Healthy Snacking

With the new school year underway and our children’s regular schedule back on track, it is time to help them make some healthy decisions, especially around eating.  Meal time and snack time can be a challenge at any age for both children and caregivers.  It is important to remember that caregivers can set the tone for their children’s eating habits.  Keep in mind that children with obese parents are 80% more likely to become obese as adults and that 30% of American adults over the age for 20 are considered obese.

Toddlers are a particularly picky group of eaters.  Always remember that patience with yourself and your children can be a success to eating.  It may take as many as 10 or 15 tries of a particular food before a child accepts it.  You should try to encourage at least one bite of food as a form of compromise. 

When it comes to snacking, a toddler needs to have a morning and an afternoon snack to help balance the amount of energy he or she uses.  Remember to time these snacks so as not to interfere with lunch or dinner.  Some healthy snacks include fresh fruits, dried fruits, cooked and diced vegetables, cheese, yogurt, whole grain crackers, pretzels, and dry cereal.  While vegetables are a great snack, when raw, they pose a choking hazard to toddlers.  Large pieces of any food can also present the same risk, including spoonfuls of peanut butter.  You should also avoid giving nuts, peanuts, and popcorn to toddlers who cannot grind these types of food properly to avoid choking.

School-aged and adolescent children also need snacks to help maintain their energy.  In the most active of children, snacks can help to supplement their nutritional requirements and provide up to one forth of their daily caloric intake.  These snacks should be low-calorie foods like fruits and vegetables. Other healthy choices include light microwave popcorn, a cup of soup, or sugar-free gelatin. 

The times after school and after dinner and the most dangerous for snacking, but if eaten early enough, a healthy snack will not ruin one’s appetite.  When children are snacking at these times, make sure they are not eating because they have nothing else to do.  They may be anxious, wound up, or bored and are using food as a coping mechanism.   Caregivers should help children to deal with their emotions and offer them alternatives in the form of other activities.

Caregivers can provide the best examples for eating for their children.  Let your children help in the cooking process if they are old enough.  Allow them to make some decisions about their snacks.  You should commit to providing 3 well balanced meals every day.  Also remember that your child will reach for the food at hand.  You can help your child to make a better snacking decisions by keeping healthy simple choices readily available and making them easier to access than the other, less nutritious options.  Children will likely eat what their parents do, so it is important to be proactive about your own meal and snack time choices.

Crying and Colic

Swimming Safety

Playground Safety

Seasonal Allergies, The Basics