Little Bites, Lotta Nutrition

Happy Mother's Day Weekend!

2013-05-10T19:48:00.002-07:00

Wishing all you mommies out there a very happy and enjoyable Mother's Day Weekend with your family. You deserve it!

- Jenna

Kids Eat Right

2013-03-02T14:27:00.000-08:00

Do you have food and nutrition related questions? Eat Right Ontario has answers!

Eat Right Ontario is a free service that provides easy to use nutrition information to residents of Ontario. You can call Eat Right Ontario at 1-877-510-510-2 to speak directly with a Registered Dietitian or you can visit their website at www.eatrightontario.ca. I would highly recommend this service to answer your nutrition questions from the convenience of your own home.

For parents, there is a website called Kids Eat Right. Kids Eat Right includes evidence-based, trusted nutrition information to help your children grow healthy. The resources on this website are both credible and easy to use. Visit Kids Eat Right to check out healthy recipes, nutrition information and featured how-to videos.

The Bittersweet Truth About Sugary Drinks

2013-01-13T13:18:00.003-08:00

Remember the old saying "Just a spoonful of sugar" from Mary Poppins? Well since then, the food industry has been adding a whole lot more than just one spoonful of sugar to many drinks. This post will hopefully help you as a parent to choose healthier, delicious drinks that are packed with flavour and nutrients instead of sugar!

The Sweet Truth:

Sugar is a carbohydrate that helps to make food and drinks taste sweet. When we hear sugar, we usually think of table sugar or brown sugar. This type of sugar is called sucrose. Many foods that are rich in carbohydrates are made of different kinds of sugars. The sugar found in milk is called lactose and the sugars that can be found in fruits are called fructose, sucrose and glucose.

The sugars found in fruit and milk are "natural sugars", while the sugar added to food and drinks to sweeten them up are "added sugars". It is important to choose foods with natural sugar because they are also packed with many vitamins and minerals! Foods with added sugars are not as good for your body. They are often found in foods with higher fat and more calories. You may be surprised by how many foods that appear to be healthy actually contain a lot of added sugar (like some breakfast cereals!). This is why it is very important to read nutrition labels and ingredient lists to know how much sugar is in the food and drinks you serve your little ones! You can also help prevent cavities by reducing your child's sugar intake.

So just how many spoons of sugar are in common drinks? Check out this diagram found on the Dietitians of Canada website.

Many juices and fruit cocktails on grocery store shelves are also made of a lot of added sugar! Be sure to read the nutrition labels on fruit juices to make sure they are made of 100% fruit juice and do not contain added sugar. Remember, whole fruits and vegetables contain less sugar than juices do! Try serving different fruits and vegetables rather than juices when possible.

Try serving your kids some of these drinks instead of the ones found above:

Water is a great alternative to juice to quench your child's thirst!
Fruit flavoured water (water with lemon, lime, berries or orange slices)
Milk
100% fruit juice (you can also dilute with water)

References:
Eat Right Ontario
Dietitians of Canada

Happy Holidays!

2012-12-17T10:04:00.003-08:00

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season filled with good food, family and friends!

Merry Christmas!

Jenna

From Table to Tablet

2012-12-03T19:00:00.004-08:00

Have you heard? Healthy foods are making their way across gardens and grocery stores and moving onto...iPad screens! I recently read in The Globe and Mail that new applications, or "apps" for short, are being developed as educational tools for kids. Now your kids can learn about vegetables, fruits, healthy lunches and grocery shopping while playing games on an iPod or iPad. What's next??

