Editor’s Note: The following article is one in a series of pieces intended to help busy moms keep their cool all day long, brought to you by Teddy Grahams.
Snack time comes around every day just like breakfast, lunch and dinner, but it’s often a spur of the moment decision. As parents we want to give our kids a snack that is readily available, satisfies their hunger and is made with wholesome ingredients.
As a working mom of three, I have quickly learned that planning ahead is key, even when it comes to snacking. Hunger can creep up unexpectedly, especially if I’m working crazy hours in the office. It might be easier to just grab some junk food, or the first thing I see. Kids are no different. If I haven’t prepared anything for them, it’s all too easy to end up giving them whatever is easily accessible, whether it’s healthy or not. So, how can we turn this around?
Here are 5 must-know tips to make delicious snack time easier for you, by planning ahead:
1.- Wash and dry fruits and vegetables and keep them ready to eat in the fridge. Contrary to popular belief you can wash your berries ahead of time. Not only will they last longer, but now you have fresh fruits ready to be eaten. I like to slice carrots and celery and keep them in containers in the fridge. Come snack time I can pull them out and have them available for my kids and serve them with a dip.
2.- Stock your pantry with non-refrigerated snacks. Homemade cheese crackers, Teddy Grahams, dried fruits, granola bars, and trail mix are all great things to keep in your pantry. Not only can you make many of these snacks yourself, you can have your kids help make them with you! Get them involved in eating healthier!
Read Related: Tips for a Healthy Breakfast
3.- Stock your freezer. One of my kids’ favorite snacks is frozen yogurt. I freeze Greek yogurt mixed with fruit and they enjoy it almost as much as ice cream. I also freeze grapes, other fruits and chocolate covered banana slices. Something about the snack being frozen makes it seem more like a “treat” than a snack.
4.- Make water more exciting. Instead of letting your kids fill up on sugar-filled juice drinks, give them water during their snack time. However, water can get boring after a while. There are many ways to make your water more interesting, our favorite being Fruit Ice Cubes.
5.- Prep a snack tray in the morning. That way, when everyone returns home after school, you have an individual container for each kid. A lunchbox or snack box with lots of compartments will work great to provide an assortment of fruits, veggies and snacks.
What tips do you have to make delicious snacking easy for your family?
