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Feature Articles: Children
Help Your Child Snack HealthfullyTammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD,
Snacks can provide 25% or more of food intake on any given
day for your school-aged child. Because children in the six to
twelve age group grow two inches and gain about five pounds a
year, it is important that snacks help to provide the important
nutrients these growing children need. |
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Most children in this age group know about making healthy
choices but it is the job of the parent to assure the healthy
choices are easily accessible. Use these tips to help assure
your children are getting the best nutrient value from their
snack choices:
- Keep snack bins with individual servings of a variety of
food in them. This makes it easier to make healthy choices. A
refrigerator snack bin might contain string cheese, yogurt,
cut up vegetables with dip or fresh fruit. A snack bin in the
pantry could include crackers, dried fruit, trail mix,
pretzels or popcorn. Make sure your children know they should
choose from these bins at snack time. This allows them to make
a choice but they are choosing from the healthful foods you
provide.
- Encourage your child to choose a snack that includes at
least two
food groups. Examples might be cheese with crackers, peanut
butter on apples, yogurt and fruit, or dried fruit with milk.
This helps to ensure your child is getting a wide variety of
nutrients.
- Let your children help decide what will go in the snack
bins. They are more likely to consume the foods they have made
a decision about purchasing.
- Let your child catch you eating foods from the snack bins.
They need to see you being a good role model.
- Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter. If it is
visible, your family is more likely to grab a piece. To keep fresh
fruit affordable, choose fruits that are in season. Keep in
mind that a single banana costs about 25 cents and a candy bar
costs at least 50 cents. The healthy choice is less expensive!
- Keep it interesting. Vary the types of food you keep in
your snack bins to keep your child interested.
- Assure there are healthy drink choices for your child.
Water is a great choice. Low-fat or fat-free milk (plain or
flavored) are also a good choice because of the nutrients
they contain. Offer only 100% fruit juice, which is full of
nutrients; avoid fruit-flavored drinks which have a lot of
sugar and little or no nutrient value.
Since snacks are such an important part of the diet of your school-aged child, it is important to make sure your child has healthful choices. Well nourished children learn and perform better in school.
Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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