Smart Snacking
Stumped for a healthy mid-morning snack to pack in your child’s lunchbox or something to serve when your kids get home from school? Turn to some of our easy snack stuffers for better nutrition:
- Fresh Fruit:
It comes in its own wrapper, requires little or no preparation, and is naturally packed with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (plant nutrients), and fiber. - Mini applesauce:
Look for an all-natural brand and avoid the ones with added sugar and the fake blue, green, red, or pink coloring. What’s up with that? - Mini fruit cups and bowls:
Fruit cups and bowls come in handy when your own fresh fruit bowl is empty. Read labels and choose products packed in fruit juice versus syrup. - Squeeze Yogurt:
Go for the all-natural brands made without artificial colors and flavors. - Popcorn:
Kids love the small, individually packaged bags of popcorn and moms love the fact that popcorn is a whole grain. Look for popcorn made without partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. (Popcorn isn’t recommended until the age of 4 because it’s a potential choking hazard). - Cheese Sticks:
Part-skim mozzarella cheese sticks and lowfat Cheddar cheese snack-size bars provide high-quality protein and calcium and only 1 gram of saturated fat. - Carrots with Dip:
Baby carrots (or red bell pepper strips) with a Ranch dressing dip are fun for kids and help to weave a vegetable into the lunchbox. - Make-Your-Own Trail Mix:
Combine mixed nuts, raisins or dried apricots, mini pretzels, sunflower seeds, whole grain breakfast cereal, and a few chocolate chips into a resealable plastic bag. - Sweet Potato Chips:
If your kids love potato chips, make the switch to sweet potato chips. They’re made with healthy oils and just one serving contains nearly a day’s worth of vitamin A.