School going children need to eat regular meals so that they can concentrate well in school and also be energized throughout the whole day.
Healthy meals and snacks to children are essential as they provide the required nutrient intake per day and they prevent diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.
Getting a healthy snack to pack for your child may be a little confusing, but they are the best because they keep the child full for a longer period.
Most times children eat unhealthy snacks while they are at school and either it was they were packed for or they bought it. Some schools offer children snacks during break time and at times it may not be healthy, but you can talk to the administration so that they offer healthy snacks or pack some for your child.
Children should take at least two snacks in a day, i.e midmorning and midafternoon, and this helps them be focused before the next meal. Children can also take a snack in the afternoon before dinner so that they can concentrate well while doing their homework.
7 healthy snacks for school going children :
1
It is recommended to give children more fruits and vegetables as snacks because it is hard for them to take the required 5 servings per day. Serving fruits and vegetables as snacks are the best because they lower the chances of getting high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. Fruits and vegetables contain essential nutrients such as fiber and vitamin A and C. Although it may be difficult to serve vegetables, ensure that you encourage the children to eat them by cooking them in different ways, and this will enable you to know which they love best. For the fruits, make fruit salads with various colorful fruits so that it can appeal them and it will also provide various nutrients;
2
Get healthy beverages such as low-fat or fat-free milk, fresh fruit juices, and carbonated drinks such as seltzer. These contain no sugar, caffeine or calorie in them, hence very healthy. The best accompaniment of snacks is water as it also quenches thirst. Avoid giving sweetened drinks as they contain a lot of sugar and calories, and when children get used to them, they will not take sufficient water.
3
100% low sugar whole grain cereals with low-fat milk, bread, crackers, rice cakes.
4
Granola cereals and bars those are low in fat and sugar, such as Barbara’s Granola, Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars and Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Bars.
5
Low-fat dairy products such as yogurt will slices of various fruits, low-fat cheese.
6
Fruit smoothies and milkshakes.
7
Nuts and raisins, but ensure that the child is not allergic to peanuts.
Teach children how to prepare healthy snacks and their importance so that they can always make when they want a snack instead of reaching out of unhealthy snacks such as chips, chocolate, cookies.
