The Snacks That Empower our Children to Greatness!

We have all seen the utter chaos that a 6 year old can bring with them to the playground. Kids between the ages of 3 to 6 burn a lot of energy while they play, and because they are still growing, they require snacks between meals to keep them mentally focused and physically charged. While processed snacks are easier to come by than healthy snacks, there are tons of healthy snacks parents can turn to—even when on the go. Below are some snacks designed to empower your children to greatness!

Healthy Trail Mix

Trail Mix is such a versatile snack and to not be taking advantage of this snack option is a missed opportunity for your child. The greatest thing about Trail Mix is it can cure a sweet tooth while still providing all the healthy counterparts you look for in a healthy snack. Trail Mix has nuts for protein and power, yet can contain dried fruit, chocolate, or coconut to keep things fun. If you buy a pre-made trail mix, just make sure it doesn’t have too much added sugar or salt. Avoid sugar or salt by simply making your very own trail mix by mixing together unsalted nuts, dried fruit, coconut, and maybe even some chocolate chips or mini M&Ms. Not only is trail mix an awesome snack, it travels well anywhere you and your child may be going.

Cheese

Low-fat string cheese is an excellent source of calcium and protein. Kids like it because it is a snack that you can peel and play with like a toy. Although, string cheese needs to be refrigerated, it can still travel with you if your child will be eating it in the next couple of hours.

Fruits and Veggies

Some fruits and veggies pack better than others, such as carrot sticks, apple slices, mini tomatoes, and celery slices. To ramp up the energy-boosting profile of fruits and veggies, create a snack that has a bit of protein. Another insanely fun snack is the infamous ‘Ants on a Log’. Take boring celery sticks, place some peanut butter or cream cheese down the middle of the celery, and then place your ants (raisins) on the log you have made.

Everything Cookies

Let’s face it, kids like cookies! Moderation is the key to success when it comes to snacking, but even cookies can be baked to be a healthier sweet treat. Everything cookies are a cookie that often includes a bunch of healthy ingredients—such as shredded zucchini, walnuts, cinnamon, and coconut. Add in some chocolate chips for sweetness, and substitute the sugar for apples sauce. The end result is a cookie that tastes great, yet is quite energizing. Also consider healthy homemade muffins, banana bread, or carrot cake and don’t forget a light frosting for a little boost in taste.

Chip Alternatives

There is an unlimited selection of healthy chip alternatives you can choose from. The most popular include:

Pretzels
Banana chips
Veggie chips
Pita chips
Graham crackers

Healthy Prepackaged Snacks

Instead of giving your kids candy, take the time to look for more healthy prepackaged snacks in the supermarket. This includes fruit roll-ups and nut bars. When buying prepackaged snacks, you must read the label to ensure that they are indeed as healthy as they claim to be. For a guaranteed healthy option consider organic.

Teaching your kids to eat healthy snacks from a young age, is the best way to set a foundation for lifelong healthy choices. With all of the snacks above, look for creative ways to display them when serving so your little ones will be excited when they sit down to eat.

Tender Care prides ourselves not only around the snacks that we offer, but more importantly the education which we instill on each individual child. Our educators understand where the future of education is going and implement this teaching on a daily basis to each and every student. Take the time to come and discover the difference a quality early education center can make for your child. Visit a Tender Care location near you today and take the first step in enhancing your child’s future.