Choosing healthy snacks for kids
There’s no doubt that kids like to snack. Not only do they like to, but it is essential for health and meeting their nutritional requirements. Kids have little tummies and it can sometimes be tricky to get all the nutrients they need with meals alone. I don’t know about you, but on most days the snack requests are out of control. So here are a few tips to help keep those snacks requests more manageable.
First and foremost, you want to encourage a healthy snack schedule, where kids are snacking because they are hungry and to maintain energy levels throughout the day, not as a way to stave off boredom. To do this, make sure you have planned meals and snacks, with the kitchen being closed in between.
Snacks tend to have a bad reputation and that’s because when we think of snacks we tend to envision typical packaged, processed snack foods such as sugar laden granola bars, candy, cookies and crackers. These snacks are ok too once in a while, not demonizing any food choices here. However, snacks, especially for littles, play an essential role in meeting nutritional requirements needed for growth so making healthier choices more often makes sure kids are getting what they need. Snacks are great for keeping energy levels up all day long, helps to prevent overeating at meal time and can be an opportunity to introduce kids to new and different foods. For snacks to be at their best, choose those that include at least two food groups and remember that snacks are not meant to replace a meal, so keep them small. A great snack combo is one that contains a source of carbohydrate for energy and some protein to keep kiddos feeling fuller longer. Some examples of simple snacks that contain both carbs and protein are: yogurt and fruit, cheese and whole grain crackers, nuts and dried fruit (avoid for kids under 4 as they may be a choking hazard and for older kids, be sure to brush their teeth afterwards).
Plan for snacks ahead of time by having some snack foods prepared and ready to go in the fridge and pantry. Here are some tips to get started:
Wash and cut fruit and veggies ahead of time (note that some fruit such as berries will go mushy if washed in advance so those you may want to leave until kids are ready for a snack)
Make homemade muffins, pancakes, oatmeal cookies and fruit popsicles to have on hand and ready to go,
Hard boil a dozen eggs, they will last for up to a week in the fridge,
Stock pantry with whole grain bread, cereal and crackers, natural nut butters, dry roasted and unsalted nuts and seeds, dried fruit, canned beans and canned fish
Keep yogurt, cheese and hummus on hand in the fridge for when hunger strikes
Some other tips to remember when choosing snacks are …
Keep it smaller than a meal,
Offer snacks at least 2hours before the next meal to ensure it doesn’t impact eating at meal time,
Choose two food groups, ideally a whole grain carbohydrate and protein source, adding in some fat will also add to its staying power,
Keep it low in added sugar and salt and
Choose whole foods more often
These last two points might need a little explanation, many packaged and processed snacks tend to have a lot of sugar, salt or fat. Although these snacks can be convenient, choosing them less often and making snacks at home using whole foods wherever possible is a great idea. However, when you are looking for a quick, portable, convenient snack and choose something packaged, read the Nutrition Facts table. Check out the Health Canada website for more information on how to read and interpret Nutrition Facts tables. Ensure that there is no more than 8g of sugar pre serving and that the snack contains <5% daily value (DV) for sodium (which is another word for salt). When it comes to fat, look for products that have less than 5% DV for saturated and trans fats.
Here is a list of some common store bought snacks that meet this criteria:
Hummus: Choose hummus with only a few ingredients, chickpeas, oil, garlic, lemon and tahini.
Example: Fontaine Santé and Summer fresh Hummus
Cracker: When buying crackers look for those that are low in fat, containing less than 5g of fat per serving, low in salt and contain at least 2-4g of fibre per serving.
Example: Triscuit Hint of Sea Salt, Sanissimo Oven baked Corn crackers.
Unsweetened fruit sauce: Choose fruit purees in cups or pouches that have no added sugar.
Example: Motts fruitsations unsweetened applesauce or other fruit combos, GoGo Squeeze fruit pouches in various flavours
Cereal: Choose cereals that are made with whole grains (hint: whole grains should be listed as the first ingredient) and with less than 8g for sugar per serving.
Example: Multigrain Cheerios, Cheerios, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Quaker Life cereal
Granola bar: Granola bars can be tricky, they are one of those foods with a health halo, meaning they are often marketed as being healthier than they actually are. If buying granola bars, look for those made with whole grains, are low in fat and have less than 8g of sugar per bar.
Example: KIND Maple pumpkin seed bar, KIND Oats and Honey bar, Kashi trail mix whole grain bars, Kashi honey almond flax, FreeYumm Soft Baked granola bars
Cookie: Choose cookies that are made with oats or whole grains if possible and have less than 8g of sugar per serving
Example: Free Yumm Soft Baked Cookies
Nuts: Choose unsalted and dry roasted nuts.
Here is a list of inspiration for some quick and easy to prepare homemade snacks:
Yogurt, berry and granola parfait: Layer plain yogurt, berries and granola in a mason jar, sprinkle with cinnamon and a squirt of honey before sealing the lid.
Hummus, veggies and bread sticks: Spoon a few tablespoons of your favourite store bought or homemade hummus into the bottom of a mason jar or cup, place cut up vegetables in the hummus. Serve with whole grain breadsticks or crackers on the side.
Fruity tortilla roll ups: Mix softened cream cheese with a little bit of cinnamon, vanilla extract and maple syrup, spread on a whole grain tortilla. Place a mix of cut up fruit and berries on top of cream cheese, roll up and cut into 1” circles OR use your favourite nut or seed butter in place of the cream cheese.
Homemade mini muffins and fruit: Make a batch of your kids favourite muffins, be sure to use whole wheat flour, add some mashed bananas or applesauce or other fruit to hike up the nutritional value, flavour and texture. For some fun, stir in some nuts or dried fruit and chocolate chips.
Roasted chickpeas and cut up veggies: Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas, place on a parchment lined backing sheet. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of olive oil, roast at 400 degrees for 30minutes, stirring occasionally, then sprinkle with your favourite flavours, try cumin, garlic powder and thyme pair with slices of cucumber and carrot sticks.
And finally, check out the Recipe section for some great recipes to add some excitement to your snack rotation!
Here are some links to some other great snack recipes on other sites!
https://www.sarahremmer.com/flourless-chocolate-lentil-protein-muffins/
https://fraicheliving.com/breakfast-power-cookies-vegan-gluten-free/
https://www.realmomnutrition.com/nut-free-snack-bars/
Happy Snacking!