Healthy Snacks For Healthy Kids
School is back in session, and parents everywhere are stressing over how to pack healthy meals for their little ones in a short amount of time. As a mom who is often in a total rush as well, I have good news: healthy meals that don't take long are possible to prepare every day. I repeat: quick and healthy meals each day are totally possible. No matter what your dietary philosophy--vegan, gluten-free, paleo--you can eat healthy with hardly any time spent at all. Now, that's food for thought.
As I'm sure you already know, a healthy lunch for your kids can be as simple as a sandwich and prepackaged snack. Would you like to raise the health quotient on your sandwiches? Great, because I have the secret, and it all starts with the bread. Take your standard kid's bread and swap in a sprouted version (Food for Life's varieties of sprouted bread are great) and your sandwiches will be considerably healthier. Sprouted bread is a better option because the nutrients are more readily accessible to our digestive systems, and they have a lower glycemic index. Sandwiches are fast food, and such a nutritious swap such as that will take no extra time at all.
One can also give a boost to a classic like peanut butter and jelly by simply switching almond butter in place of the peanut. Using an organic jelly is a wise choice also because delicate fruits absorb a lot of pesticides. I'm sure you don't want pesticides lurking in your kids' bellies. Crofter's, by the way, is a brand that makes excellent organic jellies. If you were craving meat and cheese sandwiches, these hits from our childhood are made exponentially better if you can make them with something like Applegate Farms' products, which offer organically raised, nitrite free meats and cheeses. For vegans, there is a wide selection of meat and cheese replacements on the market, such as the extensive line of cheese and meat replacements from Field Roast, and Tofurky.
Of course, no lunch box is complete without your child's favorite snacks. Favorites in my home are celery with caesar dressing, apples with Justin's chocolate hazelnut butter, and baby carrots with ranch. Some brands offer convenient prepackaged snack options, like Late July sandwich crackers and Santa Cruz organic apple sauces, so you can eat worry free on the go. Or, try no-bake energy balls, a new favorite in our house. MegaFood has a recipe that we love.
Healthy eating doesn't mean you have to sacrifice time, but you do have to know how to shop. From sandwiches to snacks, with a few smart swaps, the possibilities of what to pack for your kids are endless. Follow these tips, and you'll be packing lunches so healthy, so delicious, so quick, we promise your kids will thank you--one day.