Snack swap .... It's a family affair

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hyper_stitch
hyper_stitch Posts: 180 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Last week I just got into keeping within my calorie goals and logging my food to ease myself in gently. Now this week I want to start making smarter choices for me and my family.

I realised over the weekend how my eating habits have impacted on my daughter, don't get me wrong she's only 6 so no weight issues and never and I really do mean NEVER stops moving!

Although I have ditched white bread she doesn't like wholegrain or anything else, she doesnt like cheese or salad. It seems she is always hungry and wanting to snack which I don't mind I am a grazer myself but I am seriously struggling satisfying her hunger healthily though :grumble: She does like fruit so that's a plus.

I'm looking for some inspiration to see what snack choices or swaps have worked for other people?

What I'd like to ditch is the crisps/chips, sweets/candy and move away from pork products like sausages/pork pies etc.

Any help gratefully received x

Replies

  • Greyhawkk
    Greyhawkk Posts: 34
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    celery..eanut butter and raisen...ants on a log
    celery and cheese wiz?
    all natural fruit bars cut into three
    protien bars cut into three...if meat is a problem
    if it needs sweetening use stevia
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
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    Try to encourage her to not eat between meals, as down that path bad things come in the future, but if she does, I suggest you offer her fruit, fresh and dried. Also veg, things like carrot and cucumber sticks. I am guessing you are in the UK, go to the Change 4 life website, it has LOADS of ideas for children (and adults) and even has a 'snack swapper'

    I would allow a child a 'sweet' (candy) once a week or so. I never gave mine food as a reward or treat though, as that is also another road you don't want her to start on, that is the comfort eating road.

    Food is fuel, that is the best way to look at it for your child. Don't look on it as a way of showing her how you love her, it's not. Giving her a healthy balanced diet is, but never make a thing about food, No eat up all your dinner and you can have a pudding culture, its a bad thing to start. No clean your plate etc etc. Let your child eat as much of a meal as they need, not as much as you or they THINK they want.

    Giving a healthy snack mid morning is fine, they do it in schools, usually a small carton of milk and a piece of fresh fruit or some sultanas.

    Good luck xXx
  • hemlock2010
    hemlock2010 Posts: 422 Member
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    How about pitas (cut into pretty little triangles to make them fun finger food) with hummus? My kids like that (much to my surprise) and it tastes better with milk, so it's also a good way to sneak some more calcium into them. Also celery with peanut butter. Also any fruit cut into bite-sized pieces to eat as finger food. I sometimes drizzle a little chocolate or butterscotch syrup on banana pieces for a special treat.
  • mitts1970
    mitts1970 Posts: 56
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    Does she like Cheerios? A handful of the honey nut ones are a good snack. Does she like nuts? Plain almonds are one of my favorites :) Lighter peanut butter and jelly on crackers is good and fruit (if you can get her to eat it) is wonderful! Granola bars and frozen grapes are a few other of my faves! good luck :)
  • hemlock2010
    hemlock2010 Posts: 422 Member
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    I disagree with the previous poster about kids not eating between meals. Kids tend to eat smaller meals than adults (as they should), but they need to refuel more often. In spite of my weight issues, my kids are pretty fit, and our plan was breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner.

    When they were younger (up to about age 12) they got most of their calories in the first four, and then I used dinner to try to introduce new foods. It didn't matter much if they didn't like them because I knew they had already had a solid, balanced diet for the day. As they got older, they gave up morning snack and ate more for dinner.

    Check the nutrition info on things like dried fruit, granola, fruit and grain bars, etc. Some of them have loads of sugar and very little protein, fiber, or vitamins. Healthy food is food that provides some useful nutrient (protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin C, etc) at a reasonable calorie cost.
  • rizorw
    rizorw Posts: 67 Member
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    Apples, celery, banannas, crackers or anything else you can think of that goes with with Peanut butter.
    For the little ones I put a little PB in a sandwich bag and close it up. I then cut a little hole in the corner and let her squeeze it out onto her food. Kids love it and it keeps the mess down. You could also do this with cream cheese or anything that will squeese through a bag. Works great for packing to go (lunch bags, on-the-go trips, ect...)
    Just a cool idea!
  • hyper_stitch
    hyper_stitch Posts: 180 Member
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    Thanks for the suggestions so far I will definately try the PB in a bag trick that may just work, although I love PB she won't try it .... yet!

    She does have a healthy attitude towards food, I never pushed her to eat, I guess I may be stressing a little about passing my own food issues onto her lol
  • jenbusick
    jenbusick Posts: 528 Member
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    If she doesn't like whole-grain bread, try the white breads that have whole-grain added; they're called "Whole-Grain White" bread here in the US, but I don't know what the UK equivalent would be. That's what my family has been eating, since they too will not eat whole grain breads.

