There are many reasons for the child obesity problem in America today, but certainly one of the major reasons for many children is a poor diet, especially when it comes to snacking on junk food that’s high in sugar and colorings and low in nutrients. Parents can help by providing healthy snacks that are high in protein, which helps build muscle that naturally burns fat in the body. Getting children to eat healthy snacks can sometimes be a challenge, but here are some ideas for delicious munchies and fun ways to serve them that can help.
1.Cheese kabobs – Cut pieces or blocks of cheese into fun shapes by using cookie cutters and then spear them with wooden skewers. Allow the children to select some of their favorite fruit pieces to add to the kabobs. If they are old enough and supervised, the kids may also be able to prepare the snack themselves.
2. Smoothies – Combine milk, orange juice, pieces of fruit and peanut butter in a food processor and blend into a shake. It is also possible to use some high-protein whey powder in place of the peanut butter. These come in flavors such as vanilla, chocolate and strawberry for more variety.
3. Yogurt – With a great number of natural flavors available, kids may never get tired of them all. In recent years, Greek yogurt, which contains even more yogurt and frequently is fat free, has risen in popularity. A bit of dried cereal such as Grape Nuts can be added to either one for an additional crunch.
4. Ants on a log – This is one kids can have fun making on their own by spreading peanut butter on celery sticks and then adding raisins.
5. String cheese – Simple and fun to prepare and eat, string cheese is as easy as it gets. However, to make it even better, kids can take bits of the string cheese and wrap them around mini pretzels. They’ll love the crunch and it gives them an excuse to play with their food without getting in trouble for once.
6. Eggs – Whether hard boiled or otherwise, eggs are a great high-protein snack. Hard boiled eggs can also be cut into fun shapes or even molded! Check out these cute boiled egg molds that turn them into fun shapes! Scrambled eggs can be put into flour tortillas or on toast.
7. Dips – Hummus used as a dip for raw vegetables is delicious and high in protein. There are various different flavors available to appeal to any child’s preferred taste.
8. Peanut butter crackers – Easy to spread, the peanut butter can be put on regular saltine or butter flavored crackers.
Protein is important for a variety of bodily processes, including the production of red blood cells to help carry blood throughout the body and to build strong muscles. It is recommended a child eat about 0.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight. By regularly eating any of the nutritious, protein-rich snacks listed above, a child will be well on the way to making a healthy diet a part of their daily life.
This is a guest post from Nicola Roberts, who enjoys creating healthy snacks for her family. Since using a weight loss calculator she has made a conscious effort to make healthy family meals that the kids can have fun preparing.
