Fun Healthy Snacks for Kids
By Angela Tyler
Kids love snacks. After school, in the late evening, or just about anytime, kids want snacks. You may be struggling with snack ideas for your kids that are healthy and inexpensive.
Here is a list of healthy snacks to give your kids.
Some of the healthy choices for kid's snacks are unsweetened applesauce, bottled water, fruit cups or snacks, raisins and other dried fruits, granola bars, low fat or fat free milk, and pure fruit juice. Meat and Cheese: Low fat lunchmeats such as chicken, turkey, and ham make fun snacks when rolled around a small slice of cheese or on whole wheat bread, cut into finger size sandwiches. Cheese and low fat or fat free crackers served with low-sodium pickles are favorites as well as turkey hot dogs with mustard. Fresh fruit: Kids love fresh fruit peeled and sliced into bits size pieces with some low-fat yogurt on the side for dipping. Peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread with a little sugar free jelly are great ideas for a healthy snack that your kids will enjoy. Fresh veggies: Fresh vegetables cut into bite size chunks with some low fat salad dressing are fun snacks that your kids will love and not even notice that they are healthy. Finding healthy snacks that your kids will actually eat is not impossible. Give your kids healthy choices and arrange the various food items in a fun, colorful way on their plates as extra incentive to enjoy the healthy foods. Childhood obesity is a major problem in our society. Make sure your kids eat healthy, fun snacks that give them some nutritional benefits and set an example of healthy eating from a young age.
HEALTHY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This recipe uses whole-wheat flour, Plus mashed banana Instead of eggs. The result ? Less cholesterol and fat than regular cookies. Also, the dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate !
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 mashed ripe banana
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 package ( 12 oz) or 2 cups dark semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine flour , baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat together margarine, white sugar, and brown sugar unil smooth. Add banana and vanilla extract. Gradually add the flour mixture while beathing until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of dough about 1 inch apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown. Let stand for a few minutes, then transfer with a spatula to a wire rack to cool.
From Cosmogirl magazine December 2007/January 2008 CMG 08199. vol 9, Issue 10