“Mom, I’m Hungry!” When you hear this and it is not meal time, you know it is time for a snack. Small children need snacks to help them make it from meal to meal. But snacks don’t mean we throw good nutrition out the window. Your child’s snacking mood may vary, but you can always maintain healthy snacking habits.
Now that school is out your kids will be raiding the refrigerator and cupboards more frequently. Make sure they are stocked with healthy grab and go snacks. Try these suggestions if their snacking mood is:
THIRSTY! – Skim or low fat milk, water with lemon, lime, or orange wedge, 100% vegetable or fruit juice
SMOOTH! – Frozen yogurt, banana, cottage cheese, yogurt with fruit
CRUNCHY! – Raw vegetables, apples, popcorn, graham crackers, rice cakes, granola bar, a handful or dry cereal
JUICY! – Fresh fruit, 100% frozen juice popsicles, cherry tomatoes, blueberries
FUN! – Fruit, frozen bananas, watermelon, strawberries
REALLY HUNGRY! – ½ peanut butter sandwich, cereal with milk, bagel with low fat cream cheese, cheese and crackers
Let your kids help plan and prepare the snacks. Better yet would be to plant a garden together and watch it grow. When veggies are ready to harvest kids will be eager to try what they have grown. Having fresh apples, pears, carrot and celery sticks washed and ready for eating will encourage healthy snacking.
Donna Krug is the Family & Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Barton County. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or dkrug@ksu.edu