Enjoy Some Snacks

Snacks – who doesn’t love to snack? When I visit foreign countries, I am amazed at how little some people snack in other countries.  They eat well at meals, but just don’t seem to snack much.  Not true of Americans, we love our snacks.  About 57% of us enjoy a snack at least once a day.  About 31% say they snack a few days a week.  Why do people snack?  Some say because they are hungry.  And that may be true, especially for growing children and teenagers.  Some are craving sweets and others are craving a salty snack.  Some people think snacking is bad for your health.  But is it?  Yes, some snacks like Cheetos are not a healthy choice.  But many snacks can be good for your health.  Children in particular, need snacks.  They have small stomachs and should have snacks between meals.  Pre-school kids should have morning and afternoon snacks.  School-age kids should have an afternoon snack.  KidsHealth notes, “A well-timed snack can even out spikes in hunger and provide much-needed energy boost between meals.”   And, “Snacks can keep younger children from getting so hungry that they become cranky, and they can keep older kids from overeating at larger meals.” 

How can you have some healthy snacks on hand? 

  1. Plan those snacks.  Rather than opening a cupboard or the fridge and grabbing anything, plan ahead.  Most of us, about 59%, grab a snack without planning what we will eat.  By having healthier snack options on hand, it is easier for adults and kids to choose healthy snacks. 
  2. Snacks can fill nutritional gaps – choosing fresh fruit or veggies can help you get in the recommended 5 A Day of fruits and veggies.  Short on dairy?  Grabbing a yogurt or having some cheese and crackers can add dairy to your day.  Short on whole grains?  Satisfy that salty snack urge by enjoying some whole grain chips like Sun Chips or Late July chips.  Add some salsa and you are adding even more good nutrition to your snack.
Enjoy some whole grain chips.

What are some good snack options for adults?

  1. Fruit and veggies – aim to add some fruit or veggies to every snack.  Why?  Because so many Americans aren’t eating enough fruits and veggies.  The salsa counts as a vegetable as does guacamole.  Keep hummus on hand as a dip for carrot sticks.
  2. Protein – you need protein to build and maintain your muscles.  Dairy provides a very high-quality protein – as long as it is real dairy and not a fake milk or fake yogurt.  Choose some low-fat cottage cheese and fruit, yogurt with fresh fruit.  Melted mozzarella on a half of an English muffin. 
  3. Fiber – many of us are short on fiber on our diets.  Enjoy some popcorn.  Popcorn is whole grain.  Fresh fruit like fresh raspberries are good sources of fiber.  Fiber helps you feel full and feeds those “good bacteria in your gut”.    Nuts are another good snack choice – a handful of nuts, not the whole can.
  4. Choose 2 food groups for your snack like yogurt for dairy and fresh blueberries for the fruit. 

 What are some good snack choices for kids? 

Kids need snacks as noted above.  They have small stomachs and get hungry between meals.  Active kids need snacks for energy as they can burn up a lot of calories playing.  Try to have snack time at the same time each day. Let kids get involved in making the snack.  Offer the kids some snack choices and let them choose the snack they want. 

Easy to make, Pizza Toast.

  1. Breakfast cereal – buy any General Mills cereal (all are whole grain) and let your kids enjoy cereal as a healthy snack.  Add some real milk and you have 2 food groups, dairy and grain.
  2. Fruit – cut up into small pieces to avoid choking.  For small children, even grapes should be cut up.  Add some yogurt or cottage cheese.
  3. Graham crackers with peanut butter.
  4. Applesauce on top of some cottage cheese.
  5. Whole grain chips and salsa
  6. Smoothies – let older kids make their own smoothie with fresh fruit and real milk or yogurt.
  7. Pudding or Chocolate Milk – yes, these contain some added sugar but pudding and chocolate milk also provide calcium, protein and many other nutrients growing children need. Let your kids help make the pudding.  Younger kids can easily stir for the 2 minutes.  Older kids can measure the milk, stir, pour into bowls and make this snack on their own.
  8. Mini pizzas – cheese, salsa on a whole grain English muffin
  9. Grab and go snacks – granola bars, cheese sticks, trail mix, popcorn, dried or fresh fruit.
  10. Check out “30 Super Speedy Snacks for Kids” – fun snacks any kid would enjoy.
When grocery shopping this week, choose some healthy snack options to have on hand for you and for your kids.

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