Kids can learn to enjoy healthy foods with the right healthy snacks.
Active kids need healthy snacks as pick-me-ups in between meals. Healthy snacks are always better, ensuring that children get the proper nutrition. Making healthy snacks fun and intriguing can teach children to enjoy healthy food, but also feel like they are enjoying a treat at the same time. You can help kids take an interest in healthy foods by letting them be choosy: Give them a couple of options to see which healthy foods they naturally gravitate to.
Dips
Children like to dip things. Healthy dips are a way for kids to get their fruits and vegetables. Healthy dips include salsas, bean dips and hummus, a dip made from pureed chickpeas, sesame paste, and olive oil. You can serve whole wheat crackers, pita chips or fresh vegetable and fruit spears for dipping.
Fruits and Vegetables
Sweet fruits and tasty vegetables make a delicious snacks for kids. Pears are a sweet savory fruit which are available all year long. Pears go well with cottage cheese for a snack that is rich in calcium and fiber. When they are in season, strawberries are sweet and savory, providing a boost of vitamin C. Smoothies can make kids feel like they are drinking a milkshake. You can mix a smoothie using non-fat yogurt and 100 percent orange juice, blending in any kind of fruit including bananas, strawberries, blueberries or papaya. Raisins are another fun snack that provide fiber potassium and vitamins. You can make healthy chips or fries by cutting sweet potatoes into spears or discs and baking them. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, B6, C and folate.
Dairy
To provide kids with calcium, try low-fat dairy as a healthy snack. Cheese can help kids keep their energy level up between meals. Low-fat yogurt is an excellent source of calcium. You can spark a child's interest by making delicious parfaits layering yogurt with berries and granola. You could also freeze yogurt with fruit to make a frozen yogurt pop. Or, try filling a waffle cone with low-fat vanilla yogurt and fruit.
Recipe Ideas
The American Dietetic Association suggests many fun and healthy recipe ideas for kid's snacks. You can get kids involved by letting them help prepare their snack. Kids can help you combine dry cereal with dried fruit and nuts for trail mix. Let kids spread peanut butter on apple slices for an energy boost that combines protein and fiber. Kids will enjoy helping make "ants on a log" by spreading peanut butter onto a piece of celery and topping it with raisins. Try rolling a banana in yogurt and granola and putting it in the freezer for a delicious frozen treat. Kids will also enjoy stuffing pita pockets with ricotta cheese and apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon.
Tags: healthy foods, apple slices, between meals, enjoy healthy, feel like
