Kids often snack more than having full meals, making it important for you to consider and plan healthy foods for snack-time. Getting healthy snacking right is key to help fight against childhood obesity and related chronic diseases, as well as allowing children to stay charged during the day.
It may be for extra-curricular activities or after-school tuitions, children need the mid-day boost to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner.
Ditch the same old, same old
Many tend to gravitate to the same old familiar options when it comes to snacks and snacking. It is important to create a snack list with the child to ensure there are enough options to choose from and that he/she does not have to go for the same things repeatedly. Instead get them to plan and look forward to the yummy treats over the coming days or weeks. Start by making snacking plans together and excite their interest in healthy habits!
Get creative. Make your own snacks!
Creating or re-creating snacks is one way to get children to eat a variety of foods, filled with goodness, vegetables, and other yummy & nutritional elements. Give their afterschool snack a healthy boost with crispy vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, cherry tomatoes or salad leaves, and add fresh fruit such as grapes, apples or pears. Repurpose that roasted chicken from the day before and create a yummy baked half-moon kebab with veggies for instance.
Foods like cheese, wholewheat bread, vegetable sticks, fruit kebabs are all better options than the snacks kids buy at the local tuckshop.
Added boost
Apart from needing energy to learn, kids also need a healthy supply of vitamins and minerals. Their mid-day snacking could consist, as far as possible, of healthy foods such as yoghurt, fruit, vegetables, wholegrain bread, etc. Any of these power snacks will boost your child's energy levels and revitalise them to continue with their after-school activities. The back from school snack will also ensure that they don't get too hungry before dinner. Remember: the older the child, the more time they spend at school or doing after-school activities and so, the longer waiting period until dinner.
Cooking together
Nestlé encourages and advocates for 'togetherness' – when parents and kids come together in the kitchen. Get children involved in the preparation of meals. This leads them to adopt healthier eating habits – in short, their diet quality is better, as they become more inclined to eat fruits and vegetables.
Involving children in the preparation and cooking of meals does not only keep children busy – it is also a great platform to teach them about the importance of good nutrition and appropriate portion sizes.
Mauritian Tea-time: Time for some sweet
If a child wants an afternoon snack, make a particular time for it. One can let the little ones have something sweet after lunch or later in the afternoon, as part of their afternoon back from school treat. This could be the right time to allow for some sweet indulgences as he / she can burn it off later with all the afternoon or evening physical- and playtime activities. These sweet indulgences should not be a habit, but rather a treat.
Occasionally, as is the tradition in the Mauritian tea-time, you can also include pastries, cakes or other sweet treats in small servings. It is always a good idea to offer fruit on the tea-time table and in so doing allowing kids to make healthier choices. You can offer fruit dished up in an interesting way – fruit kebabs, are a firm favourite, but be creative with the fruits that are available. Ideally, yoghurt, bread, or wholegrain cereals should also feature on the afternoon tea table.
Remember, in a balanced diet, not more than 10% of the day's energy requirements should come from sugar. Make sure every calorie counts, empty calories (calories just offering energy and no other nutrients), will increase the risk for overweight.
Many children tend to dig into sweet foods and guzzle sugary drinks in the late evening, rather allow them to have water or milk and a fruit which will not only satisfy the sweet craving, but give them some key vitamins, minerals and fibre.
And don't forget the drinks
Water is one of the most important foods, as approximately two thirds of our body consist of water. While the body can manage for several weeks without food, too little water soon causes bodily functions to deteriorate. The younger the child, the more important it is for her/him to drink adequate water. So, make sure you include enough drinks for your little ones. Their fluid reserves should be kept always topped up. Water (preferably), unsweetened fruit or herbal teas and/or juices diluted with water are ideal drinks that can be carried around easily in a well-sealed bottle suitable for cold drinks.
Planning your child’s snack time to include a mix of healthy foods and indulgences will ensure your child is eating well at all times and has the required energy to stay focussed in school and at play.
For more information visit: www.nestle-esar.com and visit our Facebook page @nestle pou nou #nestlegoodtogo.
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Nestlé East and Southern African Region (ESAR)
Brinda Chiniah
Tel: +230 5 927 4553
Email: [email protected]
Issued by Odysseus Public Relations on behalf of Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region
Contact: Naresh Roodur
Tel: +230 5796 6037
Email: [email protected]
About Nestlé
Nestlé is the world's largest food and beverage company. It is present in 187 countries around the world, and its 291,000 employees are committed to Nestlé's purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance quality for everyone, today and for generations to come. Nestlé offers a wide portfolio of products and services for people and their pets throughout their lives. Its more than 2,000 brands range from global icons like Nescafé or Nespresso to local favourites like Ricoffy*. Company performance is driven by its Nutrition, Health and Wellness strategy. Nestlé is based in the Swiss town of Vevey where it was founded more than 150 years ago.