Snacking
is an effective way to fit extra nutrients into your child’s diet and prevent
them from overeating at mealtimes. However, you do not want snacks to fill all
their calories for the day and want them to provide nutrients. Too many kids in
the United States are obese and this starts with snacking. Some kids just snack
with no limits and eat whatever they want. This is why it is important as a
parent to educate yourself and your child to eat healthy, so they can be fit
and healthy. A
child’s body needs nutrition, not just food. For children snacks are important
because children have a higher metabolic rate, requiring more caloric intake
than adults, but it's important that the calories they consume be nutritious.
Healthy snacks will provide your child will have stable energy that will last.
Helping them perform physical activities and mental activities better, staying focused
more. Snacking will help your child grow, but only if they are eating the right
snacks. Snacks you give your kids should be limited on sugar and fit into their
daily nutritional needs, which are proteins, carbohydrates, unsaturated fats, vitamins,
and minerals. When considering a snack for your kids always thing healthy, they
may take a little longer to prepare or think about but in the end your child
will benefit extremely. To review, healthy snacks can satisfy nutrient gaps and provide up to one quarter of
a child's daily energy needs. They also satisfy hunger between meals, improve
concentration, and prevent overeating at mealtime.
Ants on a log:
This is a favorite of a lot of people I know. I heard many parents and
kids love this quick snack that is healthy as well. It gets kids eating vegetables,
which can be hard for parents to get their kids to do. It is a snack that takes about five minutes to prepare and everyone of all ages will love, not just the
kids.
What You Need:
4 pre-cut celery
sticks
Peanut butter
Raisins
Small bowl
Spoon
How to Make Ants on a Log:
1.
Wash
the celery and dry.
2.
Open
the peanut butter.
3.
Open
the raisins. Put some raisins in a small bowl.
4.
Use a
spoon to get a little peanut butter.
5.
Spread
the peanut butter into the celery. This will help your raisins stick to the
celery.
6.
Push
raisins into the peanut butter.
Does it look like
the raisins are ants crawling on a celery log? Great! Eat your healthy ants on
a log.
Why Ants on a Log Are Healthy for You:
• Celery is a vegetable. Celery has vitamins
and minerals to help keep you strong.
• Raisins are dried grapes. That makes raisins
fruit. Fruit has fiber that helps you digest.
• Peanut butter has protein. Protein builds
muscles to make you strong.
I have always loved this snack as a kid. I forgot about it until I read your blog! It is a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables. Peanut butter is also high in protein which is a great combo like you said above. Adding the raisins gives fiber to this snack and fiber is excellent for your body. I love the easy to follow instructions you posted as well. Great post Dara!
ReplyDeleteI have always loved this snack as a kid. I forgot about it until I read your blog! It is a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables. Peanut butter is also high in protein which is a great combo like you said above. Adding the raisins gives fiber to this snack and fiber is excellent for your body. I love the easy to follow instructions you posted as well. Great post Dara!
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions for healthy snack alternatives! Children need to get their daily nutrients and cut out the junk food as much as possible. As HPE majors we need to advocate healthy alternatives to our students so they can try to be as healthy as possible. We would also need to help advocate this to the parents of our future students so they can all get on board with these healthy snack alternatives !
ReplyDeletesay a kids is allergic to peanut butter what would be a good substitute for that child. would it just be celery and and raisin or is there anything that could be used. i'm drawling a blank on what could be used if anything could substitute it.
ReplyDeleteIf a kid likes it you could use Hummus, but not many kids will like that. I looked this up and some other places online said they have use yogurt as a substitute. I have never tried either of these, but sound like they would go well still. This is something I never thought about I am glad you brought that up.
DeleteCool idea, I love snacking peanut butter and celery but this is the first I've seen the raisins. I teach a class at my church and we always do snack, the biggest problem we run into is finding a fun snack that won't ruin the kids lunch. This is definitely something I will have to try with the kids!! Thanks for the idea! And you are so right, although it may take longer to prepare than a bag of chips or cookies it is a better alternative and will actually give the child those nutritious calories.
ReplyDeleteThis is a snack even as a college student I enjoy! I usually just do the peanut butter and celery, but adding raisins would be smart. I am a serious snacker. These recipes are very helpful in making sure the snacks are healthy rather than just food i'm sticking in my mouth. I think knowing healthy alternatives for snacks could make a huge different in society's kids today. We are used to seeing kids with chips and sugary snacks rather than these delicious nutritious ones!
ReplyDelete