Healthy Snacks: back to school

Healthy Snacks: Back to School

School is around the corner, and it’s very important to know what foods to give your kids and what to completely avoid. Here are some tips to help keep your family healthy.

1.     Keep healthy food in your house and in their school bags. Most food (eaten in moderation) is healthy! Buy fresh nutrients as much as possible and keep the processed snack foods to a minimum.

2. Be a role model. Always eat with your kids the same healthy food you serve them and make them see how delicious it is.
3. Set the when and where to eat. Make it clear that snack time is immediately after school and not within the hour before dinner. Insist that he eats in the same spot each time — at the table. Mindless snacking in front of the television or while playing video games sets up a lifetime of poor eating habits.
4. Once your child is old enough to stay alone, make suggestions about his or her options for snacking, but don’t control what he or she chooses. If a food is in your house, it must be a healthy food and therefore allowable to eat.

We’ve been talking a lot about healthy food, but what is really considered healthy?  Any food that is more than just calories and simple sugars is healthy. Unhealthy foods such as candy, pop, and highly processed snack foods can be in your house for special occasions but should not be on your weekly grocery shopping list. Foods made low-fat or with sugar substitutes are not part of a healthy diet for children who are in the stages of growth and development.

Here are some ideas for nutritious after-school snacks:

·      A milk beverage or water to drink. For some variety, kids can experiment with fresh fruits and herbs as water additives.

·      Carbohydrates such as whole-grain breads and crackers with a protein source such as peanut butter, cheese, hummus, tuna, or pesto.  Since carbohydrates are quickly absorbed and metabolized, the addition of protein and fiber will help keep away hunger until dinner time.

·      Fruits and vegetables are best served with another fat or protein source so the snack stays with your child until dinner.

·      For kids who are in middle school and beyond, leftovers make a good after-school snack since they are presumably something the family likes. Plus, they come ready-to-eat.

After-school snacks are a great way to begin to teach your kids to cook and a way to gently challenge your child or teenager to broaden his or her tastes and try new foods or mix up old foods together in new ways.  The more you involve your kids in snack preparation, the greater their enjoyment of snack time and foods will be in general.

source:http://childrenspgh.org/2013/08/20/back-to-school-with-nutritious-after-school-snacks/