In case you haven’t heard, apparently, we’re raising a generation of constant snackers.
As Wendy Sachs recently wrote in the Huffington Post, “From cleverly packaged organic cookies to crisp 100 Calorie chips, we offer snacks as distraction and entertainment.”
Those prepackaged snacks are so easy to grab and just throw in a bag when you’re on the go…or to alleviate meltdowns. I’m guilty of it, too. No judgments here! But on a different note, just because it’s organic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s that great of a snack for the kid, especially if they’re having tons of it, all day long.
A lot of kids are devouring those prepackaged snack foods, which are high in calories and low in nutrients, as pointed out in a MayoClinic.com article.
So, why don’t we nip these bad habits in the bud, and go for a healthier, old-fashioned route: snacks that we package ourselves?
Instead of grabbing for cutesy prepackaged and highly processed “fruit” snacks, why not put together fresh fruit and add a little protein like low-fat cheddar cheese?
According to an article in iVillage, Grapes are a rich source of resveratrol, a potent antioxidant that may help ward off cancer and heart disease, and cheese contributes protein. “Adding protein makes a snack more filling than eating fruit alone,” suggests Hillary Wright, R.D. Look for cheeses with five grams of fat or less to limit your intake of saturated fat.
For a quick, but healthy snack, try cutting up a 1/2 cup of grapes, 1/2 cup of cubed low fat cheese and throw in a few regular crackers for good measure. (Be sure to cut them up small enough for your kids, as these snacks are known to be choke hazards for kids under three.)
Grapes, cheese and cracker snack:
- 1/2 cup Reduced fat cheddar cheese, such as Cabot’s, offers less than five grams of fat.
- 1/2 Seedless grapes are sweet and savory
- 4-5 Crackers add that crunch factor
Throw it all together in a fun kid-friendly container, like this new one from Munchbox, to control portions and 
also make it portable for daycare, running errands or regular snacktime at the kitchen table. Stainless steel, healthier, hand-picked options and a pretty presentation makes snacktime that much more appealing for kids and parents alike.
I went ahead and cut enough snacks for the whole day; half the portion in the morning and half in the afternoon. Aside from taking less than five minutes to throw it all together, what was so great about this self-packaged snack is that instead of grabbing something unhealthy for myself, I could snack on this too. Snack on that.
Check it
With childhood obesity at an all time high, I’ve written before on my ongoing interest to cover food and healthier ideas for kids. With that in mind, I’m hoping to devote at least one post every Friday to food. Do you have some fun kid-friendly meal or snack ideas? Share them!
Munchbox from Conscious Containers uses sustainable, toxin-free materials. The lunchboxes retail for $19.95 and are available online and at select stores.
Full disclosure: samples were provided, but as always, opinions on NKT are my own
