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Healthy Food for Kids

Always worried about what your children are eating? How to get them to eat healthy snacks when they come home from school.


Here's how a typical day goes in the life of Katie the Kid. She arises and goes downstairs for breakfast. Mom offers her a selection of cereals. Katie studies the brightly colored boxes. "I want that one!" she shrieks excitedly. "I saw it on the commercials. It's got a prize inside and little purple and pink marshmallow flowers to eat." Katie spoons up the sugary-sweet flakes of cereal, happily chewing away on the tiny marshmallows. Meanwhile, Dad is packing her lunch. "Don't forget my cupcake and juice box," instructs Katie. Her father carefully includes a cellophane package of a chocolate-icing coated cupcake with the requisite ooey, gooey vanilla-sugar filling, along with a juice carton that contains a liquid mainly consisting of sugary, artificially flavored water. After school, Katie gulps a soda from the refrigerator and munches on a chocolate chip cookie.

"Want to go grocery-shopping with me?" Mom invites her daughter. The seven-year-old nods happily, knowing that she can pick out her favorite cereal boxes (based on the commercials, of course); salty, greasy potato chips, cookies, and ice cream bars. The reward at the end of the expedition: a candy bar from the inevitably-loaded-with-sugar-treats racks by the check-out counter. At home, there's another cookie. Dinner is accompanied by the bribe: "If you eat all your spinach, you can have an ice cream bar for dessert." Sound familiar? If so, you're definitely not alone. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that incidents of childhood obesity are now at the highest level they have ever been in the United States, with more than 15 percent of children and teens aged 6 to 19. Even if your child is not currently overweight, medical experts say that early dietary habits set the pace for the future: a child who snacks on sugary and/or high-fat, salty snacks may become an obese adult.

Ready to start ensuring that your child won't be among those statistics? Let's re-run Katie's day – the healthy way.

At breakfast, Katie's mother offers her a selection of cereals consisting of low-sugar and no-sugar options only. As Katie eats, her father packs her lunch. "Don't forget my dessert and juice box," says Katie. In goes a juice carton that contains unsweetened, 100 percent juice – and a plastic baggie filled with no-sugar-added dried apricots mixed with almonds. After school, Katie gulps more juice from the refrigerator. "I'm hungry," she complains. Her mother offers her a healthy snack (check out our "sneaky snacks" below!) and invites her daughter to the grocery store. The seven-year-old accepts cheerfully. The result: an education is being a smart shopper. Mom shows Katie the nutritional information on the labels, giving her a lesson in reading, health, and consumer wisdom. At the same time, she makes sure that Katie has options: unsweetened oatmeal or whole grain cold cereal? Dried apricots or raisins? Almonds or walnuts? That way, the seven-year-old feels as if she's chosen what she wants. The reward at the end of the expedition: a new box of crayons. All treats don't have to consist of food. At home, there's half an apple spread with peanut butter. Then Katie helps prepare dinner with her mother, including a vegetable salad and fresh fruit compote for dessert. No need for a bribe: what you've helped to prepare yourself tastes extra good!


Healthy Snacks That Are Kid-Tested and Approved

Toby Amidor is a registered dietician and Instructor at The Art Institute of New York City. She has a master's degree in clinical nutrition and dietetics from NYU and is currently working towards her doctorate in nutrition education.

"The most typical dangers with regards to typical snacks that kids request is that they get used to the highly processed, empty-calorie foods that have been associated with the increased risk of obesity," notes Toby. "Health concerns of overweight children include heart disease, sleep apnea and other breathing problems, bone and joint problems, diabetes, and several forms of cancer. Increased psychological disorders such as depression and low self-esteem also surface in overweight children along with psychosocial difficulties."

However, "snacks are essential to a child's diet," emphasizes the New York dietician. "Children are growing and feel hungry all the time." Toby's recommendations include putting in that school lunch bag an assortment of "healthy snacks that the child can choose from, like a banana, grapes, homemade "chex mix", cheese sticks or yogurt." Parents should choose "foods that are packed with the nutrients, vitamins, minerals that the growing child needs."

In addition, make sure that you "increase the healthy snacks slowly. A drastic change in the child's eating habits will not make them happy."

Check out their easy recipes for wholesome snacks

Author Info:

Thanks to Joanne Eglash. For more information visit www.chefs.com






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