snick snack
Filed Under Tips & Tricks | August 25, 2009
So once you’ve got your tot’s lunchbox all sorted, what are you going to put in it? It can be hard to constantly come up with fresh, healthy ideas for snacks so we asked nutrition expert Karla Heintz, author of Picky, Not Me Mom! for some tips, ideas and inspiration:
When it comes to lunches Heintz recommends getting your kids engaged in the shopping, planning and prep for their lunches. Now we know this may or may not make your life easier, so perhaps pick just one of these areas to have your kids help. She also suggests thinking beyond the basic sandwich instead wrap scrambled eggs in a whole grain pita with some spinach or other veggies. Or what about a raspberry sandwich? Use pureed raspberries rather than jam and you’ll cut out lots of sugar. You can also fill their vacuum flask with a strawberry smoothie. Blend in a little avocado, it’s mild enough that it won’t affect the flavour.
As for school snacks Heinz recommends having everything revolve around a fruit or veggies and then adding a few complimentary items. She also suggests keeping it relatively simple, too many options can be over-stimulating for kids. What about some cubes of fruit and cheese on a skewer? Add a container of yogurt that can be used as a dip. Ideal snacks for anytime of day include applesauce with granola; cottage cheese with berries; hummus, tazitki, cream cheese or nut butter paired with red pepper slices, baby carrots, sugar snap peas or slices of cucumber. Or, turn mini rice cakes into sandwiches by filling them with cream cheese and apple slices.
And if your kids need a top up before bed, opt for snacks like milk, bananas and whole grains. They contain the amino acid tryptophan which improves sleeping. Anything with more direct sugar like fruit bars, candy, ice cream or sweetened yogurt, can give your tot an unwanted boost of energy and interfere with their sleep. And who wants that?
Need more snack inspiration? Here are other healthy snacking ideas we’ve covered:
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