5 Good Snacks For Children After School
When your little ones come home from school with rumbling stomachs, they need a tasty and healthy snack. Keep reading to find out which are the five best snacks for the kids in the afternoon.
Sometimes it is difficult not to resort to fast food, which offers a quick solution for hungry children and parents who do not have time. But there are many healthy alternatives that children like.
Do not underestimate the value of healthy snacks. A good diet is essential for your children’s upbringing. An after-school snack gives them just the right amount of energy for an action-packed afternoon of homework and play.
A long day at school can be physically and mentally tiring. Eating a snack in the afternoon is a great way for children to regain their energy and persevere until dinner.
Why is it important to have snacks for children?
- Growth: Your children grow and develop. They need energy and the right nutrients to help them along the way.
- Digestive system: Their bodies are not good at walking for long periods without eating. Children need to eat small portions but often.
- Weight control: By eating more often, children will not be so hungry at dinner and will not stop getting drunk. This is why the right snack can help your child maintain weight.
- Energy: Children are physically and mentally active. They spend all day at school, running around and using their brains. They need food that recharges their batteries and keeps pace with their hectic daily routine.
Snack rules for children
- Keep an eye on the time. If they bring a snack to school, they should eat it during the break. After school, make sure they get their afternoon snack after they have melted their lunch but not too close to noon.
- Pay attention to how much they eat. Do not forget that a snack should only help them make it to the next meal. Excessive chatter can upset the meal balance if the child is still full when it’s time for dinner.
- Avoid refined sugar, artificial colors and preservatives. Although there are several quick and easy options at hand, read the table of contents. There are a lot of substances that they should not eat at all, and definitely not every day.
- Make sure the snack includes the right food groups. This does not mean that every snack needs to contain carbohydrates, fruits and dairy products, but they should eat from these groups every day.
- Do not forget water! Make sure they are well hydrated.
The 5 best snacks for children
These ideas about snacks for children are a good starting point. Do not be afraid to be innovative: use your imagination.
Why not ask your child for suggestions? Together you can create something new, yummy and healthy.
- Sandwiches: The classic. When making sandwiches, you need to think about the size depending on your child and its activities. The filling is also important; If it eats meat, ham is a good option because of its protein content. You can also make sweet sandwiches with banana and chocolate. They are high in energy and your child will surely love them.
- Fruit ice cream: Make fruit puree and freeze it in an ice cream mold. This is a very healthy alternative that is easy to make in advance and is perfect for hot summer days.
- Yogurt: Yogurt gives your child a perfect serving of calcium and protein. You can serve it with fruit and muesli. It is good to make a habit of reviewing the content. It may be that there is a lot of added sugar.
- Smoothies: Choose fruit according to the season and make a smoothie that they love. You can use milk for a portion of dairy products. You can also add groats or unsalted nuts to further increase the nutritional content.
- A glass of milk and a piece of homemade cake: When it comes to cakes and pastries, homemade is always best. This way you know exactly what has been used and how much has been used in the batter. This is a perfect snack for your children. Why not chop into a piece yourself?
Of course, you should not worry if you do not have time to prepare snacks from scratch every day. It is okay to use semi-finished products from time to time.
The key to a healthy diet is balance: a little treat every now and then does no harm.
