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"Mom, Can I Have A Snack?"
By Donna Smith
School's out, which means lunches under shade trees, supplying the whole neighborhood with Popsicles, swatting mosquitoes off toddler's legs, and the constant question: "Mom, can I have a snack?"
Kids are active all the time. But during the summer months, they tend to be more active than usual. Snacks, if done right, can help supply your kids with the extra calories, vitamins and minerals their active bodies need. But, if your offering of carrot sticks and yogurt dip is frowned upon, don't worry! Make the food fun, and they will come.
First, let the kids make the decision on what snack they want. Pick a few healthy snacks, then let the kids choose. If they've made the decision, they are more likely to want to eat it. Then, get the kids involved in the food's preparation.
Kids love to cook and help out in the kitchen. Older children can read recipes, measure ingredients, chop or grate food, and even cook on the stove with an adult's supervision. Don't leave the younger kids out! They can sort ingredients, mix ingredients, and even do simple measurements.
So, what are good choices for snacks? One idea that comes to mind is popcorn. Popcorn is low in calories and fat, and very high in carbohydrates and fiber, making it a great snack. It even counts as a bread exchange on the Food Pyramid.
Jazz up popcorn by making a trail mix. Let your kids mix popcorn, peanuts, sunflower seeds, raisins and dried apricots in a bowl. This is a great recipe for the younger age group. No measuring is needed, just dumping!
After they've dumped all the ingredients into a big bowl, let them mix it together with their clean hands.
Peanut butter is another good snack choice. Let your kids cut celery into sticks. Then, with a spoon, have them fill the celery with peanut butter. Want to make it a little more interesting? Sprinkle raisins or sunflower seeds over the top.
For another great peanut butter snack, take plain old saltine crackers, spread on some peanut butter, then top with a slice of banana.