Here are the blurbs about each app:

Fooducate lets you scan bar codes on foods to see a letter grade rating its healthiness. It turns grocery shopping into a point-and-shoot video game.
Go Go Mongo! has kids teach Mongo, a shapeless, one-toothed orange creature, how to make healthier choices. The game is designed for toddlers and features 40 colourful levels filled with fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats.
LaLa Lunchbox teaches kids and parents how to pack balanced lunches for school. Kids choose from a variety of food options and place them in a daily lunch box. Then, the app generates a full grocery list so parents can buy and prepare healthy, balanced lunches.
Munch5aday helps kids reach their recommended daily intake of fruits and veggies. Tap the icons on the screen each time you munch an apple or a carrot, and the app rewards you with badges when you hit your target.
Awesome Eats allows you to sort and stack fruits, veggies and whole grains in order to learn how to build a healthy plate. Thieving birds and other obstacles make the game challenging and fun.

Click on the links to learn more about each if you and your kids are interested!

Source: http://www.thestar.com/living/technology/article/1289071--smash-your-food-healthy-eating-apps-for-kids

Jenna

Cool Cucumber Bites

2012-07-11T14:22:00.003-07:00

These cool and crunchy snacks are perfect for this hot summer weather! Presenting vegetables in a creative way will make healthy eating more fun for your kids.

What you will need:

English cucumbers (peeled)
Dip ingredients: 1 container of nonfat sour cream, ~60g of dried vegetable soup mix, 1 tbsp of chopped fresh dill, 1 tbsp of light mayo, salt and pepper to taste

Note: this is enough dip for two cucumbers so you can make half the recipe if you only use one cucumber or save the rest of the dip for the next day!

Start by peeling the cucumbers and cutting them into ~1.5cm slices. Next, use a metal teaspoon to hollow out the centre of each cucumber slice but make sure you leave some space at the bottom so that the dip doesn't fall through. Once you have combined all the dip ingredients together in a medium sized bowl, you can start to dish out a teaspoon or so of dip into each slice of cucumber. Serve and enjoy this snack cold :)

Tip: When I made this snack for my friends I dressed the cucumbers up a bit by topping them off with fresh dill.

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-13T10:54:00.002-07:00

Wishing all of you mommies out there a wonderful and relaxing day with your family and friends!

- Jenna

Blending Baby Food with "The Baby Bullet"

2012-05-10T11:46:00.002-07:00

I have come across The Baby Bullet (a cute and mini version of The Magic Bullet) in many stores over the past couple of months and it always grabs my attention. The Baby Bullet is a small blender that can be used to make your very own baby foods in minutes. Although I have yet to try out The Baby Bullet for myself, it seems like there are a lot of reasons why this little machine would be a must-have for parents of babies and toddlers:

It is relatively cheap to buy ($59.99 Canadian at Home Outfitters) and you can save thousands of dollars on buying commercial baby food when you make your own at home.
It comes with all of the tools you need to make AND store your baby food (ie. freezer-friendly batch trays, storage trays and re-sealable containers).
Making your own baby foods using a blender like The Baby Bullet means that you have control over what goes into the food you feed your little ones - no unnecessary preservatives!
It is super easy to use and you can make and store many batches of different foods in no time at all. On the package, it claims that one sweet potato can make up to 8 jars of baby food!

Tip: Even though The Baby Bullet is a great way to make quick and healthy baby foods, you do not need to purchase one if you have a blender at home. You still can puree baby foods and store them in ice cube trays or feeezer-safe glass jars.

Have any of you tried using The Baby Bullet? I would love to hear about your experiences with it.

M is for...Melon Pops!

2012-05-09T14:07:00.001-07:00

With summer just around the corner, the warm weather and sunshine will have your kids running around outside and enjoying the heat. It's important to keep your children hydrated by providing them with plenty of water. A fun way to keep your kids cool while the sun is shining is to make them these delicious melon popsicles! This tasty and sweet recipe is nutritious and filled with water that will also help your kids stay hydrated.

What you will need:

1 1/2 cups cantaloupe chunks
1 tablespoon of 100% orange juice
1 1/2 cups honeydew chunks
1 tablespoon of lemon or limeade

To make the melon pops in layers, you need to make the cantaloupe and honeydew mixtures separately. First, puree the cantaloupe chunks with the orange juice in a blender. You can divide this blended mixture evenly into mini paper cups with popsicle sticks or into popsicle molds. Next, place the cups in the freezer for about an hour or until they become firm. You can then puree the honeydew chunks and lemon or limeade and add this mixture to each of the frozen cantaloupe mixtures. This will now create two separate layers of fruits and colours!

