Prepare snacks tailored to suit kid’s activities
The new year is a great excuse to up our parenting game.
Luckily, that can be as simple as adding a few new snack ideas to the recipe box and made even better when those recipes can be made ahead, are nutritionally conscious and geared toward the children’s activities.
Athletic kids have special demands on their bodies; those with a high motor can be extra sensitive to the nutritional quality of foods; and an artistically stimulating snack is an unexpected way to engage creative kids.
Wow your kids and have a parenting rock star moment with these tailored eats that the whole family can feel good about.
Breakfast for the young athlete
Sporting events for children often lead to later nights followed by rushed school-day mornings, shining a spotlight on the need for quick, body-fueling breakfasts.
According to Ellen Cernich, a dietician in the endocrinology and wellness group at UPMC Children’s Hospital, breakfasts for athletic kids should include protein, complex carbohydrates and fiber with plenty of
planning ahead and creativity to accommodate those time-pinching schedules.
“Sometimes we think of only breakfast foods, which a lot of times tend to be higher in sugars. So I’m all about thinking outside the box and having lean ham or turkey on a piece of whole wheat toast,” Ms. Cernich said.
Or, consider the hand pie. The basic idea of meat wrapped in dough goes by many names — meat pie, empanada, Hot Pocket, turnover — and all of them answer the call for convenience, versatility and make-ahead-friendliness.
Simply warm the premade refrigerated hand pie in a toaster oven or microwave for a few minutes, and it’s an athlete-supporting meal-on-the-go.
After-school snack for the hyperactive child
The time period immediately after school is an emotionally volatile time for any child, let alone one whose motor never seems to stop. The good news is a nutritionally appropriate snack can help right the ship.
Hyperactive children have to work harder than others to meet school-day demands. By the time they leave school, they’re energetically taxed from trying to contain their whirling energy, and because lunch was hours ago.
Once at home, the snack should be given promptly and be nutritionally diverse.
“What I really work on with kids is getting more than one food group on their plate,” Ms. Cernich said.
A mixture of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and/or vegetables and avoidance of added sugars is the perfect way to steady a drained but active kid, she recommends.
Full of naturally derived sweetness, nutty crunch and the visceral comfort that comes with a plate of cookies and milk, the Anytime
Cookie checks all the boxes.
Edible canvas for the artistic child
Artistic children can apply their talents to any number of mediums, but helping them to identify cooking as an art form has many more benefits than just helping their creative expression.
It’s well known that when children are engaged in cooking, they make better food choices, build confidence and become acquainted with what is not real food.
A yogurt bark fits the bill. At its most basic, the snack is a frozen slab of yogurt adorned with any number of toppings and then intentionally broken into easily-eaten pieces. For best results, consider the following to make the most of your edible art studio.
Yogurt: High protein, zero-added sugars and healthy gut bacteria make plain Greek yogurt an ideal choice, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be a gustatory flop. Consider pureeing a preferred fruit and folding it into the yogurt in a two-to-one ratio. Not only does this add flavor without added sugars, but it gives the yogurt a softer freeze.
Also, consider the shape in which you spread the yogurt prior to freezing. Hearts, circles and more are plenty easy to sculpt with an offset spatula.
Toppings: Fruits are colorful, texturally interesting and healthy choices for the yogurt canvas but preparation is key. Almost any fruit is a good idea, but they should be sliced thinly so chewing isn’t a chore. To go the extra mile, gather your smallest cookie cutters to punch out fruit shapes and add more even whimsy to the fruit collage.
Finishing touches: Don’t forget about a few last dashes of pizzaz. Chia seeds, coconut flakes, cacao nibs,
Jackson Pollack-like drizzles of honey and maybe even the occasional colored sprinkle or dash of edible glitter can really add interest (and valuable nutrients, in some cases) to the final product.