Teaching Your Child to Snack Healthy

It's inevitable that most kids have a sweet tooth (and many adults too!), a love for french fries, and a preference for junk food over vegetables. We know that in the long run it's important to make smart decisions while eating, but how do we teach our kids that? It's easier to have more control over what your children are eating with meals, but snacking is a different story. Here are some tips to teach your child to snack healthy:

• Keep the fridge and pantry stocked: When kids are in a hurry off to play with their friends, they're going to grab whatever they can grab quickly. Chances are, even if you buy a pineapple or some oranges with healthy snacking in mind, they're not going to get eaten if you don't cut them up beforehand. Put healthy snacks in plastic bags and keep them in the fridge or pantry. Fill the bags with snack-sized portions of pretzels, cut up fruit and vegetables, or light popcorn.
• Fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables can be fun, great snacks, while also adding nutrition instead of being loaded with calories. Give your kids lots of options to try to see what they like best. Try dipping baby carrots in light dressing, make fruit kabobs by cutting up fruits like bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, melon, and strawberries and putting them on a stick. Or, make "ants on log" with celery, peanut butter, and raisins. Take your child to the produce section of the grocery store and see if they have any ideas on new fruits and vegetables they would like to try. Experiment, and you should eventually be able to find something healthy and nutritious that your children still enjoy eating.
• Other ideas: Think outside of the box. Many people view yogurt as a breakfast food, but it can be a great snack as well. There are many fun flavors and even ways of packaging yogurt that make it more appealing to kids. Applesauce is usually a popular snack food for kids, and there are even flavored versions available. Light popcorn is a healthy treat, and you can let your kids spice it up with other seasonings to make it more appealing, like dressing packets or parmesan cheese.

Remember that sweets and junk food are okay to eat on occasion. If you rule them out completely in your house, chances are that your children will go somewhere else to find them. Since you can't realistically force your kids to eat what you want them to eat, try to give them better options of healthy foods that they might find appealing on their own. Remember, eating healthy is a life-long process, so be patient and don't give up!