I think my daughter is addicted to snacking. She’d be happy on a deserted island with a pile of crackers and some cheese. Usually, I don’t fight food wars with my kids, and I pick my battles wisely, but hearing the results of a recent study has motivated me to put a stop to her endless grazing.
The latest research shows that 27 percent of a kids’ daily calorie intake comes from those handfuls of extras throughout the day. What’s worse is that the study revealed that three of those daily snacks kids were tossing into their mouths were classified as junk food.
It made me take a hard look at what types of snacks we’re selecting as a family and I had to wonder how I’d rate the quality of extras that fill our pantry shelves. While my kids aren’t snacking on Twinkies and Twizzlers, they certainly could make healthier snack choices.
Here’s a great list of tips from the Mayo Clinic that helped me put our snacking back in check. In just two days, she’s learning to embrace a snack schedule and she’s eating a lot better, too. (It’s amazing how being hungry makes you less picky.)
Teaching your child to make healthy snack choices now will set the stage for a lifetime of healthy snacking. Start today!
1. Keep junk food out of the house.
Your child won’t clamor for cookies or candy bars if you don’t keep them on hand. Instead, set a good example by snacking on healthy foods yourself.
2. Go for the grain.
Whole-grain snacks — such as whole-grain pretzels or tortillas and high-fiber, whole-grain cereals — can give your child energy with some staying power.
3. Mix and match.
Serve baby carrots or other raw veggies with fat-free ranch dressing. Dip graham cracker sticks or fresh fruit in fat-free yogurt. Top celery, apples or bananas with peanut butter.
4. Broaden the menu.
Offer out-of-the-usual fare, such as pineapple, cranberries, red or yellow peppers, mangoes, tangelos or roasted soy nuts.
5. Revisit breakfast.
Many breakfast foods — such as low-sugar, whole-grain cereals and whole-grain toast — make great afternoon snacks. Likewise, a small serving of last night’s casserole could double as an after-school snack.
6. Sweeten it up.
Healthy children’s snacks don’t need to be bland. To satisfy your child’s sweet tooth, offer fat-free pudding, frozen yogurt or frozen fruit bars. Or use skim milk, fat-free yogurt and fresh fruit to make your own smoothies.
7. Have fun.
Use a cookie cutter to make shapes out of low-fat cheese slices, whole-grain bread or whole-grain tortillas. Eat diced fruit with chopsticks or make fruit kebabs. Make a tower out of whole-grain crackers, spell words with pretzel sticks, or make funny faces on a plate using different types of fruit.
8. Promote independence.
Keep a selection of ready-to-eat veggies in the refrigerator. Leave fresh fruit in a bowl on the counter. Store low-sugar, whole-grain cereal and fruit canned or packaged in its own juice in an easily accessible cabinet.
9. Don’t be fooled by labeling gimmicks.
Foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free can still be high in calories. Likewise, foods touted as cholesterol-free can still be high in fat, saturated fat and sugar. Check nutrition labels to find out the whole story.
10. Designate a snacking zone.
Restrict snacking to the kitchen. You’ll save your child countless calories from mindless munching in front of the TV. If your child needs to snack on the go, offer string cheese, yogurt sticks, cereal bars or other drip-free items.
Question: Do you think kids eat too much junk food? How do you monitor snacks in your house?
Recent Comments