With Halloween candy lingering in many homes across the nation, parents everywhere are faced with an on-going problem. How can you get your children to snack healthier? According to the Mayo Clinic, there are some easy things that will help your kids make healthier snack choices without a fight.
First of all, you have to get all the junk food out of your house! If your pantry is stocked with cookies, that’s what your kids are going to want to snack on. Fill your cupboards with healthier options like whole grain pretzels, crackers and cereals. There’s nothing wrong with a small bowl of cereal as an afternoon snack, after all.
A valuable parenting advice tip is to offer unusual things for snacks like pineapple chunks, red and yellow pepper strips or dried cranberries. Your children will have a great time picking out new, colorful snacks with a little guidance from you.
Be creative in the way you give your kids their snacks. Cut cheese slices into shapes with cookie cutters, make fruit kabobs on a skewer or let your children use chopsticks to eat their snack. It’s amazing what kids will eat if they can have fun while eating it! Offering a snack with a dip can be helpful (and healthy!), too. Try carrot sticks with ranch dressing, pretzels with hummus or crackers with cream cheese for a nutritious option.
It’s important to designate a snacking zone in your house. A lot of mindless eating is done in front of the television or computer so make sure your kids know that snacking is only allowed in the kitchen. Make it easy for them to find something healthy by leaving fresh fruit in a bowl on the counter or pre-cut veggies or convenient cheese sticks in the refrigerator.
