It is good practice to offer all children fruit and vegetables for snacks and to limit processed foods as much as possible. Often children are famished when they come home from school. Make the most of this opportunity to add another serving of Vegetables and Fruit to your child’s diet. Set out a platter of veggies with an enticing dip (this page) or make homemade fruit-filled popsicles (this page). Always a hit, homemade popsicles are a tantalizing way to boost your child’s fruit consumption.
A healthy snack should include foods from at least 2 of the 4 food groups. For instance, frosty fruit smoothies (this page) made with fruit and yogurt are ideal. As an added benefit, they contain the 2 food groups commonly deficient in the diets of many Canadian children. If you cannot send peanut butter to school, offer it as part of a nutritious snack. Peanut butter, or any other nut butter, is high in protein and a good source of both fibre and heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids. Peanut butter can be served with whole grain breads and crackers, as well as fruit. For a change, spread peanut butter on either a slice of apple or a piece of banana.
Instead of offering a platter of cookies, set out a single cookie with a sliced apple or some berries and serve a glass of milk alongside. When buying packaged foods, read ingredient lists and compare Nutrition Facts tables to help you buy those that are higher in fibre, are lower in sodium, fat and sugar, and contain minimal or no chemical additives. When buying munchies, opt for baked over fried and offer air-popped popcorn. Popcorn, a whole grain, is high in fibre and very filling, making it the perfect snack for the insatiable teen.
Teenagers and those coming home to empty houses will make their own snacks. Before this happens, it’s important that you set some ground rules, since nobody wants to come home to discover a crucial ingredient for dinner is missing or that the baking cupboard has been raided of chocolate chips. Talk to your kids about what constitutes a healthy snack and point out the cupboards and drawers they are welcome to, as well as those that are off limits. Use the chart on this page to organize your kitchen so that all 4 food groups are represented and accessible.
Smoothies
If your child has a milk allergy or is lactose intolerant, soy milk can be substituted in any of the following recipes.
Strawberry Banana Smoothie
This can be made with any type of berries. Try substituting frozen blueberries, raspberries or mixed berries for the strawberries.
1 cup milk
½ cup plain yogurt
1 banana
1½ cups frozen strawberries
• Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Yield: Serves 2 to 3
Mixed Berry Smoothie
1½ cups frozen mixed berries
1½ cups orange juice
• Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Yield: Serves 2 to 3
TIP: When bananas begin to brown, put them in the freezer to be used for baking or smoothies.
Chocolate Banana Tofu Shake
2 frozen bananas
1½ cups chocolate milk
½ cup silken tofu
• Briefly run frozen bananas under warm water to loosen skin. Then peel banana with paring knife.
• Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Yield: Serves 4
Banana Milkshake
Try making this without the honey first, since there’s no point in encouraging a sweet tooth. If your child isn’t so fond of it, add the honey the next time you make it.
2 frozen bananas
1½ cups milk
½ cup plain yogurt
Approximately 1 tsp of honey (optional)
• Briefly run frozen bananas under warm water to loosen skin. Then peel banana with paring knife.
• Combine ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Yield: Serves 2 to 3
Popsicles
Made with fresh or frozen fruit, homemade popsicles are wonderful after-school snacks. They are a much healthier alternative to the sugar-laden, store-bought varieties. If you choose to add sugar or honey, stir in just enough to sweeten the fruit. For the following recipes, you will need plastic Popsicle moulds.
Strawberry Creamsicles
5 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
½ cup Greek-style plain yogurt (above 3% milk fat)
½ cup milk
1 tbsp honey (approximately)
• If using frozen berries, defrost them.
• In bowl of food processor, place strawberries and process until puréed.
• Strain strawberries through fine sieve to remove seeds. You should have approximately 1¼ cups strawberry purée.
• Place strawberry purée back in bowl of food processor and add yogurt and milk. Process until combined. Add just enough honey to sweeten fruit and process until combined. Pour into Popsicle moulds and freeze.
Yield: Approximately 8 to 10 Popsicles, depending on size of moulds
A Word to the Wise
The consumption of soda pop has been linked to obesity, tooth decay, osteoporosis and pancreatic cancer—one of the most lethal forms of the disease. A recent large-scale study indicated that people who consumed as little as 2 or more sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week had an 85 per cent increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer, compared with those who did not.42 For children these problems are exacerbated by the fact that soda pop consumption tends to rise during the teenage years. It is estimated that the average teen gets approximately 13 per cent of his daily calories from soda pop.43 Don’t let your children drink this much pop. Keep it out of the lunch box and talk to them about the problems associated with soft drinks.
Raspberry Orange Popsicles
5 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1 cup orange juice
1 tbsp honey (approximately)
• If using frozen berries, defrost them.
• In bowl of food processor, place raspberries and process until puréed.
• Strain raspberries through fine sieve to remove seeds.
• Place raspberry purée back in bowl of food processor and add orange juice. Purée until smooth.
• Add just enough honey to sweeten the fruit and process until combined. Pour into Popsicle moulds and freeze.
Yield: Approximately 8 to 10 Popsicles, depending on size of moulds
Moderation is the Key
There is nothing wrong with adding a little treat to your child’s lunch box. If all goodies were eliminated, children would be more likely to overindulge when given the chance. We need to move away from the idea of “good foods” and “bad foods.” Instead, teach your children to think in terms of “everyday foods” (whole grains, fruit, vegetables, lean protein and low-fat dairy products) and “sometimes foods” (chips, candy and fast food). If, for occasional variety, you add a chocolate bar to your child’s lunch box, opt for the 2-bite bar instead of the larger one. Remember, healthy eating is the sum of all food choices over time, and any food, when eaten in moderation, can be part of a healthy diet.
Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas
Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas can be eaten as popsicles or bite-sized frozen treats. To make a frozen banana Popsicle you will need wooden Popsicle sticks (or flat wooden craft sticks).
2 cups peanuts or pecans, finely chopped
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2½ cups dark chocolate chips
4 to 5 bananas (depending on size)
4 to 5 flat wooden craft sticks (optional)
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In one bowl place peanuts and in second bowl place coconut.
• If making frozen banana Popsicles, gently insert wooden stick into one end of each banana.
• In top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate. Dip each banana in chocolate, gently turning until well coated, then roll in either nuts or coconut and place on prepared baking sheet.
• Freeze bananas solid.
• Frozen banana popsicles can be stored in the freezer until ready to eat.
• If making bite-sized frozen banana treats, remove bananas from freezer. With a sharp knife cut into 1-inch slices. Store in freezer until ready to eat.
Yield: Serves 5 to 6