photo credit: Little Miss Eclectic Photography
Stop fighting with your kids at snack time. Help train them to enjoy healthy eating with these simple ideas.
Make Healthy Choices Visible
Keep a fruit bowl on the counter so fresh snacks are always within an arm’s reach. Have an area in your kitchen with portioned snacks like applesauce cups, whole grain crackers, or bags of trail mix available. You can purchase these goodies already packaged or portion them yourself. To cut down on waste, think about using cute reusable bags like these Bumkins Reusable Snack Bags. The fun designs are sure to catch your little one’s eye.
photo credit: Little Miss Eclectic Photography
Add in Some Fun
Turn snack time into an activity. Cut up veggies and cheese in various shapes for your kids to make funny faces out of. Or you could set up an Oatmeal Bar- complete with toppings like dried fruit, almond slices, jam, and honey. When you are serving veggies, add a dip. Try to pair new, unfamiliar veggies with familiar dips to take away some of the intimidation factor.
Make Homemade Treats
When you make treats and snacks in your own home, you have the ability to control every single ingredient that goes into them. There are plenty of healthy snack recipes out there but none could be simpler than This Homemade Fruit Snack Recipe. Or try your hand at some Baked Banana Chips. Do you have some leftover dough from pizza night? Make Spinach and Tomato Puffs, perfectly bite sized for your hungry kids.
Get Kids Cooking
Getting your children involved in food preparation can be instrumental in their willingness to try new things. Kids take great pride in their accomplishments, so allow them to help prepare healthy snacks, and you’ll be sure to see them enjoy the fruits of their labor (shameless pun intended).
Even kids who are just old enough to stand will be able to help you make Bottom of the Box Trail-mix. Rummage through the cabinets and any cereal, nuts, dried fruits, chocolate chips or similar foods that are nearly empty can be dumped together in a bowl and mixed with a big wooden spoon to make a simple treat.
photo credit: Little Miss Eclectic Photography
Grow Your Own
Do you have some extra space in your yard? Enough room on the porch for a big planter? Then why not try to grow your own snacks! Start a berry patch in the yard, or a tomato vine on the deck. Get your kids involved by helping pick out seedlings and decorating the garden. Teach kids how to care for their garden by watering and weeding. And finally, help them harvest their very own produce.
HealthBarn has some adorable kits that contain everything you need for your child to start a little garden of their very own. We especially like their Children’s Fresh Pizza Garden Kit, because what kid doesn’t love pizza?
Break the Rules…Sometimes
Consider allowing your children to indulge in sweet goodies occasionally. If you withhold sugar completely they are sure to find a way to sneak it in, and it’s better if you can monitor their sugar consumption. We like YummyEarth Lollipops if you are looking for an organic sweet treat.
