Healthy on-the-go snacks for kids
Kristin Coppens
| 3 min read
During LaughFest, I attended the Strawberry Shortcake kids show with a friend and the little girl she nannies. Not having any kids of my own, this was the first truly kid-centered show I’ve attended since I was a kid myself—and it’s an experience. The atmosphere alone is abuzz with chatter, screaming, clapping, laughter, movement and more! One aspect of the show really struck a chord with me though—the sugar buzz, and subsequent crash.
Children or not, every arena, sporting event, concert, show is surrounded by concession stands filled to the brim with cotton candy, nachos, candy, pop, popcorn, giant pretzels, and more. What I noticed after the intermission of the Strawberry Shortcake show was a palpable sugar rush hitting every kid in the audience and causing them to bounce off the walls. The even more interesting notion was watching what occurred less than 45 minutes later—the crash and the dazed sugar glaze.
There are simple ways to prevent that drastic high and low for kids attending these arena events. First of all, if you want to treat your kids to something at the show, buy a souvenir or t-shirt. It lasts longer, creates more memories and helps preserve the good things about their entire diet. Secondly, and most importantly, pack snacks to go.
Studies show that regularly snacking, if done with healthy options and proper portions, can actually benefit children (and adults) by boosting metabolism and fulfilling daily nutrition goals. Some children might not get enough food fuel during mealtime and healthy snacks help keep needed energy consistent throughout the day. A child is also more likely to reach for the healthier option as opposed to the unhealthy snack if the former is available and present on a regular basis.
Below are some easy, and delicious, on-the-go snacks transportable for any event. For even more ideas (both travel and home friendly), follow this ‘Healthy Snacks for Kids’-specific Pinterest board.
Dried fruits:
Many groceries and bulk food stores carry a variety of dried fruits, like strawberries, cranberries, bananas and even pineapple. Dried fruits are easy to snack on and provide a sweet, but still healthy, bite.
Sliced Fruits and Vegetables:
Cut up almost any fruit or vegetable to munch on by itself or with a healthy dip option like apples and peanut butter, baby carrots and hummus, or celery and low-fat ranch dressing.
Trail Mix:
Building your own trail mix is a healthier alternative to store bought mixes because you can control what goes in the mix. Try raisins, nuts, pretzels, dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips or any of your favorite additions.
Mini Wraps:
For kids, you can take lunchmeat, a slice of cheese, and a mini whole-wheat tortilla as a substantial wrap that packs a punch of protein, grains, and calcium in an easy to pack snack.
What are some of your favorite healthy snacks on-the-go?
Photo credit: protoflux
