Compiled by Ebi Kesiena
Children spend copious amounts of time playing and expend too much energy. After spending hours playing of studying, they get hungry and if the play is too much fun, they might even forget to look for food. That is where you come in with the most attractive snack.
While they would choose soda and candy any day because ‘sweet is their favorite taste, but the wise parent or teacher knows better.
The easiest way to get your children eating healthy is to attarct their attention, rather than appealing to their lifestyle choices. Making the food deliciously colourful with some yellows, reds, browns and greens on their plate is the easy way out. Cutting the fruits and other snacks in fun shapes should evoke a sense of excitement, which will automatically leave them coming for more.
Here is how to choose healthy snacks for young children to make it a appealing and delicious
Colour
Colours can get any child curious! And well, the wonders of fermented foods never cease. So, blend some spinach to achieve a hulk-ish green and a candy red beetroot, reminding them of maybe the Iron Man. Once done, you can separately add it to the batter. To enhance the nutritional content, you may add pulses like moong dal to the batter and make it protein-rich.
Oddi – ground nut butter
While almost all kids relish chocolate and all the sugary things, ground nut butter is a much healthier and tastier alternative. Use it as a dip with roasted breadsticks or apply it to the bread. This spread contains healthy fats and is an excellent energy source! Just note that while purchasing these kinds of butter off the shelf, we should be mindful and read the pack to avoid buying high-sugar and sodium products.
Protein-rich snacks
Children need more protein than adults because it helps with the body’s growth. So, including kid-friendly protein-rich snacks is a great way to keep their nutrition in check. Snacks such as energy bars, protein bombs, protein puffs and cookies make an excellent snacking option. Additionally, they are easy to carry and are a healthier option than typical sugar-coated bars and candies.
Pancakes
Rarely has a kid ever said no to pancakes, the best way to fulfil their wish is to switch processed flour with oat or millet flour and drizzle honey on them. Then, to make it a little colourful, you can add blue berries and high in anti-oxidants.
Nuts
Children love all kinds of nuts and seeds for good reason. They are not only delicious, they are fun to chew playfully. Not only are they deliciously nutritious, but hassle-free. Nothing stops you from giving them some boiled ground nuts in their shells.
In conclusion, make them forget soda and candy. Make them eat snacks that are shaped like candy but also almost as scintillating as candy. Snacking healthy is all about making things deliciously healthy yet interesting. And you know delicious fruits and vegetables that are simply amazing.