Nutrition facts on the snack:

These little melon pops are filled with nutrients like vitamin C and vitamin B. They are also low in energy so your kids will still be hungry for meals if you serve them as snacks during the day! Since melons are packed with water, you can be sure that these pops will help to quench thirst.

Tip: You can use other combinations of fruits and juices to make even more colourful layers!

Recipe and photo from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mint-melon-pops-10000001073881/

Go Bananas!

2012-04-24T09:56:00.002-07:00

This treat is so simple you can prepare it in less than five minutes! All you need is a very ripe banana and some peanut (or other nut) butter. Start by slicing the banana length-wise without cutting it in half. Next, add a generous tablespoon of nut butter of your choice into the centre of the banana where you sliced it. Now, wrap the banana in plastic wrap tightly and place it in the freezer. After several hours in the freezer, this delicious snack is ready to be served.

The great thing about this snack recipe is that it is quick, easy and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Bananas are a wonderful source of potassium. Potassium helps the heart, kidneys, nervous system, and muscles to do their jobs. Eating foods that are packed with potassium can even help lower blood pressure. You can find potassium in many other fruits and vegetables like cantaloupe, kiwis, oranges and avocados.

Tip: If you're in a hurry, you can serve this snack without freezing it!

Photo credit: http://ohsheglows.com/2010/06/26/simple-tricks-to-inspire-a-workout/

Discover the Path to Healthy Eating!

2012-04-14T20:17:00.001-07:00

Jennifer Lee, the creator of the game Crunch a Colour™ shared this great (and free!) healthy eating map for kids called "The Road to Healthy Eating". The best part is you have the option to download or print this creative game for your little ones. Your kids will learn how to make healthy eating choices and have fun at the same time! There are many other fantastic printables on this site that will keep your kids entertained for hours. Click here to find out more about what the Crunch a Colour website has to offer!

I'd love to hear about your experiences with The Road to Healthy Eating and Crunch a Colour™

Thanks to Jennifer for sharing this awesome game with me :)

Jenna

Happy Easter!

2012-04-08T07:33:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate! Hope the Easter bunny is good to everyone today and that you get to spend quality time with family and friends.

Jenna

The Sunshine Vitamin

2012-04-07T20:42:00.001-07:00

In school, I have learned a lot about the benefits of the "sunshine vitamin", or vitamin D. Our amazing bodies can make their own vitamin D from the sun, which gives it it's nickname. You can also get vitamin D from foods like eggs (in the yolk) and fatty fish (i.e. salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna). Some foods are even fortified to include vitamin D, like cow's milk, infant formulas, margarine and orange juice to name a few.

What's the big Deal about vitamin D? Well, kids need enough vitamin D in their diets to keep their bones strong and to help them fight infections. In Canada, we don't get as much sunshine as other parts of the world, so it's important to make sure your kids get enough vitamin D from their diets too.

Since vitamin D plays such a big role in maintaining proper bone and immune system health, Health Canada actually increased the recommendations for vitamin D (and calcium) in 2010. This means it's even more important to get enough to keep you and your family healthy!

So how much is enough?

Infants 0-6 months: RDA = 400 IU (10 mcg), UL = 1000 IU (25 mcg)
Infants 7-12 months: RDA = 400 IU (10 mcg), UL = 1500 IU (38 mcg)
Children 1-3 years: RDA = 600 IU (15 mcg), UL = 2500 IU (63 mcg)
Children 4-8 years: RDA = 600 IU (15 mcg), UL = 3000 IU (75 mcg)
Children and adults 9-70 years: RDA = 600 IU (15 mcg), UL = 4000 IU (100 mcg)

*You can find this chart and more information on the Health Canada website

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) gives you an idea of how much vitamin D you and your family should aim for in a day and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level, or UL for short, tells you the amount of vitamin D you should not go over each day.

