by Silvija Rumiha
www.minimuncherbali.com
I often get asked about what should be given to children for Healthy Snacks. Keeping children away from high sugary and processed snacks can be a difficult task at times. My recommendation is to enjoy snack time with your children and lead by example. It can take 10-20 tries of the same food before kids pick it up or start to enjoy it. Offer whole foods such as raw fruits and vegetables and begin with the ones your child enjoy the most. Slowly giving a wider variety of new fruits and vegetables to slowly entice your little ones to new flavors and textures.
It is our in built biological desire to want and crave sweet and processed foods. How do we overcome ways to combat children always asking for sweet treats? By re- establishing healthy eating habits and replacing the sweet stuff with more protein, good fats, vegetables and reducing the amount of sweet fruits will assist in the return of good eating habits. I find that even when my children are filling up on lots of fruit I need to remove sweet and refined carbohydrates and soon the sweet/simple carbohydrate cravings are a distant memory.
Smoothies are a fabulous way to increase nutrition that are fun and easy to make. Try adding leafy greens such as spinach, blanched kale, beetroot or avocado to your smoothies for added boost of vitamins and healthy fats. These vegetables also decrease the sweetness of the flavor and helps keep those sweet cravings at bay. Rotating the fruits and vegetables you use will enhance the variety of flavor and nutrition in your smoothies. Adding cinnamon to smoothies helps neutralize blood sugar levels and there really is no need to add any sweetener to smoothies as fruits do the job perfectly.
Snacking ideas
- Crudites of carrot, cucumber, capsicum,
- Hummus
- Cherry tomatoes
- Fruit (try limit this to 2 portions a day)
- Dates (or caramel chews as I call them)
- Smoothies
- Nuts
- Seeds
Roasted Pepitas
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium, zinc for immune support, omega-3 fats and are rich in healthy fats, antioxidants and fibers that may provide benefits for heart and liver health.
2 cups hulled pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoon virgin coconut oil
2 tablespoons raw honey or coconut nectar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 cup water
Preheat oven to 180C. Place the pepitas in a container with lid. Blend together the honey and water and pour over the pepitas. Close the container and shake well until pepitas are moistened. Add cinnamon and mix again.
Place mixture on a large non-stick baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes. Cool down when ready and enjoy!
Silvija Rumiha
fb & ig @minimuncherbali
Mini Muncher – Jl. Banjar Anyar Kerobokan Bali
