Healthy Snack Guide for Kids

Healthy Snack Guide for Kids

In addition to intake from the main food, we also need to provide healthy snacks for children. Many children's activities, from going to school to playing with their friends, make them need a portion of food that is able to provide sufficient energy intake.

Healthy snacks for children need to be prepared in order to provide sufficient fuel for them to undergo a solid activity. Thanks to healthy snacks, energy levels and concentration can be maintained. In addition, the consumption of healthy snacks for children can also provide additional nutrition to ensure the completeness of the nutrition that the little one gets.

Changing Children's Habits

Generally, children like snacks that are dominated by fat, sugar, and salt content. To divert children's preferences from this type of snack, parents must do it gradually.

This gradual change will make it easier for your child, as well as yourself, to change their habits. The goal is for children to feel the changes without them realizing it. Start by limiting the intake of snacks for children, for example to only two times a day, one morning and one afternoon.

Don't forget to keep an eye on the amount of snacks you eat. Children usually like chocolate which contains a lot of fat and sugar. Therefore, try not to consume too much of this type of snack. Children under 10 years old are not recommended to consume more than 24 grams of sugar in a day. In addition to snacks, provide drinks that are not only able to quench thirst, but also remain healthy. You can give mineral water or low-fat milk for both functions.

What Kind of Healthy Snacks For Children?

If the transitions made above have gone well, it's time to make children eat real healthy snacks. Healthy snacks are not only able to meet the nutritional intake of children, but also support the growth and development of children and keep their weight normal.

Make snacks that provide carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and healthy fats, with low sugar and salt content. Foods rich in protein or fiber on their own are good for children, as they can help them feel full longer. It would be better if the snack is enriched with various nutrients that can support their growth and development. Healthy snacks for children are recommended to contain at least 100 calories.

In addition to following the rules above, some of the things below can be used as a benchmark as a healthy snack for children.

Make snacking a fun activity

The attractive form of snacks for children will of course be more attractive to them. For example, making funny faces in pudding or fruit. In addition, using new ways of eating food can also be used as a means to attract children's interest. For example, those who usually use spoons and forks, try to use chopsticks or toothpicks.

Sweet snacks can also be healthy

To keep sweet snacks healthy, serve low-fat pudding, yogurt, or fruit. Make a juice or smoothie from milk, unsweetened yogurt, and fruit.

Keep children away from junk food

If from the beginning the parents did not provide a variety of foods and snacks that are not healthy or junk food, then the children will be avoided from these types of foods. This means that parental rules play a very important role in educating children to get used to eating healthy.

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Don't get hung up on certain types of food. There are many types of fruits and vegetables that can be used as healthy snacks for children, such as pineapple, mango, avocado, and red, or yellow peppers. The mixture of several fruits and vegetables may be more interesting for children to eat.

Introduce with whole grains

Whole grains in the form of cereals or cakes are good for consumption by children. High fiber content will make children feel full longer.

In order for healthy snacks for children to become a habit, parents must be good role models in this regard, because children will usually follow their parents' habits. Involve children in the process, for example by making a snack schedule together. If it's difficult to make healthy snack choices for your child or your child likes to picky food, you can consult a nutritionist or pediatrician for further advice.