You might be wondering what 400 or 600 IUs of vitamin D looks like, so this might help you out:

1 cup of milk = 103 IU
1 cup fortified rice or soy beverage = 88 IU
1/2 cup fortified orange juice = 53 IU
1 egg yolk = 25 IU
75 g trout = 210 IU
75 g herring = 162 IU
75 g salmon (atlantic) = 246 IU
75 g mackerel = 81 IU
75 g tuna (light or white) = 44 IU

*This can find more info on food sources of vitamin D from British Columbia Health Link

I hope this will help you to make sure your kids get enough of that sunshine vitamin each day to keep their bones strong and healthy!

Jenna

Ants on a Log

2012-04-06T17:29:00.005-07:00

Since it's been a while since I posted any snack recipes, I thought it was time to post a new one! One of my favourite snack foods as a child was the famous "Ants on a Log"...a celery log smothered in peanut butter and topped with raisin ants.

All you need for this VERY simple recipe is:

Celery
Peanut, almond, or sunflower seed butter
Raisins or Craisins®

Start off by loading the centre of the celery pieces with the butter of your choice. If you want to pack these as a school snack, sunflower butter is a great choice since it is peanut-free. Next, add the "ants" to the celery log by sprinkling raisins or Craisins® (or both!) on top.

Now it's crunch time!

Tip: Serve Ants on a Log with slices of apple, the pair make a great combo :)

Nutrition Facts on the Snack:

The protein found in peanut, almond and sunflower seed butters will keep your child satisfied until their next meal. You can also count on this snack to be low in calories and packed with nutrients. Celery is full of fibre, vitamins and minerals, which help to keep your kids healthy.

Jenna

Crunch a Colour!

2012-04-04T18:28:00.001-07:00

I came across a game called Crunch a Colour when I was yet again, browsing the aisles of Chapters. I decided to buy it since I figured it could come in handy in the future when I am a dietitian, or when I have kids of my own.

The description on the box says,
"For less than the cost of a pizza, you can completely change the dynamic at your dinner table! Created by a mom, Crunch a Color™ is an engaging game that gives kids points for eating a balanced and colorful plate of veggies, fruits, proteins and grains. Bonus points for good manners and trying new foods! To win, earn at least 30 points, 3 color cards, and 1 protein card in a meal. Everyone can win! Play the game in one meal, or over the course of a week using the Crunch a Color™ reward chart that is included. Kids have fun racking up points and collecting the veggie characters while trying new foods, learning about healthy eating, and practicing good table manners."

I think this game is a great way to get your little ones to try new foods and learn more about healthy eating. It is important for children to eat a variety of different foods in order to get the most nutrition out of their diets. By serving your kids foods of many different colours, you will be exposing them to a wide variety of nutrients. Vegetables and fruits are a great example of colourful foods that are loaded with vitamins and minerals that will help your kids stay healthy. The Crunch a Colour game will get your child interested in vegetables and fruits, which will hopefully make them more willing to eat them regularly!

You can use this diagram to help you make a rainbow of vegetables and fruits with your kids:

Little Grocery Helpers

2012-04-02T19:18:00.001-07:00

I remember when I was a kid I would always go grocery shopping with my parents and throw everything and anything into the cart. As much as I would have loved to have every sugary cereal, baked good, pudding and potato chips that I grabbed off of the shelf, I was often only allowed to choose one. Now that I'm older, I'm happy my parents didn't let me do the grocery shopping as a kid...or else there might have been trouble!

It's not always fun saying no to your child's favourite (...and sometimes very sugary) foods, but getting your kids involved in grocery shopping doesn't have to be a chore. Have your kids create their own healthy grocery lists by clicking HERE! Kids will love being able to choose their own groceries and soon you will be able to say "yes yes yes" to what they toss into the cart! You can print off their final grocery list and let them find the foods at the store. Giving kids independence will make them feel special and with this awesome tool, you can feel good about giving your kids the control.

