Kids love snacks; in fact, 27% of children’s daily calories come from snacks. Snacks can keep younger children from getting so hungry that they become cranky, and they can keep older kids from overeating at larger meals. However, if the snacks kids are eating are from foods with little nutritional value, such as chips, snack cakes and soda, those empty calories add up quickly increasing your child’s risk of unhealthy weight gain. While fruits, vegetables and foods that contain whole grains, dairy and protein are always a good choice, the best snacks are low in sugar, fat, and salt.
So how can you tell if a snack food is considered a healthy option?
- Look at the ingredient list – Focus on what comes first. Ingredients are listed in order of greatest to smallest by weight. So if strawberries appear as the first ingredient in strawberry jam, strawberries make up the majority of that food product. But here’s where it can get tricky. Ingredient lists may include several variations of the same ingredient. If you add them together, that ingredient could actually be what makes up the majority of that food.
- Learn the buzzwords – Sugar, sodium and saturated and trans fats can be listed under several different names. Sugar, for example, may appear as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, honey, molasses. To keep an eye on sodium when reading ingredient lists, watch for words like salt, brine, baking soda, monosodium glutamate and sodium benzoate. Unhealthy fats also have a few disguises, including lard, partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils, tallow and shortening.
For children aged 2 years and older, intake of saturated fat should be limited to less than 10 percent of calories per day by replacing them with unsaturated fats like olive and canola oil. Please keep in mind that you never want to restrict a child’s fat intake if they are under the age of 2. Fat encourages brain and nervous system development as well as aiding in the absorption of essential nutrients for growth. Your best bet is to choose products with short ingredient lists. While additives and preservatives may be necessary to make certain foods safe for consumption, the shorter the ingredient list the less likely it is to contain unhealthy ingredients.
Below is a list of easy Dietitian approved nutritious and affordable snacks so delicious, your child will be buzzing to open that lunchbox!
- Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip
- Healthy Homemade Trail Mix
- Chocolate Covered Banana Chips
Also, keep in mind that while we want to have healthy snacks it is still okay to have a special treat every once in a while!
