Healthy snacks for children
What kind of snacks can be a healthy option to give our children between meals ?
This is one of the parents’ frequent doubts.
My answer is always: ” Offering a fruit as the first option will always be a good snack alternative.”
A snack between meals is a good time and a great opportunity to offer a serving of fruit to children. Their high fiber intake will help them be satisfied and better regulate their appetite during the day. Can you offer them any fruit? Yes, the one they like and they want.
In children it is important to meet the requirements of vitamin C , so it is always recommended to promote those fruits high in this vitamin such as strawberries, oranges, lemons, lime, tangerines or kiwi.
Among them I would highlight the Zespri SunGold kiwi which in addition to being a seasonal food has a sweeter taste that can be more attractive to the demanding palate that children have .
With a serving of Zespri SunGold kiwiYou can meet all the vitamin C requirements of a day. In addition to having a high vitamin C content, it is also a source of folic acid (as specified in EFSA).
These two characteristics contribute to the reduction of fatigue and tiredness.
So this fruit can become a great ally to enhance the vitality of the little ones.
What if they are more hungry ?
You can offer them another snack and accompany the piece of fruit with another healthy option. Which? For example, accompany it with a handful of raw nuts, a toast or sandwich of whole wheat bread or a natural dairy without added sugars (milk, yogurts, milkshakes …)
Here are a few examples that will help you include fruit in the snacks of the smallest of the house. These are options that you can easily transport in a tupper.
Smoothie: 1 Zespri SunGold kiwi, 1/2 medium banana, 10g cashews and 150ml semi-skimmed milk or oatmeal drink
A tupper with seasonal fruit salad (1/2 kiwi Zespri SunGold, pineapple and melon) with 15-20g of mixed nuts (nuts, hazelnuts … etc.)
A serving of homemade oatmeal and kiwi cake . These would be the ingredients of a 6 portion cake:
Ingredients:
4 ripe bananas
3 whole eggs
120g oatmeal
Cinnamon to taste
1 glass of semi-skimmed milk or vegetable drink
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 kiwi Zespri SunGold
Process:
Mix and whisk all the ingredients together (except the kiwi)
Add and fill the mold with the mixture
Add chopped kiwi on top
Put it in the oven (35-40 minutes at 130 °)
Let cool 5-10 minutes at room temperature