Who says snacks can’t be HEALTHY!

I have 2 growing boys ages 3 and 5 years old and they cannot stop eating. I remember watching my nephews pack the food away and think…”where is it all going” because they were not big boys. Now I know it wasn’t just them….it’s in that boy gene! THEY NEED TO EAT and they need to EAT A LOT!!!

Upon finishing breakfast, my oldest is asking for something else to eat. For breakfast we rotate a few selections. Oatmeal with a whole banana and wild frozen blueberries, French Toast made with sprouted bread, Multi Grain Pancakes with Oats, veggie puree and flaxseed or if we are running late cereal with Soy Milk, Sprouted Toast . All of our meals include some sort of fresh fruit. More and more Jackson is asking for second helpings, and I just look at him and think…You are 5 years old and already eating me out of the house .

I can usually hold them off until lunch, but it should come as no surprise that they are asking for lunch at 11 AM. In the afternoon they always have some sort of snack and of course I want it to be healthy, not because I am a nut case but because I want them to fill up on good whole foods and not with empty calories.

Finding nutritional snacks are easy to find you just need to think outside of the box,  and don’t go through the snack aisle at the grocery store. My boys are fairly picky eaters and dinner is the worst meal time for them so I need to make sure that the rest of the day is filled with healthy choices because I don’t know whether or not they will eat their dinner.

Here are some of my favorite snacks:

Fruit cut into bite-sized pieces: apple, pear, plum, apricot, peach, nectarine, kiwi, pineapple, berries, banana, cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, papaya, mango, grapes**** to kick it up a notch have them dip it into a low sugar yogurt mixture. My favorite yogurt is from Traders Point Creamery. It has less sugar than other leading organic brands and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) it’s a GOOD fatty acid that is found in milk products and has shown to contain a host of health benefits. Traders Point Creamery has only Grass-Fed cows and there is 5 times more CLA in those cows then grain-fed cows.

Grain snacks: whole grain crackers (I try to get the ones with flax seed mixed in), toasted bread with fruit preserves or cream cheese ( I use sprouted bread which has a ton of protein and fiber), pretzels, oatmeal bars, cold cereal (dry or with milk)

Veggie snacks: choose your child’s favorite vegetable and let him dip in hummus, salsa, ranch or guacamole. Try carrot sticks, red or yellow pepper strips, jicama slices, and broccoli florets (call them “trees”)

Dairy snacks: yogurt, yogurt and fruit smoothies, cheese and crackers, cheese with apple slices. During these HOT months try freezing the smoothies or yogurt and make ice pops.

Protein-packed snacks: hummus or black bean dip with pita triangles, crackers or sliced veggies, peanut butter sandwiches

Because nuts and peanuts cause the most severe allergic reactions, wait until at least 2 years old before introducing to your child. Talk to your pediatrician about when to introduce potentially allergenic foods as it may be best to wait longer than the stated guidelines. Small round foods like grapes can cause choking in young children. Avoid whole grapes until age 2 and older.

What are your favorite types of healthy snacks that you give your little ones?