Here is what the site looks like:

Give it a try!

Jenna

Picky Eater No More!

2012-04-01T18:53:00.003-07:00

"I don't like that!", "I won't eat anything green!", "Yuck", "I want something else", "I'm allergic to vegetables"...If any of these are familiar phrases at meal time, you are not alone. Many parents struggle with finding foods that will please the picky palates of their kids. Although I don't have any children of my own yet, I have had many experiences feeding children while babysitting and I know it's not always an easy task! Kids can get pretty creative when it comes to finding excuses to get themselves out of eating what's on their plate. Even though it may be frustrating when your child says "no" to the foods you serve, just remember not to give up!

Here are some great tips from Dietitians of Canada that may help when feeding your picky eater:

Add pureed or minced vegetables to spaghetti sauce, hamburgers, soups, muffins or bread.
Offer some nutritious foods that contain fat like peanut or soynut butter, milk or cheese.
Satisfy children’s thirst with water. Drinking lots of juice can fill up their little stomachs so that they are not hungry at regular meal times.
Try new foods in small amounts and in a form that your toddler can easily handle.
Although parents and caregivers are responsible for what, when and where children eat, children are responsible for how much and whether they eat.

Ellyn Satter is a Registered Dietitian who is known for her expertise in child nutrition. Throughout my university career, I have learned a lot about Ellyn Satter and her great tips and tricks on how to feed children effectively. I like that she really inspires parents to be the best they can be - she is very empowering!

When it comes to picky eating, Ellyn Satter recommends:

Teach her to say “no, thank you" rather than "YUK." Have her leave the table if she behaves badly.
Be family friendly with meals. Pair unfamiliar with familiar food, not-yet-liked with liked foods. Don't make special food for her.
Be sure to put one or two foods on the menu that she ordinarily eats. Bread and milk would work.
Let her pick and choose from what you put on the table, even if she eats five slices of bread and nothing else.
Teach her to use her napkin to get food back out of her mouth when she discovers she doesn't want to swallow. (Teach yourself this trick, as well. It will make you braver about trying new food!)

I hope these tips give you hope that you can help your child combat their picky eating habits! It will get easier over time :)

Tip: It can take up to 15-20 tries of food before a child learns to like it!

Jenna

No time? No worries!

2012-03-27T21:49:00.001-07:00

I was at Chapters browsing the bargain books section the other day when I came across a book called "Love in Spoonfuls" written by the authors of Parenting magazine. This book gives some great recipes for pureed baby foods and some "first bites" when introducing solid foods. I thought it might come in handy in my future career when I work with parents who are interested in making their own food for their babies. The book outlines some tips on how to make quick, easy and very nutritious foods for babies.

One idea I found particularly interesting in this book was freezing homemade baby food in ice cube trays! This is great for busy parents on-the-go who do not have time to make fresh baby food each day. Most purees containing meat can be frozen for up to 3 months and fruit and vegetable purees will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. This means you can freeze several trays at a time and just simply thaw out a single serving-sized portion from the tray for feeding times!

Freezing baby purees can save you a lot of time and money since you do not need to purchase jars of food at the store!

Tips:

Be sure to thaw out frozen servings of puree the safe way by letting them thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave. Remember not to let them thaw out by letting them sit at room temperature because this could make your baby sick.
If you are just starting your baby on pureed food, add liquid to the puree to make it similar in consistency to breast milk.
Before pureeing foods, be sure to cook each ingredient thoroughly.

Banana Splits

2011-11-13T09:20:00.001-08:00

These banana splits are so delicious your kids will mistake them for desserts!

What you’ll need:

bananas (1 or 2 per snack)
plain yogurt
peanut butter (optional)
chopped walnuts
coconut
granola
sliced strawberries or other fruits

First, slice the bananas in half (length-wise) and place them on a plate or in a bowl. Next, add a few generous tablespoons of plain yogurt to the top of the bananas. Now you can let your kids add chopped walnuts, granola, coconut, peanut butter, and/or sliced fruit to the mix.

