First thing when the kids come home, you hear, “Mom (or Dad), I’m hungry.” You are busy so you say, “Go find something to eat.” In situations like these, your kids will head to the snack drawer or shelf and probably pick off something ready to eat. This may be chips, candy, chocolate, fruit snacks (that aren’t really fruit), among other things. Do you really want your children to constantly take in all this unhealthy food each day after school?
Try throwing some healthy foods in the mix for snack time after school. Maybe your kids won’t like it, you think. I used to think that as well. After the baby food days were over, my kids seemed to gag at the thought of anything remotely resembling a fruit or a vegetable. I make them eat it and it seems like they loathe it even more. I try to put cheese on the broccoli and while they enjoy that, they still act like it is so “yucky.”
In reality, it is not always necessary to push vegetables on them all the time to make sure they get a healthy snack. There are several other kinds of foods out there that will replace potato chips and candy that they may enjoy. These snacks might not be a vegetable replacement, but they are still better than fried in oil chips. As a matter of fact, this list may contain foods that your child is already snacking on. If so, good for you! I know my kids have always enjoyed some of these foods. Once again, they do not replace the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, but they are an alternative to have a daily snacking variety.
Easy, Healthy Snacks for Kids
Baby carrots and ranch dip- there is no better way to get kids to eat their veggies than by adding something tasty with it. Any vegetable would work with this; baby carrots are the easiest since they are already prepared.
Popcorn- this is also a healthier alternative to chips as it is not fried. Popcorn is also a less caloric snack than chips. Beware of the extra butter though.
Yogurt- there are several “kid friendly” yogurts now that come in interesting flavors and even tubes to eat without spoons. Kids love this out of the refrigerator or even the freezer.
100% Juice Drinks- always read the labels on proclaimed juice boxes. Most of them may only have 5% juice added with additional calories of sugar and artificial flavors.
Chips and Salsa- look for the baked tortilla chips when choosing this snack. Salsa, being made from vegetables, is healthier than sour cream made chip dip.
Cheese cubes or string cheese- cheese is a good source of calcium. If desired, cheese also comes made with low fat milk for an even healthier alternative.
Pretzels- these are another baked item that replaces the fried chips. Beware of the added salt however. Some brands have extra salt and some types of pretzels proclaim extra salty on their package.
Dried Fruit- the drying process removes the moisture out of the fruit giving the fruit a unique flavor and texture. Some kids like this and some do not.
Fresh Fruits dipped in Yogurt- Same concept as vegetables dipped in ranch dressing. Try a variety of fruits and flavored or plain yogurt.
Homemade Popsicles- use fruit juice or concentrate to create these as a healthier alternative to store bought Popsicles. Using fruit juices will create a Popsicle that is less sugary and contain none of the artificial flavors and colors.
Cereal- have oats or other grain type cereal around for snacking. Kids can serve up Chex or Cheerios in a bowl with or without milk. I have found that my children tend to like cereal just because I am eating it so they are eating more healthy cereal now without all the added sugars and flavors.
Try to keep these items on hand for kids to come home after school and fix a snack. These are all simple items they can even fix for themselves if they are old enough. Fill your pantry with these items instead of the fried chips and candy and your children can learn healthy snacks to eat for a lifetime.
