dren imitate what they see, so we can’t expect our child to
eat healthy snacks if we’re noshing on junk. Start by eliminat-
ing unhealthy nibbles from the house. Instead, keep bowls of
grapes, cherries or plums out on the counter, and be sure that
the kids catch their parents eating them.
Give everyone a time out. – Offer food in a relaxed environ-
ment, away from the television. A 2006 study published in the
International Journal of Obesity found that increased TV time
directly correlates to increased intake of sugary drinks and
empty-calorie snacks, as well as lower vegetable intake. Have
worthwhile bites ready and mindfully keep the to-do list from
demanding attention while the family enjoys a snack together.
Choose satisfying combos. – “The most important approach
[to snacking] is to combine protein and whole grain car-
bohydrate,” says Taub-Dix. For example, offer whole grain
crackers or toast, spread with nut butter. If a child insists on
something sweet, add a little honey or cinnamon. For times
when the kids go straight from school to an activity, “You can
make them a sandwich; it can be kept in their backpacks,”
advises Taub-Dix.
Think accessible and quick. – What’s ready and in plain sight
is what’s likely to get eaten, so make wholesome snacks easy
to find at all times. Try string cheese or yogurt for calcium
and protein; raw food fruit and nut bars for fiber and vita-
mins; unsalted nuts, trail mix with dried berries, and whole
grain granola or organic breakfast Os for antioxidants and
good carbs.
Have Healthy Snacks at Hand
Dip it. – Offer vegetables such as sugar snap peas, mini-car-
n Apples and cheddar cheese
rots, sliced cucumber, red bell peppers or zucchini, paired
n Graham crackers crumbled into
with hummus or a yogurt-based dip. (Taub-Dix recommends
cottage cheese
Greek yogurt, which tastes more like sour cream.) If it has to
n Yogurt dip with fruit slices
be chips, buy varieties made with whole grains and baked. n string cheese and whole grain crackers
n salsa with baked chips
Go easy on the juice. – Although juice can be a good source
n whole grain, low-sugar cereal and milk
of vitamins, it also delivers concentrated calories. Rather,
n raw food fruit and nut bars
focus on water or sparkling water, livened up with a splash
n whole grain pretzels and
of vitamin-rich lemon, cranberry, blueberry or pomegranate
almond butter
juice.
n Cinnamon graham crackers
and peanut or cashew butter
Teach youngsters to be label savvy. – Just because some-
n Guacamole or hummus with
thing is labeled “natural” doesn’t mean it’s the best choice.
jicama sticks
“Take your kids to the market and look at the labels with
them,” suggests Taub-Dix. “Compare two products that
n smoothies with yogurt,
milk, frozen berries and
are similar and ask, ‘Why is this one better than that one?’
bananas
Emphasize cause and effect: When you teach a child
n organic dried veggies
that calcium is going to make bones strong for doing all
those fun things that kids do, they understand the ‘why’ of
healthy eating.”
Elisa Bosley is a freelance writer and a food editor who
also develops and tests recipes.
August 2009 39
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64