Nutrition

Five Quick and Healthy Snacks For Your Kids

January 12, 2010
By Grier Cooper

Families these days lead busy, active lives, kids included, and many times this means snacks are eaten quickly, or on-the-go while being shuttled to an activity. But let’s face it; if it comes in a box, it isn’t real food and it isn’t healthy. The following snacks are both quick and healthy, because every bite counts when it comes to nutrition:

1. Fresh Fruit. Choose seasonal fruits, and buy organic produce whenever possible to get optimum nutritional benefit without toxic chemicals. In winter, choose from apples, pears, and citrus fruits, such as oranges or tangerines. Summer choices are much more varied, from berries to peaches, melons, and plums.

2. Dried Fruit. Raisins are quite high in iron and are an easy choice that most kids can tolerate, or better yet, enjoy. Other dried fruits that are kid-friendly include: apricots, mangoes, cherries, cranberries, and pineapple. It’s best to look for the brands that simply dry the fruit without adding sugar.

3. Nuts and seeds. There are so many delicious nuts to choose from, it can be tough to decide. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, cashews, and peanuts are just some of the options. If you are feeling exotic, try macadamia nuts or Brazil nuts.

4. Kefir. If you are not familiar with kefir, think of a drinkable yogurt that is rich in probiotics. Drinking it gives a double dose of nutrition, with the benefits of protein and the benefits of live cultures, which support digestive health.

5. Hummus. Made from chickpeas, hummus has a wonderful, creamy texture that is perfect for dipping. Serve it with a stash of vegetable sticks or carrots. This healthy and tasty alternative is hard to beat.

Being short on time doesn’t mean you have to be short on nutrition. Having this supply of quick and healthy snacks on hand will help keep your kids full of energy and feeling good. Until dinner.

Grier Cooper is a California-based writer/photographer. She draws on over twenty years of experience as a dancer, teacher and performer to create fiction and non-fiction that inspires for children and adults. For more tips on how to keep yourself and your family feeling great, sign up for a weekly free newsletter @ http://www.griercooper.com and receive a free E-book, “Ten Ways to Help Your Child Connect With Nature”.

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