Snack time is likely a part of your child’s schedule, but are you giving him the nutrient-dense snacks that will keep him/her going? As our kids head back to school for week #2, you may be already running out of ideas for a healthy lunch box. Or, if you’re new to the idea of going gluten-free, you may be simply overwhelmed or stumped for other good bread-free ideas. Let’s fix that!
Just because you might be looking to venture away from sandwiches, doesn’t mean your child will be lacking for anything tasty or nutritious in his/her lunch box. Plus, you’ll want some healthy snacks to go along with it!
Growing children often get hungry between meals, or prefer to “graze” rather than eating a large meal. Nutritious snacking can help with keeping energy, attention, and mood even throughout the day. But, we need to watch out for having too many of the processed and convenient snack foods that can have a detrimental effect on his/her health.
What we want to avoid most are those artificial flavorings, colorings, preservatives and sugars that are commonly within processed foods. Why? Because these ingredients can contribute to chronic inflammation in the brain, blood sugar issues, and immune suppression, which you could notice as behavioral issues, short attention span, tantrums, and frequent sicknesses or skin conditions.
How to choose the best Child snacks:
Choosing healthy snacks can be challenging! There are so many snacks that “claim” to be healthy, but are they really? Have we been tricked by the marketing on the front label? Assuming we’re not dealing with specific food allergens, here are a few tips for buying store-bought snacks:
- Look at the total amounts of sugars and carbohydrates. You want to aim for less than 15g of carbohydrates, and less than 5g of sugar per serving.
- Look at the ingredients listed. If the main ingredients are dehydrated fruit, vegetables, nuts, or another form of protein, that’s a good sign for a snack. (If it reminds you of a chemistry lesson, put it down).
- Look at the serving size to get a full understanding how much is in the container.
- Look at the protein and fat content in the snack, because these nutrients will keep your child feeling full, longer. Kids’ brains need protein and fat!
- Combine foods – like a homemade trail mix – if the store-bought version is not quite good enough.
- Always buy “unsweetened,” “organic,” and/or “non-GMO certified” if you have a choice.
Child Safe Snacks That Are Delicious And Healthy:
Having a substantial list of child-safe snacks is helpful when you go to the grocery store. It can be a bit daunting to sort through the choices, especially when pressed for time. Depending on age-appropriateness, here are our favorite kid-friendly options to keep on hand:
- Coconut milk yogurt is a great source of protein, calcium, and the beneficial bacteria that are needed for good gut health, and healthy teeth.
- Fresh apple slices with a packet of Justin’s nut butter is so yummy and convenient.
- Dehydrated mango slices with a small bunch of organic grapes or peeled Clementine wedges are refreshing and delicious.
- If not too hard to chew, a few pieces of a mild turkey, beef, or buffalo jerky can keep blood sugar stable and mood upbeat.
- A hard-boiled egg is great for breakfast, but also goes into a lunch box well. The protein and choline help keep the brain alert!
- Celery with either almond butter or hummus, with raisins, is a great balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in a snack.
- Make your own deli turkey roll-ups with a sliced cheese and/or a thinly sliced pickle.
Supplements To Assist Your Child’s Diet:
Children can take supplements to support their digestion and gut health. The following three supplements we highly recommend for any family with small children…
- Betafood is a very simple yet powerful product. It contains beets – something kids never eat – but can relieve constipation and promote detoxification.
- Prosynbiotic is a synergistic blend of probiotic strains and prebiotic fibers to support intestinal health. Really helps with bowel regularity and consistency.
- Lactic Acid Yeast wafers support a healthy intestinal environment, especially with how the body digests carbohydrates.
Please visit our online shop to read more about these special products!