Nutrition facts on the snack:

You don’t have to tell your kids how healthy these banana splits really are! These make for great treats that don’t have half as much sugar and fat as store-bought banana splits made with ice cream.

Bananas are loaded with a mineral called potassium. Potassium is important for proper growth in children. It can also lower the risk of high blood pressure that can lead to many health problems.

Peanut butter is found in the “Meat and Alternatives” food group on Canada’s Food Guide. It is packed with protein, iron, healthy fats and fibre. These are all important for proper child growth and development. Protein will also keep your kids full, which helps tie them over until their next meal.

Fun fact: This snack includes three out of the four food groups from Canada’s Food Guide. Who would have thought a banana split could be this healthy?

Tip: Turn this banana split into a frozen treat by placing the finished snack into the freezer for an hour or so before serving!

Recipe adapted from: http://blog.superhealthykids.com/2010/12/kids-favorite-healthy-banana-split/

Photo credit: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lltjpp1Rtv1qf4zb3o1_500.jpg

Apple Smiles!

2011-11-12T15:11:00.000-08:00

You can cater to your child’s sweet tooth with this snack that won’t scare the dentist!

What you will need:

apples of any kind
slivered almonds

These apple snacks are delicious and fun to make. Start by coring and quartering the apple (cutting it into four pieces). Next, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter. Now invite your kids to place the slivered almonds into the wedges – these are the teeth!

Your kids can arrange the almond teeth any way they want. Once there is a whole set of almond teeth it’s crunch time!

Nutrition facts on the snack:

I’m sure you have heard the old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Although apples alone may not keep the doctor away, they are still very nutritious and great to include in your child’s diet. Serving a variety of healthy foods, like apples, and getting your kids active are great ways to keep them healthy.

Fibre and many vitamins like vitamin C are found in apples. As you know from earlier posts, these are excellent nutrients to include in your child’s diet each day. Kids need enough nutrients from foods to give them energy.

Almonds are great sources of protein and healthy fats. You might be wondering why I used the words “healthy” and “fat” in the same sentence. This is because not all fat is bad for you! In fact, the body needs fat to work properly. It is best to serve your child foods with healthy fats, instead of unhealthier fats like trans fat and saturated fats.

Some examples of foods with healthy fats are:

· avocados

· nuts

· peanut butter

· olive, canola, sunflower, peanut and sesame oils

· tofu

· soy milk

Some examples of foods with unhealthy fats are:

· chocolate bars

· packaged cookies, donuts, pastries

· French fries

· gravy

· ice cream

If you would like to learn more about “healthy” vs. “unhealthy” fats, check out the Heart & Stroke Foundation website at: http://www.heartandstroke.ca/

Tip: If you don't use the cut-up apple wedges right away, add some lemon juice or orange juice to them to stop them from turning brown!

Recipe adapted from: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/apple-bites-688193/

Photo credit: http://blog.mindbites.com/wp-content/uploads/0807_applebites.jpg

Kids in the Kitchen!

2011-11-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

“When families work as a team in the kitchen, children are more likely to develop cooking skills and life long healthy eating habits.” - Margarett Best, Minister of Health Promotion and Sport in Ontario.

Many of my snack ideas suggest ways to get your kids involved in the preparation. You may be wondering why it is so important to involve your kids in snack and meal prep. Here are some of the many reasons why:

Involving your kids with food prep teaches them basic cooking skills that will last a lifetime. You can teach them how to measure, mix, blend, chop and stir properly.
Making snacks and meals together is also a great way to bond with them since it is a fun social activity.
Giving your kids their own task to complete will help them develop confidence and independence.
It is a great way to encourage teamwork since each family member will add his or her own contribution to the snack or meal.
Getting kids in the kitchen enhances their creativity because they can arrange their snacks the way they want. There are many fun snacks outlined in my blog that give kids the creativity to make their own snacks using their own ideas.
Involving kids in food prep can be a fun way to teach them about the importance of eating healthy. You can explain to your kids that eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables can make them grow big and strong – this was always motivation for me to eat healthy foods as a kid!
You can also teach your kids about food safety and the importance of using appliances and utensils carefully.

