What does it take to make a healthy snack? The aisles at every Sandy, Draper, and West Jordan grocery store are lined with packages that claim to be healthy and to contain the newest, most exciting vitamin or mineral. But is that really what makes a snack healthy?
Chances are that the answer is no. A lot of the foods that make healthy snacks are not the ones that you find packaged in the middle of the supermarket. Rather, they are what we would consider plain old food.
Plain old food has the advantage of being unprocessed and free of chemicals and preservatives. So, let’s take a look at these seemingly boring snack ingredients.
Cheese is a real protein powerhouse for your kids, so a little goes a long way. For a fun twist, try using cookie cutters to make shapes that your kids will love to gobble up!
Peanut butter and childhood go together like, well, peanut butter and jelly. Ants on a log, peanut butter spread on celery with raisins is always a fun treat. If your child has peanut allergies, you can always substitute almond butter in most recipes.
Low-fat yogurt is probably a favorite of your child’s already, but this versatile source of calcium has plenty of tricks up its sleeve. Try adding berries, or something crunchy like granola or whole-grain cereal. And, in the hot summer months, a yogurt pop can really hit the spot.
The humble egg isn’t just for breakfast anymore. Hard-boiled eggs kept in the fridge might be one of the most convenient ways to enjoy this high-protein snack.
As you can see, the secret to children’s nutrition might just be that there is no secret at all. Find real food, make it into a snack, and ignore the claims on the labels of processed, pre-packaged food.
Hi. My name is Melanie Green and I am passionate about kids health in Sandy. I want to help parents in and around Salt Lake City to raise healthy, happy children. One way I do this by discussing essential health concerns in my Children’s Health Blog, such as childhood obesity in West Jordan, immunization schedules, and safety.
Thanks so much for reading, Salt Lake City parents!
The following online article was used to write this post:
http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/feeding/healthy-eating/the-20-best-snacks-for-kids/#page=4, accessed on September 4, 2013.
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