The Do’s and Don’ts of Snacking for Children

Kids eat between their meals to make sure they are getting everything they require to grow and maintain energetic lifestyles. Snacking accounts for nearly 25 percent of a kid's nutritional intake on a daily basis so you need to provide good nutrition and not meaningless munching. Here are some do’s and don’ts of snacking.

Do give more whole foods

You can think of snacking as mini-meals and less as processed snacks. You can provide your kid with small whole food portions during snack time with a bit of protein, fibre and healthy fats.

Don’t graze

Create a snack and meal routine. Munching in between meals can deter appetite and eagerness to try new foods during mealtimes. It might be tempting for you to provide them with more snacks frequently, however, it is recommended that you do the opposite.

Do consider treats and snacks differently

It would be cruel to totally take away the treats and sweets from kids. However, they need to be an addition and should not be used to replace nourishing snacks. If you have to take the children out for ice cream, go after the child has had peanut butter and apple.

Don’t go too far with packaged snacks

Always tasty and convenient; however, they tend to be high in salt, sodium and refined grains. When you give your child too many of these snacks, it might cause a gap in his/her daily nutrition intake. 

Don’t get used to stroller snacking

Stop using food for soothing or as a diversion. It is not good for the kids to learn to relate to eating from the stroller. Food must be eaten when the child can pay attention and you can be mindful of what he/she is eating. There might be times where eating on the move is essential, however, you need to ensure that it doesn’t become a routine.

Childventures offer a multicultural menu for kids in a sit-down family meal setting. Their food is made by a qualified chef who is skilled in food handling to make sure that all safety and health regulations are followed.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Snacking for Children

You need to teach a healthy snacking habit that can ensure your children are getting all the nutrition needed to grow healthier and to strengthen up their immunity levels. Snacking must be used to get good nutrition rather than letting your child become addicted to mindless munching.

Following is a list of the do's and don’ts that every parent must get to know about snacking for their children.

Establish a routine:

You need to establish a snack and meal routine. Let your child have only one snack session between meals so that they do not get filled up too quickly. This way, you are able to create a three meal and snack routine that can help in getting all the nutritional benefits needed to overcome any kind of nutritional deficiency present.

Bring in whole foods:

You need to think of snacking as a mini-meal session. Bring in whole foods that are super rich in protein, healthy fats and hold onto tons of fiber content that is needed to help your child’s stomach. Avoid providing packed foods and be creative in decorating the plate to get your child to be eager and wait for the snacking sessions every day.

Compromising with the snacks and treats:

You cannot make your kid eat healthy foods all the time. Once in a while, treat them with ice cream or other food items they tend to crave. Treats like candy and ice cream shall never harm the immune levels of your kids unless they become addicted to consuming them regularly in the first place.

Finding it difficult to get your kids to eat the right way? Visit our website and learn about our early learning programs and curriculum model we have on-board to teach the right behavioral habits for your kids.

For more information and to enroll your child, visit www.childventures.ca.