Managing the After-School Snack Frenzy
Making sure kids have nutritious snack options available to them can be a daunting task for parents. Here are a few simple snacking principles to help manage the munchies all day long.
Snacking can be totally appropriate for you and your kids. That’s because nutritious snacks can help:
- manage hunger;
- prevent overeating at mealtimes;
- ensure an adequate intake of key nutrients.
Pillars of healthy after-school snacking
Be prepared
The best way to offer your children nutritious snacks is to stock the kitchen with a variety of choices... healthy ones of course! Less nutritious foods can also be part of their diet; the important thing is moderation, as always.
Snack smartly
A snack should include one food from one of the four food groups of Canada’s Food Guide. To avoid cravings between meals that are further apart, choose foods from two food groups, which include protein-rich foods such as cheese, nuts, peanut butter, and hummus. As proteins take longer to digest, they may help kids feel full longer.
Remember to vary the snacking menu and try including as many of your kids’ favourites as possible.
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