10 Principles of Healthy Snacking All Parents Should Live By

Mark Wealth

It’s a noble and exciting thing to teach your children healthy lifestyle. Their eating habits are very important to their growth and development. Based on this we have taken our time to put together a number of principles to guide you in teaching your children healthy snacking habits. Enjoy.

1. The timing

Timing is very important. If you give them snacks at the wrong time, they may not be motivated to eat their meals. Experts suggest that you give your children snacks at least an hour or one hour, thirty minutes before meal time. This will open up their bowels for the main chow.

2. The location

Snacks (and meals) are best served and consumed without distractions. Is your dining arranged in such a way that there is no distraction like a movie showing on TV, books to read or computer games? Go ahead and serve them there. Be firm about this because eating with distraction can give way to unconscious gorging (over eating).

3. Your example

Are you leading by example? It’s the best way to have them inculcate whatever habit you want them to learn. Don’t go snacking while WhatsApp chatting and laughing your heart out with Femi from the office while they are watching.

4. The content

Maximise the nutritious content per serving by including more than one food category per serving. Mix protein with vitamin or go a step further, protein, vitamin and cards.

5. Be creative

Switch the menu up. Don’t go serving the same ol’ sardine sandwich when you could replace the mayo with honey or peanut butter. You could even replace the sardine with a fruit. Make it fun and interesting for them and they’ll be looking forward to snack time.

6. Involve them in the preparation

This is a sure-fire way of getting them to buy into the habit. They can even come up with more creative options than you can. You guys can have more fun by making up names for the snacks as you go.

7. Teach and practice control

Human beings generally will want to keep consuming even after they are full. Teach your kids to control themselves. Keep the snack box under lock and key if you have to. Although it will be better to make them have that internal control so that no matter how much they see/is offered, they will only consume a healthy portion.

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8. Stay stocked wherever

Keep some healthy snacks close by. In the car when you’re going on a long road trip or in your bag if you’re going to be at some office or park for a while. Be ready to snack healthy on-the-go.

9. Dental hygiene

Oh yes, this is very important. You have to teach good maintenance culture along with the snacking habit. It might not be realistic or good to brush after every snack/meal, teach them to rinse their mouths out after a very snack. Keep those cavities away. I’ve got some and they are not funny.

10. Drinks

Water is very important. Carbonated soft drinks are not. Fresh organic juices are. While water is very important, it cannot take the place of juices because of the nutritional benefits and calories so alternate.