Annie’s Organic Bunny Snacks
3. Nature’s Bakery Fruit & Grain Fig Bars
4. GoGo Squeeze Applesauce on the Go
5. Blue Diamond Nut Thins Crackers
6. KIND Kids Chewy Protein Bars
7. Stretch Island Fruit Snacks
8. Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar Puffs
9. Popcorners Popped Corn Chips in Fun Flavors
10. Genuine Fruit Bites from Bare Snacks
11. Happy Kid Organics™ Strawberry Yogurt and Oats Comfort Square Bars
12. MadeGood Granola Minis Maple Quinoa Clusters
13. Terra Real Vegetable Chips in Sea Salt flavor
14. CLIF Kid ZBar Organic Oatmeal Raisin Bar
15. Gerber® Organic Yogurt Melts Mixed Berry Flavor
Conclusion
Snack time doesn’t have to mean unhealthy habits; when done right, snacking can be an enjoyable part of any healthy diet plan! By being smart about what snacks you give your kids and controlling portions accordingly, you can ensure that their diet is well balanced even when they don’t feel like eating full meals. Plus, getting creative in the kitchen is a great way to teach kids valuable skills while also having fun! So don’t be afraid to let snacks take center stage every now and again—your child’s health will thank you for it!
Feeding a picky eater can be stressful and frustrating. It’s hard to know what to do when your child is constantly refusing to eat certain foods. But don’t worry there are a few simple tips and tricks you can use to make meals easier for everyone. Here are 10 tips for picky eaters that may help.
1. Involve children in meal planning and preparation
Involving your child in the cooking process can help them develop an appreciation for food, as well as an understanding of the effort involved in making a meal. This will also give them ownership over their own food choices, allowing them to decide what they’d like to eat on their own terms.
2. Offer small portions of food at first
If your child is hesitant about trying new foods, offer them smaller portions than you would typically serve so that they don’t feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the size of the plate in front of them. You can always provide them with a second helping when they finish their plate.
3. Make sure there are familiar items on the plate
Having a few familiar items on the plate (like macaroni and cheese, veggie sticks, or crackers) alongside unfamiliar ones gives kids something to rely on if they don’t take to the new item right away. this strategy makes it easier for them to take a risk and try it out without feeling uncomfortable or scared off by unfamiliarity.
4. Introduce one new food at a time
When introducing new foods, start with just one item at a time so as not to overwhelm your child with too much change all at once. Having too many new foods can be intimidating or even scary for some children (especially young ones).
5. Let children choose from two or three options when possible
Giving kids choices within reasonable parameters gives them more control over their meals without overwhelming them with too many options. This helps build trust between parent and child around food choices while also allowing kids some freedom in deciding what they’d like to eat each day/mealtime!
6. Offer healthy snacks throughout the day
Eating healthy snacks throughout the day helps maintain blood sugar levels and keeps kids from getting overly hungry during mealtimes. Doing this makes them more likely to try out new foods when presented with those same items during mealtime. Here are some great healthy snack ideas for the kiddos https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-snacks-for-kids
7. Don’t force feed
Forcing a child to eat something they don’t like can have a long-term negative effect on both the child’s development and relationship with food. It can make them feel helpless, scared and resentful. This can lead to a lack of trust in their parents, as well as the development of unhealthy habits such as overeating in the future.
Furthermore, forcing children to eat certain foods can lead to an aversion or even dislike towards those foods, which could limit a child’s diet and nutrition later on in life. Additionally, it can often lead to children eating too much at one time, which could contribute to weight problems down the line. On top of that, it may also discourage healthy eating habits as kids become more likely to prefer processed or junk foods since they’re seen as more fun or exciting than nutritious options. It would be far better for parents to encourage their children’s desire for healthy food by providing plenty of nutritious options and showing interest in what they’re eating instead of dictating what they consume.
Forcing kids to eat something they don’t want could lead to negative associations with that food item in the future. Instead, focus on offering healthy options and letting your child decide how much he/she wants of each item (within reason).
8. Use positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement goes a long way towards helping kids learn healthier eating habits; praising good behavior (like trying out new foods) will encourage more of it in future dining experiences!
9. Take time out before meals
Taking five minutes out before meals allows both parents and children time alone together. This helps create an atmosphere conducive towards trying new things without fear of judgment or pressure from either side.
10. Talk about nutrition
Talking about nutrition doesn’t have to be boring; instead it should focus on why certain foods are beneficial (or not). This information can help form more informed decisions when it comes time for dinner!
Some simple nutritional supplements can also take some of the stress off of a period of picky eating. See my article on the top 10 supplements for kids health for more information.
Conclusion
Picky eating isn’t easy but there are ways you can make mealtimes less stressful for everyone involved. From including your children in meal planning and preparation processes all the way through offering healthy snacks throughout the day, these ten tips will help make dinnertime easier while still ensuring that your family eats nutritious meals together. If you feel that you require more counseling, feel free to book an appointment.
