The thing with growing kids is that they feel hungry anytime, especially in-between meals. So, what do you do? You feed them some snacks. However, if you continually feed your child packaged snacks, they will become lazy and overweight. It is because the packaged snacks are full of artificial ingredients, added sugar, and refined flour. Thus, it is important that you use your child’s snack time instead of feeding them healthy items. Snack time is also an excellent opportunity for the parents to conceal healthy nutrients and include them in the child’s diet, even without them knowing. So, instead of feeding your child processed and unhealthy snacks, go with whole foods, which offer the child both nutrition and energy.
Here, in this article, we will discuss some healthy snacktime options, which are yummy and nutritious.
Yogurt
There is no better snack than yogurt, as it is an excellent source of calcium and protein. Calcium is particularly needed by the kids in good quantities as it promotes bone and teeth health. Certain yogurts have live bacteria in them, which can be good for the digestive system. Chloe, who offers online online algebra tutor, says that I always opt for full-fat unsweetened yogurt for my child and add a drizzle of honey or fruit to it for natural sweetness. It is a good idea because many yogurts marketed for kids have high sugar content. Also, do not feed honey to infants as they may suffer an infection known as botulism because of it.
Guacamole and bell peppers
Bell peppers are very nutritious, and they have a naturally sweet flavor. Moreover, the bell peppers are an excellent source of carotenoids, Vitamin C, and fiber. Carotenoids are healthy plant compounds, which have a myriad of health benefits. They improve your eye health. Jenny, who works with Razorhood, shares that for her and her daughter, the favorite snacktime option is bell peppers dipped in guacamole. Well, bell peppers have a naturally tasty flavor, and when you eat them with guacamole, it becomes healthier and yummier. If you do not know, guacamole is a creamy spread, which is made with mashed avocados.
Nut butter and whole-grain crackers
Tanya, who offers online assignment help Melbourne services, says that she makes her own sandwich crackers at home for her kids, and they love it. Well, yes, it can also be a healthy snack time option. For this, you need a nut butter, such as almond butter, and you can spread them on any whole-grain cracker that you get in the market. It is a balanced snack as it is a good source of fat, carbs, and protein. We know, we just said pick any snacker, but we certainly mean go for the healthier ones. So, read the labels before you pick anything. A lot of crackers that you find in the market are full of hydrogenated oils, refined flour, and tons of sugar. Instead of opting for these crackers, you should pick the ones that are made of 100% seeds and whole grains. These can be found readily in the market too.
Olives
Olive is a rich source of healthy fat. They are dense in antioxidants, which guard your body against deteriorating molecules known as free radicals. Since the olives are very soft, they are easy for the kids to eat. Stacey, who offers best online yoga classes, says that she always shops for the pitted olives as the kids can straightaway gulp them down. However, that is not a compulsion. You can even remove the pits yourself and serve the olives to your child. A lot of you may not know, but there are many different varieties of olives available, and each of them has a flavor of its own. For parents who have never served this incredibly healthy snack to their child ever before, we recommend you start with black olives. Black olives have a mild-flavor and taste good.
Apples with a peanut butter dip
Have you eaten apples and peanut butter together? If no, you are missing out on something incredible. In all honesty, there is certainly no delicious combination than peanut butter and apple, shares Nathaniel, who works with MyPlumbersChoice. Do not remove the skin as the apple skin has pectin in it, which is a soluble fiber, which improves your digestive health by feeding the friendly gut bacteria.
The Peanut butter has quite a thick consistency. So, it will be easy for the kids to use peanut butter as a dip. For this recipe, all you need to do is take plain full-fat yogurt and mix it into peanut butter. You can take just 2 tbsps of peanut butter for this, and that is all; your creamy and smooth dip is ready. Serve it with apple slices, and the kids will love it.
Frozen fruit popsicles
Danny, who works with a platform wherein you can buy assignment online, says that he makes frozen fruit popsicles for her little daughters as an everyday evening snack, and they love it. Well, it is quite a yummy and healthy treat that kids generally love. Of course, you can find popsicles at the store. However, the store-bought popsicles’ problem is that they have refined sugar and artificial flavors in them. Some even come with high-fructose corn syrup. It is the reason why store-bought popsicles are usually not healthy. But popsicles are something that every child likes eating. So, why not give them a healthy twist, and make them on your own. How to do that? You can puree berries or frozen fruits, and to it, add a small degree of fruit juice, and blend together in a food processor. Next, pour this mixture into small plastic cups or an ice cream popsicle mold. You can easily find an ice cream mold in the market. Cover it with a foil, and insert an ice cream stick into the popsicles by passing it through the foil. Once done, put it in the freezer, and free them.
Banana Quesadilla and peanut butter
My child’s favorite healthy snack option is a quesadilla, made with banana and peanut butter, shares Lory, an associate with TrueBluefishermen. Well, it is tasty and healthy at the same time. Peanut butter is sure an excellent way to feed your child some protein and healthy fats. When you pair it with banana, which is a rich source of fiber, Vitamin B6, and potassium, it becomes healthier. It is a very simple and easy to make recipe and is quite yummy for the kids to relish.
For making banana quesadilla and peanut butter, you need 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon, 30 grams of peanut butter, one whole-wheat tortilla, and Half a banana.
For preparation, take the tortilla, and spread the peanut butter on the tortilla. Next, slice the banana, and arrange the banana slices on the one half of the tortilla. On the banana, sprinkle some cinnamon, and now you can fold the tortilla. Before service, you can slice it in a triangular shape.
Half of a sandwich
Who said sandwiches are meant only for mealtime? You can make them healthy, and it can be quite a snack for your children. How to make the sandwich healthy? You can start with whole-wheat bread, include a vegetable or fruit in your sandwich, as well as a protein source.
Some of the top recommendations for making a healthy sandwich are:
- Cucumber slices and cream cheese
- Turkey, pickles, and Swiss cheese
- Finely sliced apples, and cheddar cheese
- Tomato slices and mozzarella cheese
- Banana slices and peanut butter
- Hard-boiled egg, tomato, and avocado
- Thinly chopped vegetables mixed with some ricotta cheese
A fruit
Of course, our list contains a lot of healthy snack options, but if on some days you feel really lazy and do not want to spend time making any of these, why not serve your kids a fruit? The fruit is a convenient, raw, and healthy snack option for your child. Fruits are a rich source of vital nutrients, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium. They are also fiber-dense.
Some of the fruits that can be the perfect go-to snack for your child are plums, peaches, grapes, pears, apples, bananas, and pineapple. You can cut fruits such as mango, cantaloupe, and pineapple into bite-sized pieces and store them in air-tight containers. These can thus be the perfect snack time options for your kids.
Bottom Line
A lot of kids tend to feel hungry in-between meals. A healthy snack can be a perfect energy source for your child. It will provide them the nutrients they need daily. You can pick either of the option mentioned above to make your child’s snack time more enjoyable. Trust us, when you offer your children unprocessed and whole foods as snacks instead of pre-packaged snack foods, you are doing a favor towards developing your child’s good health. So, go ahead, take your pick from the healthy snacks above, and give your kids a variety in snacktime that they deserve. Do let us know in the comment box which one they liked the most.
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