Mid-morning and afternoon are likely snack times where your child will need refueling in order to continue being attentive in school or active in sports. Children generally have fairly fast metabolisms as their bodies work hard to grow, thus feeding them regularly is important. Our brains also require adequate calories in order to focus, concentrate, and learn. Blood sugar levels can drop rapidly in kids, and they often can’t express at this point that they are hungry – instead they become very tired, irritable, and emotional. It is ideal if we can feed them regularly throughout the day, so as to avoid these crashes, and keep their blood sugar levels happy and healthy.

Try to prepare snacks that are nutritious and based on grains, fruits, vegetables, ‘good’ fats, and protein. Avoid highly refined sugar foods that don’t provide any of the necessary nutrients, and are often seen as ‘empty calories’. Educate your children as to the importance of choosing quality, nutrient dense foods – to nourish their growing physical bodies, as well as strengthening them mentally and emotionally.

The following are some ideas for healthy snacks to offer your child:

• Almond Butter and celery (or apple or banana)
• Vegetables and dip (hummus, yogurt or cream-cheese based dips)
• Wasa/Ryvita or rice crackers with almond or cashew butter; or sesame/sunflower/pumpkin butter or hummus
• Tofu or chicken dogs wrapped in a whole wheat or corn tortilla or in lettuce
• Rice pudding
• Rice cakes with nut/seed butter or guacamole
• Granola (home-made or a low-sugar store bought one) with milk (or an alternative milk such as coconut milk) or plain yogurt + honey with fruit
• Rice toast with almond butter + jam/honey
• Cheese + crackers
• Cream cheese + celery with raisins on top
• Plain yogurt with fresh fruit and nuts
• Baked apples (can add cinnamon and maple syrup)
• Fruit kabobs (can dip in yogurt)
• Corn on the cob
• Mini pizzas (use a whole wheat English muffin or a pita or a wrap and add tomato/pesto sauce with veggies and cheese on top)
• Homemade cookies or muffins made with honey, maple syrup, rice syrup, stevia or barley malt
• Smoothies (plain yogurt/protein powder/egg, fruit, honey, soy/rice/almond milk, ice. Can also add hemp hearts and coconut oil to add in some ‘good’ fat)
• Homemade applesauce
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Cottage cheese + fruit
• Tuna salad on crackers
• Avocado + cheese
• Homemade fruit popsicles – fruit blended with coconut milk/yogurt/coconut water
• Trailmix (can make up yourself with an assortment of nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews; seeds: sunflower, sesame, pumpkin; dried fruit: raisins, apricots, cranberries)
• Homemade salsa and corn chips
• Homemade rice pasta or quinoa or couscous salad or Greek salad

Hope your kids enjoy!

Author Info

Ashely Gordon