As a busy Mom, I am always trying to find quick, simple and healthy snacks that are good for me and the children, especially for when we are out and about. Here are a few ideas that work pretty well!
I also don’t believe in low fat options as they are often loaded with sugar or chemical sweeteners to make up for the fat that has been removed. So you’ll notice I advocate full fat cheese, cream, milk and yoghurt. I am a fan of low carb, high fat eating. I do allow the children more carbs than I would consume as they have a much higher energy output than me. Low carb-high fat eating means we get to eat delicious food that fills you up, gives you all the nutrients you need and unlike excess carbs, does not turn into glucose which when unused, is stored as body fat.
Healthy Snacks to Try
Here are a few healthy snacking ideas:
- Keep plenty of fresh fruit and veggies at home so you can grab them on the go. Cut up melons or vegetables like celery and carrots in advance. Keep the servings in bags in the fridge, ready to grab and go. Just remember that fruit is high in fruit sugars and too much sugar, no matter where it originates is not good for your body. Eat in moderation. The best fruit for you are the ones ending in the word Berry. So strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries etc are the ones you should go for…and ironically are often the ones children favour anyway!
- Keep healthy snacks with you. Make it a habit put some fruit, seed crackers, or baby carrots in your bag so you always have some healthy food when you are out and about.
- Hard boiled eggs are an easy snack to have in the fridge. Eating one provides you with nutrients and will fill you quicker than most other snacks.
- Nuts have been given a poor reputation over the last few years due to the rise in allergies to them, but they are in fact a fabulous source of nutrients. And what’s more, you don’t need to eat loads of them to take away the hunger pangs. Keep small tubs ready for a satisfying nibble.
- Slices or sticks of full fat cheese are great hunger killers. Eat them with cucumber or tomato and you have a healthy snack.
- Full Fat yoghurts are great for healthy fats, calcium and vitamins, especially for children. Make use of them. We love natural Greek yoghurt. Nothing added just as natural as it comes!
- Full Fat Cottage Cheese with celery, cucumber, tomatoes, or peppers for dipping. Delicious and nutrient dense.
- Cucumber with the centre hollowed and filled with cream cheese or cottage cheese is healthy and nutritious
- Make it interesting. Healthy snacking doesn’t have to be boring. Give yourself a variety of choices. Grain-free pretzels with spicy mustard, rice cakes with a little nut butter and a sprinkling of raisins, or a full fat fruit yoghurt are healthy, tasty, easy and quick.
- If you’re craving savoury snacks, salted dried meats such as biltong (a South African dried meat) are great sugar free and filling snacks. Jerky contains sugar, so watch out how much you eat.
Good luck and happy healthy snacking. Don’t forget to visit my Yummy Mummy section for more healthy snack recipes and ideas.
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I am a preschool and primary school teacher and mum to 3 children. I have been involved in education since 1997 and have trained in a variety of educational specialist areas. It is with this expertise that I write articles to help parents and educators provide quality learning experiences for the children in their care.
