Providing Healthy Snacks for Children
Having healthy snacks ought to be a part of your meal preparation. Snacks are equally important to your child’s development and growth. Young children have small stomachs and cannot receive the nutrients they require from only three meals. Kids need snacks to remain attentive and energetic.Snacks can include berry and fruits like raw vegetables or vegetable juices, milk and cheese, hardboiled egg and grain goods, such as rice, bread, cakes, and cereals. Here are other tips and guides in giving a healthy snack for children:
- Provide snacks from at least two food groups like combining fruit and yogurt or serve wheat pita.
- Wherever you go, bring healthy snacks with you so that you are not tempted to purchase less healthy snacks. It is not a fantastic idea to allow your kid to graze.
- Provide water rather than juice. Limit juice intake per day and make sure it’s 100% fruit juice.An excessive amount of juice may lead to diarrhea and early childhood tooth decay.
- Avoid drinks with too much sugar and caffeine such as coffee, energy drinks, tea, and soda.
- Sweet, sticky foods should be avoided also since it may stick with your teeth and cause cavities. Make sure kids brush their teeth if you insist in giving them such foods.
- Restrict processed foods which are high in sodium and sugar like snack bars, candies, and chips. These are foods with low nutrient content.
- Balance high-fat foods with low-fat foods such as fruits and veggies. Foods such as seeds and nuts tend to be high in fat, but are also a fantastic source of vitamins and healthy fats, so they may be included in moderation.
- Include snack choices in your grocery list, so you always have healthful choices handy. Have some limitations in buying foods which aren’t great choices. This will assist the family to make more healthy snack choices.
- Cut vegetables and fruit so they are prepared and ready to consume. Always keep water and milk in the refrigerator.
- Do not use treats or snacks as rewards.
