Healthy Snacks for Children

Trying to get your children to eat nutritious snacks like fruit and the dreaded vegetables and not having much luck? Here a few tips that worked for me - my three little ones really enjoy veggies now!

Put it on a stick: This is a hit with toddlers! Kebabs, fruit, raw or cooked vegetables all seem more attractive on a stick. Cooked baby carrots (cover with water in bowl with a little sugar and microwave for 4-5 minutes), broccoli combined with cubed meats and cheeses are a hit, or try cheeses and fruits on a stick.

To combat the lure of the ice cream truck - how can children hear that 2 miles away??-I thread cubed fresh fruit on a skewer and freeze for about an hour. Voila! Fruitsicles!

If you're pressed for time, use canned fruit cocktail in juice (syrups contain too much high fructose corn syrup) and thread the fruit on a wooden skewer. Remember to clip off the sharp tip for safety. I usually use a nail clipper or a very sharp knife.

Dip it: Carrots, celery, cauliflower can all be eaten raw with a little ranch dip. Be sure that your little one has enough teeth to chew these fibrous veggies. If not, cover with water, microwave about 3-5 minutes (or until tender), chill, and then serve.

All kinds of sliced or cubed fruits can be dipped in strawberry or vanilla yogurt. To make it even more fun, add a few drops of food coloring to the yogurt.

Hide it: They can't avoid what they can't see! I make cheese quesadillas with slightly mashed black beans, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and cooked, chopped, squeezed spinach. Combine all ingredients to your taste, season, then spread the mixture on a flour tortilla, top with another tortilla and bake in a toaster oven until the cheese melts. Cut into bite-size pieces.

Make it look cool For some reason, my children are hard pressed to eat the raw veggies when I just toss them in a bowl, but when I make my fancy designs (see below) watch out! They are so happy to eat the "veggie house" or whatever name they decide to call my Museum of Modern Food Art creations.

Spaghetti and what? I chop broccoli and green peppers and "hide" them in the tomato sauce served over pasta. The sauce's strong tomato flavor masks the "other" veggies.

Substitute it: Use Grade B Maple syrup instead of Aunt Jemima or the store brand. High fructose corn syrup is very addictive and may contribute to the "sugar high". Pure maple syrup does not contain high fructose corn syrup.

Instead of candy bars, chewy granola bars may satisfy that craving for a sweet snack. Be sure to read the label for any ingredient that might trigger food allergies such as nuts.

As always, children should always be supervised when eating. Be sure your child can chew foods and that fruits and veggies is cut in large enough bits to avoid being a choking hazard. I've fed all of these foods to my children starting at six months, but please use your own judgment. Above all, have fun getting your kids to eat healthier!