What do kids do when they get home from school? They go for the kitchen for a quick snack. They grab whatever looks good to them. And they usually don’t think “healthy.”
It’s in a child’s nature to pick out junk foods. Junk foods that are high in sugar as well as fat. Unless of course, they are used to eating healthy and making healthier choices. But…if your child is not eating healthy and constantly grabbing for the cookie jar or their favorite candy bar, then it’s time to make some changes.
These unhealthy habits can lead to serious health issues when they grow to be adults. In fact, it can significantly affect them when they are still children. It’s a well-known fact that parents stocking healthier food choices can contribute to slowing the epidemic of obesity in their children.
So Moms and Dads…let’s make those changes. Restock your kitchen and substitute those chips, candies, and cookies with much healthier snacks.
Below are some examples of healthful after school snacks:
* Peanut butter on whole wheat crackers or celery
* Fresh fruits, applesauce, dried fruits
* Veggies and low-fat dip
* Granola bars
* Fruit smoothies
*Rice cakes
* Slice of veggie pizza
* Frozen yogurt
It would be a good idea to get your kids involved to help you with this list and even to help prepare these snacks to avoid the junk foods. Try and make these from scratch if you can. This will give the kids more of an incentive to eat healthy.
Here is one that most kids will like:
Homemade Peanut Butter
Ingredients
1 1/2 c.
unsalted peanuts
1 tbsp. peanut oil
2 tbsp. honey
Directions
Mix peanuts, honey, and oil and pour mixture into a food processor. Process until mixture is very smooth. Store the peanut butter in the fridge. It should be good stored for two weeks.
Try and be creative with different kinds of foods and dips. The idea is to try and make it as fun as possible for your children so that they will WANT to eat more healthier.
Your kids will thank you later in their lifetime for these changes. Also…remember to set a good example and eat healthy foods yourself!