    For healthier snacks, cheese sticks are an easy swap, and can be served with high-fiber crackers (like Triscuit) to satisfy a salt tooth. To satisfy a sweet tooth with some nutrition added, I sometimes make home-made trail mix -- nuts, raisins, and a smattering of chocolate chips or m&ms. My kids think it's a real treat, and because it has chocolate in it they don't realize I've swapped their cupcakes for nuts and raisins :wink: My kids will eat carrots and dip, but I personally do not like celery or raw carrots; if you or your daughter feel the same way, try bell peppers cut in strips, sliced mushrooms and sliced cucumber with a lower-calorie ranch dressing (such as Bolthouse). My kids will also snack on a spoonful of peanut butter quite happily, especially with a small glass of milk.

    Frozen grapes and frozen blueberries make a fantastic sweet snack. Bananas are easy, too.

    Some kids will eat yogurt, which is good if you get a low-sugar variety. My kids won't touch yogurt; they act like I'm trying to poison them or something.

    I've discovered that my kids will eat some foods sliced or cut up that they won't touch whole. If I give them an apple, they'll take two bites. But if I core it and slice it, they'll eat it right up. Go figure. Sliced canteloupe or honeydew? Not interested. But if I dice it, they'll eat it right up. ? Whatev.

    You can make most fruits into an easy parfait using the whipped cream in a can, which is only 15 cal/2 tbsp serving. Again, like the chocolate chips in the trail mix, it seems to turn it into a real treat.

    I've also discovered that my kids like veggie chips (like Terra chips) and baked chips (baked Lay's, baked Tostito's). Not a totally healthy choice, but lower fat/lower calorie than regular.
  • Greyhawkk
    Greyhawkk Posts: 34
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    Apples, celery, banannas, crackers or anything else you can think of that goes with with Peanut butter.
    For the little ones I put a little PB in a sandwich bag and close it up. I then cut a little hole in the corner and let her squeeze it out onto her food. Kids love it and it keeps the mess down. You could also do this with cream cheese or anything that will squeese through a bag. Works great for packing to go (lunch bags, on-the-go trips, ect...)
    Just a cool idea!

    Hey thats a great Idea!
  • FoamyRiver
    FoamyRiver Posts: 276 Member
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    This morning I saw where the makers of Goldfish Crackers have started making whole grain bread and the slices are shaped like fish. The idea is to encouage kids to eat whole grains by making the bread "fun". You could try using various cookie cutters on whole grain bread to encourage your daughter to eat whole grain breat. You could make all kinds of sandwiches and even toast.
  • jlbryant2
    jlbryant2 Posts: 22 Member
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    good luck on your journey and i'm glad that u are starting this program. A few things i do is keep sugar free jello and sugar free pudding cups, baked chips, sugar free popsicles, sugar free kool-aid, and fresh fruit. My kids can't tell the difference and many times say it does have sugar in it. I try all types of little tricks when cooking so they will eat it and so far it works. My kids dont like whole grain but do like the wheat bread so i buy it. just keep trying different brands until u find one they like. Also, check out the ads because my kids eat some things like peas because a football player said it helps hem to run fast. it sounds crazy but it works!
  • hyper_stitch
    hyper_stitch Posts: 180 Member
    Options
    For healthier snacks, cheese sticks are an easy swap, and can be served with high-fiber crackers (like Triscuit) to satisfy a salt tooth. To satisfy a sweet tooth with some nutrition added, I sometimes make home-made trail mix -- nuts, raisins, and a smattering of chocolate chips or m&ms. My kids think it's a real treat, and because it has chocolate in it they don't realize I've swapped their cupcakes for nuts and raisins :wink:

    Some kids will eat yogurt, which is good if you get a low-sugar variety. My kids won't touch yogurt; they act like I'm trying to poison them or something.

    I've discovered that my kids will eat some foods sliced or cut up that they won't touch whole. If I give them an apple, they'll take two bites. But if I core it and slice it, they'll eat it right up. Go figure. Sliced canteloupe or honeydew? Not interested. But if I dice it, they'll eat it right up. ? Whatev.

    You can make most fruits into an easy parfait using the whipped cream in a can, which is only 15 cal/2 tbsp serving. Again, like the chocolate chips in the trail mix, it seems to turn it into a real treat.

    I've also discovered that my kids like veggie chips (like Terra chips) and baked chips (baked Lay's, baked Tostito's). Not a totally healthy choice, but lower fat/lower calorie than regular.

    lol this always gets me too that if I just cut something differently it's suddenly edible! I like the trail mix and adding a hint of whipped cream.

    I'm thinking I need to slow it down NOT panic that I am damaging her for life and just do some gentle food introduction x

    FoamyRiver - that's a really good idea ... ooooh the cutting possibilities!

    jlbryant2 - that's not crazy, it makes perfect sense to a parent!
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
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    only trouble with peanut butter is that it is high in calories (UK ones are)

    I work in School Nursing and am only passing on the advice we give parents. It's a VERY emotive issue, Children and food. People get VERY defensive over it, more so than their own food choices, they seem to feel that by giving advice you are in some way critisising how they love and parent their child. Which nobody is. Advice on healthy eating for children is provided by the department of Health and is very good and user friendly. I recommend it highly.

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