Now that Halloween is over and the children have had their fill of treats, it's time to start talking snacks. I consider snacks mini meals, something to eat when feeling peckish but you've got a while before a meal. A snack in my opinion should also provide nourishment for sure.
When I first started to "hang out" with my daughter Jas around the city, in my new mode of "healthiness," I wanted to make sure she had a good snack and would never feel hungry as I have in times of my life. So of course I read and researched and talked to her pediatrician about snack options. One day I heard somewhere that water is for thirst, milk is for snack and juice is for treat. Now people may not agree with that but I liked it and began to implement it. As I continued to learn more the snacks/treats I was giving her, my ideas kept changing. Here is where I am now and what I consider good snacks.
Yogurt - (but good a good quality one). Some of these yogurts may as well be a treat with all the sugar they have and very little nutrition. A good thick yogurt should be enough to stand alone, but the addition of a little granola can make it more substantial. Speaking of....
Granola/granola bars - Like yogurt, granola and granola bars can be full of unhealthy stuff, but if you take the time to look, you can find some good ones. Home made granola is best because it's fairly simple to make and you can put in all your favorite nutritious goodies in it. Eaten by the hand full, or turned into a bar, with a cup of milk (for me organic or grass-fed of course), can be a great snack.
Cheese – Cheese is always a good source of protein, but I find that just a cheese stick is not enough. So I usually serve cheese with fruit or veggies if possible. I don’t eat wheat products, so eating the Asian brown rice crackers is a nice snack with the cheese. But if you do eat wheat, a cheese sandwich or cheese and crackers is a great snack. Like cheese nut butters (if your child can have them) are great with fruit and in a sandwich or with crackers also. Sometimes we take popcorn and drizzle nut butter and honey over it, it's a snack disguised as a treat.
Fruit - I've mentioned twice already that fruit is great alone, but I often pair it with something to make it more filling. And I'm talking about real fruit not a squeeze pouch or fruit leathers I consider those treats to be had with water, as they have lots of sugar and minimal real nutrients
Veggies – Veggies are tricky, if you have a child that will eat raw or cold veggies more power to you. I know some people will roll their eyes at me for this, but I don't love baby carrots. They're processed in a way that I don't agree with. But if it came down to junk food or organic baby carrots, I'd choose the latter. Raw peppers (especially the yellow ones) I find can be tolerated by some children. My daughter likes them dipped in nut butter, as she does with apples, pears and of course can be done with celery.
Juice - I'm not a fan of juice, but there is one particular brand I like most of all. I consider juice to be a treat and I give it to Jas with chips or popcorn (of which I only buy a few brands).
I will sometimes give it as a treat with or after dinner. Never with a sweet treat, with those we have water or milk
I think that's all for now, and I hope I’m not forgetting anything....oh hummus can be a great snack to dipping stuff into, better if home made I feel, just to avoid unnecessary ingredients. Smoothies and real juiced veggies and fruit can be an excellent source of nutrients between meals if you have the time, knowledge, and equipment to make it yourself.
Since i'm not sure how advertising and all that works I have not provided names any of my favorite items but if you'd like to know just tweet me @jazzyhealth or email me lcyerra1@gmail.com
