Keeping junk food out of your house with kids

suzii32

I am a mother of three kids 17, 13, and 8. I do want them to have a healthy, well-balanced diet,but at the same time they complain all the time that there is no "good" food in the house. I don't buy chip,cookies, etc. anymore. Does anyone have some good suggestions for healthy, clean snacks that kids actually eat? Also, I'm a single mom so cost is a concern. Thanks!!

kaybabe88

ryvita? every1 likes that right? how about those fun light cheese products like dairylea cheese strings? and more colourful fruits? like blueberries? kiwi? avocado? melon? wholemeal pitta bread/rolls instead of slices of bread?

DawnieB1977

I am a mother of three kids 17, 13, and 8. I do want them to have a healthy, well-balanced diet,but at the same time they complain all the time that there is no "good" food in the house. I don't buy chip,cookies, etc. anymore. Does anyone have some good suggestions for healthy, clean snacks that kids actually eat? Also, I'm a single mom so cost is a concern. Thanks!!

Could you bake something? That way it's cheaper and you know it's not full of processed crap. Flapjack is ok occasionally.

My kids are a lot younger - 3 and 1 - so it's easier for me I guess. They're happy with a banana or a slice of toast, or raisins. Yoghurt coated raisins are a nice treat actually, older kids would probably like those.

Graceious1

ryvita? every1 likes that right? how about those fun light cheese products like dairylea cheese strings? and more colourful fruits? like blueberries? kiwi? avocado? melon? wholemeal pitta bread/rolls instead of slices of bread?

I have a 7 year old and I do this. We rarely have crisps or sweets in the house. I have made an exception for Christmas because we are having visitors over. I also senD him to school with a packed lunch. You just have to think creatively really and seeing as you have an 8 year old you can train him.

DonaA123

bump

OspreyVista

Honestly, I'm not sure how to work that one. I'd try different healthy snacks and see which ones your kids really seem to enjoy. There are healthy snack bars out there, you can see what fruits or veggies they really like. As a kid, I would have loved to have corn as a snack, or cantaloupe. Recently I tried Mandarins, and I found that I'm in love with mandarins now. I used to really dislike broccoli, but now love it. Apples are a good choice and if you look up Pumpkin Dip up, they can get healthy snacks in but make it yummy at the same time. However, I'm not sure how healthy pumpkin dip is, but it's very yummy. For example, apples in pumpkin dip or bananas in it is very yummy. Of course, kids are kids and most likely they will want ice cream and such and such. There are the skinny cow ice creams out there and if you have a frozen yogurt place nearby, they have really low calorie, but yummy frozen yogurt as well. ^_^

cgraylyon

My kids are 6 and 13. Sometimes they complain, but usually they are happy with . . .
string cheese, yogurt, whole fruit ice pops, pistachios, peanuts, whole grain waffles with sugar free syrup, all fruits, chocolate almond milk, granola bars, baked chips or lightly salted pretzels, light dip, rolled up meat and cheese with crackers, soup, and homemade baked fries & chicken fingers. Perdue just came out with lightly breaded chicken nuggets and they heat up well in the microwave from frozen. They also really like dipping apples and other fruits in a Tbs. of nutella. Hope this helps!

Bikini_Beast

fruits - exp: grapes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas, apples, oranges, pineapple
veggies - exp: baby carrots, celery, cucumbers, broccoli
"dips" - peanut butter, almond butter, hummus, guacamole
nuts and seeds - almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds etc
toast, peta bread, crackers (ritz, saltines, graham), pretzels, natural pop corn
100% juice popsicles, (I also have Italian Ice)
I also have cookies in the form of animal crackers

also research "raw desserts" and yu will have a ton of healthy options.

ninerbuff

I am a mother of three kids 17, 13, and 8. I do want them to have a healthy, well-balanced diet,but at the same time they complain all the time that there is no "good" food in the house. I don't buy chip,cookies, etc. anymore. Does anyone have some good suggestions for healthy, clean snacks that kids actually eat? Also, I'm a single mom so cost is a concern. Thanks!!

Kids will eat when hungry. Once they habitually eat better food choices, they'll learn to like it.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

keem88

maybe make some chicken kebobs, bake some sweet potato fries (homemade) and they can dip those in ketchup, homemade cookies chocolate chips and something like raisons or oatmeal, mini muffins with fruit they may like (expirement, maybe blueberries or cranberries or orange or banana), fruit smoothies made with yogurt, you can even add a little chocolate or pb to it to make it a sweet treat. you can make ice cream using frozen bananas, make a trail mix with different nuts, dried fruits, even a few candy chocolate pieces. when i was little my mom used to mash bananas and milk in a bowl, and i always loved it, as well as make me a sandwich with cream cheese and sliced strawberry. idk how you feel about them having chocolate, in small quantities dark chocolate really is not a a bad thing. melt some chocolate, dip a banana in it, stick a popsicle stick in and freeze it. or you can dip the banana in a flavor yogurt and freeze it as well. you can make your own pototo chips (my dad used to do this), slice potatos thin, sprinkle olive oil and pop them in the microwave. make a healthy dip out of greek yogurt and seasonings, you imitate a ranch dip. using that same ranch dip, slice up some colorful veggies for them to dip in it. make your own mix with chex cereal, pretzels, sprinkle some olive oil and grated parm on it
it seems like you may have to experiment, and based on kids i have babysat, and what my mom and dad used to throw together, maybe some of those ideas will work. i hope that helps!

mycrazy8splus1

My kids are 18, 13, 12, 10, 9, 7, 4, and 1. The older ones and I did a unit study on nutrition. We watched Food Inc, Supersize Me, and Knives Over Forks. Once they saw what bad food does to you they were the ones asking me to buy healthy food. The younger ones just fell in line once the older ones were on board. We have fun food on occassion but I remind them that it is a treat and not a good way to eat all the time. We revisit those movies when I feel they are forgetting why we eat the way we do.

Firefox7275

I am a mother of three kids 17, 13, and 8. I do want them to have a healthy, well-balanced diet,but at the same time they complain all the time that there is no "good" food in the house. I don't buy chip,cookies, etc. anymore. Does anyone have some good suggestions for healthy, clean snacks that kids actually eat? Also, I'm a single mom so cost is a concern. Thanks!!

Why are you letting them complain all the time about the food you and your partner work hard to provide? Buy them some healthy cookery/ baking books and let them loose in the kitchen. Most kids like homemade smoothies, flapjacks, cakes and cookies.

blackmantis

All the fruit they can eat.