By: James Rogers, MD
It’s
3:30. The kids race off the school bus, run into the house and head straight
for... the refrigerator. It’s perfectly normal for kids to want an after school
snack. Most children have high levels
of activity and need to eat a meal or snack every three to four hours in order
to replenish energy stores and recharge their bodies.
But
the choice of what to snack on is a critical one. A healthy snack can recharge
energy levels and provide needed nutritional value as well. Junk food might
satisfy a child’s hunger, but it does little in the way of providing vitamins
and minerals, and may in fact provide unhealthy levels of things like sodium,
sugar, fats or cholesterol.
When snacking, children often reach for whatever’s
the closest and most convenient. If your pantry is stocked with corn chips and
candy bars that’s probably what your child will eat. If, however, there is a
bowl of grapes or apples on the kitchen table and yogurt in the fridge, you
stand a fighting chance of having them choose a healthier snack. Kids get used
to eating the foods that are commonly available. If it’s easy and convenient
for them to reach for items like raw carrots, bananas, shredded cheese and
bagels, that’s probably what they’ll get in the habit of eating. Likewise,
having Twinkies, tortilla chips and doughnuts close at hand will make these be
the snacks of habit.
It’s
common sense that what you buy at the store will be consumed at home. So when
walking the aisles, reach for the healthier choice whenever possible. Choose
whole grain breads instead of the white variety. Pretzels are a crunchy, salty
snack but they have a much lower fat content than most chips. “Chip dips” are
most often high-fat and high calorie.
While
children under two shouldn’t typically limit their fat intake due to its role
in their body and brain development, a sensible lower-fat diet for older
children is often the healthiest. So, read the labels. Check the fat content and
buy healthy.
A
good snack is often accompanied by a healthful drink. Help kids avoid soda pop
(a snack choice that’s high in sugar content and “empty” calories) by keeping
the fridge filled with milk, 100 percent fruit juice and -- best of all -- water.
Healthy
snacking habits can help set kids up for a lifetime of good eating. And a
healthy snack doesn’t have to be inconvenient or lacking in taste or flavor.
When school lets out and the fridge opens up, it’s beneficial for kids to have
lots of healthy options to pick from. There are lots of good choices out there.
It’s up to us to help our kids find them.
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Dr.
Rogers is a family practice physician at Raiter Clinic in Cloquet.