Feeding your hungry kids, healthfully
Oh, the graham crackers with vanilla icing. I can see them, those perfect little squares with white powdered sugar frosting oozing out the sides, sitting on a paper towel placemat on our kitchen table with the bottle green glass surface. And, an empty tumbler, awaiting milk. That was my after school snack. Or sometimes, there would be apple crisp, depending upon the season, or cookies, freshly baked. No matter what, I can guarantee it had sugar — and lots of it.
While times and nutritional habits have made a change for the positive, the after school snack conundrum is certainly a well-trod and repeated scene playing a daily matinee in homes throughout the U.S. And well, we won’t even discuss the “after work snack” — a topic I certainly struggle with (it isn’t just kids who walk into the house and straight to the fridge, I do confess). But today, we are focusing on what to feed our kids when they walk through the door and straight to the refrigerator.
One of the biggest problems we face is that children of all ages and grades are asked to eat by the clock, rather than by what their own bodies are telling them. All too often, your child is eating lunch as early as 11:15 in the morning in order to accommodate the varying number of students churning through a cafeteria at any one time. And if they’re not hungry, they’re not necessarily going to tuck into that tray; so by the time they walk through your door, they’re ravenous. My brother today still demonstrates the “cookie tuck,” a clever method of making it appear that he has taken only one cookie from the jar, when indeed, he has managed to palm three or four more. That’s how sneaky/tricky kids will get when they face hunger pangs.
Feedin’ time
So first, assess the situation. What time is your child eating breakfast? Do they get a mid-morning snack? What time is lunch? Is there an opportunity for a snack mid-afternoon, prior to coming home? While the younger ones typically have their tanks fueled a bit more often, teens aren’t coddled in the same way. They may have turned up their noses at lunch options, but then did not have an opportunity for anything else — especially with classes spaced sometimes less than 10 minutes apart.
Finally, think about what time dinner is served. You don’t want appetites spoiled, but you also don’t want your kid to sputter out, especially if evening homework or activity is on the docket.
Says Minnesota mom Myrna Gatheridge Mibus, “[I serve] pretty much any ‘real’ food at snack time. Fruit. Veggies. A sandwich is even okay. Clif bars have become a favorite snack because we have started bicycling as a family and take them with us for long rides.” Good options all. Virginie Sanchez recommended “GoGo Squeez appleapple,” a 3.2 oz. squeeze pouch of 100% fruit applesauce and no added sugar. Found on Amazon in packs of 48, the cost per serving factors in at a low 54¢ each. “I always have some with me if the kids get hungry,” says Sanchez.
Granted, you won’t be able to hold a lot of sway over your latchkey kid, as they will no doubt move, zombielike, toward the food path of least resistance. But you can have easy, tasty things on hand to gently prod them in the correct direction. I found that a pack of tortillas, a bag of shredded cheese and some black beans — already opened and dispensed into an easy-open container — are the makings of a fast microwave burrito. Same goes with a tortilla and peanut butter. Spread it on, roll it up, and off they go.
Grapes washed and placed at eye level — or make that any kind of grab-and-go fruit — will disappear fast as well. Trail mix. Pita and hummus. Veggies and dip. Some of the new granola bars on the market today, such as Wings of Nature organic bars (wings-of-nature.com) in various flavors such as cranberry crunch or almond raisin make the grade. Even a bowl of cereal is a welcome and fast hunger fix.
Whatever direction you take to fend off the hunger beast, the more healthful it is; i.e., non-processed and low on sugar, will ensure your child is fueled properly and what follows — dinner — is still enjoyed heartily.
Kathleen Stoehr is the editor of Minnesota Parent.
