Healthy Snacks!
Recently I saw a list come home from a local Pre-School with “healthy” snack suggestions for parents to bring in when it was their turn to provide the snacks. I was genuinely appalled when I read this so-called healthy list! Of the 15 to 20 Items listed only ONE of them was actually healthy, ONE! Fruit.
Everything else on the list was junk food. Things such as Fruit Gummies, Cheez-it’s Goldfish, Pirate’s Booty, Cereal, Muffins, Veggie Straws, Teddy Grahams, Yogurt covered Raisins. (why don’t we just serve Movie Theater Raisinets!?) I could keep on going, the list was full of snacks that have very little to no nutritional value. This is how we are fueling our little ones at their morning snack time?
While there is a time and place for treats, should you choose to give them, let’s not pretend that they are healthy when they are not. Treats are meant to be occasional, such as Friday night family movie night, not a daily thing. This got me pretty upset and I have been thinking about asking the school if I can provide them with a snack list to hand out of actual healthy snacks. The point of a snack is to provide energy and nutritional value between meals, while calming hunger. Snacks, when chosen properly, are a part of our entire days healthy eating plan. Why then would we not want to provide the same for our children? Perhaps even more so as their little bodies are growing and developing rapidly and they truly need nutrients to support this.
Empty filler snacks will not only provide zero nutritional value, they also lack protein which can result in a child still being hungry, and perhaps even over eating the non nutritional snack. When we feed children like this the effect can snowball. Hunger, mood swings, becoming cranky and over tired are just some of the results that can occur.
So, what are some alternatives? Many schools have a list of snacks to avoid due to allergies, as well as certain foods that require being cut in half due to choking hazards. If it is your turn to provide the snack for the week, be sure to read this list carefully.
Bringing in healthy snacks is something that you can keep simple or have a little bit of fun with if your child attends a preschool where homemade items are permitted. A simple google search or scroll through Pinterest can provide many ideas for healthy toddler and preschool friendly snacks! Searching under Paleo kid snacks can help you find ones to make that are simple and clean ingredients. Recently I made Rolled oat snack cakes with four all natural ingredients! They were delicious and a hit for both the children and us adults!
If your schedule is demanding and making snacks for a class full of preschoolers is not something that you are interested in, you can still keep it healthy on the go! Sliced Apples ( you can even buy these pre sliced if you are really pressed for time) sliced pear, Berries, cut up melon or pineapple, halo oranges are all great ideas. Cheese is a big hit to pair with fruit as kids love it AND it provides calcium and protein. Some schools request that cheese sticks are avoided due to choking, but there are so many options. You can purchase individually wrapped small slices of cheese, baby bell cheese, and so much more! Sliced carrots and other vegetables are great finger foods. When possible, try to include a protein with your child’s snack so that it fills them up longer. Cheese or Hummus are great options while avoid nut allergies, and clean granola can provide a few grams of protein.
If you are in a situation like this and your child is eating junk food as their morning snack at preschool, consider an open discussion with the Teacher or Principal. If this option does not solve the problem, you can ask that your child only be fed the snack that you will be providing for them each day.
It may seem like one extra thing to do, but keeping your little one healthy and with a happy tummy is well worth it! Your child will likely be in a much better mood, continue to eat healthy foods at home without as much pushback, and get better quality sleep! To me, that’s a win win for the whole family!
Stay tuned as I will be sharing some of my favorite healthy snack recipes and options on instagram @momcoachannemarie