As you can see, kids can learn a lot about food by helping you make their snacks and meals and it is a perfect way to spend quality time together as a family.

Ask your mini-chefs to help you make their next snack or meal!

Tip: If you have questions about feeding kids nutritious and delicious meals or other healthy eating tips, speak to a Registered Dietitian at EatRight Ontario. Call toll-free 1-877-510-510-2 or email your question at www.ontario.ca/eatright.

Quotation from: http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Nutrition-Month/Get-your-kids-in-the-kitchen-and-Celebrate-food%E2%80%A6fr.aspx

Photo credit:http://www.loveatfirstbite.net/cooking_classes.html

Tasty Trail Mix

2011-11-06T18:21:00.000-08:00

Trail mix is a quick and healthy snack that is perfect for when your family is on-the-go. The great thing about trail mix is that you can make it with any of your favourite cereals, nuts, seeds and dried fruits.

Some suggestions for what to include are:

Almonds
Peanuts
Cashews
Popcorn
Pumpkin seeds
Dried cranberries, apricots, pineapple, apple
Raisins
Cereal (Cheerios™, Crispix™, Shreddies™)
Goldfish™ crackers

Once you have picked your favourite ingredients, mix them together in a bowl or shake them up in a large freezer bag. It’s up to you about how much of each ingredient to add to the mix – add more of the ones your kids like the most. Give your child a task to add, mix or shake the ingredients, they will feel proud once they see the end product that they helped make!

To make the trail mix more fun and enjoyable, serve it in a regular or waffle ice-cream cone! Add mini marshmallows to sweeten up the snack to serve as a dessert.

Nutrition Facts on the Snack:

Trail mix is loaded with protein and energy that will energize your little ones. You can also find fibre in this snack, which keeps your kids healthy and lowers the risk of disease in the future.

You can look for unsalted peanut and nut options in stores to help lower the amount of sodium in the snack. Although sodium is common in many packaged foods, you can look for reduced sodium options. Sodium is something that you want less of when buying foods for the family because it can lead to health problems like high blood pressure.

Does your child have a peanut allergy? Have no fear! Peanut-free trail mix can taste just as great. You can even include yogurt-covered raisins in place of peanuts.

Tip: Shop for the ingredients at your local bulk-food store – you will find great deals!

Photo credit: http://imagesw.frugalvillage.com/conesnack2.jpg.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for…Yogurt-Pops?

2011-11-02T15:01:00.000-07:00

These tasty frozen treats will become a favourite in your house!

What you will need:

Yogurt (ex. plain, fruit-filled or vanilla…your choice)
Mixed diced fruit of any kind (ex. blueberries, banana, cherries, strawberries)
Popsicle sticks
Small paper cups (ex. Dixie® cups) or popsicle mold/tray
Large metal spoon

Gather enough yogurt and fruit to fill the popsicle mold or paper cups. Add the yogurt and fruit into a medium sized bowl. Let your kids do the mixing! Once the ingredients are mixed, it’s time to pour the mixture into the popsicle mold or cups.

If you are using paper cups, place a popsicle stick in the middle of each cup. If you are using a popsicle mold, they will probably come with plastic sticks to place in the middle of each yogurt-pop.

Now it’s time to wait…overnight. Place the mold or cups in the freezer overnight to let them freeze. Your kids will be hurrying to the fridge in the morning to check on their finished frozen snacks!

Once frozen, these snacks are perfect to serve when you’re in a hurry because usually a popsicle mold makes at least four yogurt pops at a time.

Nutrition Facts on the Snack:

Yogurt-pops are a nice alternative to serving ice cream sundaes or popsicles because they are lower in unnecessary added sugar and fat. You might be thinking that fruits contain sugar and yogurt can contain fat and you’re absolutely right! The difference is that the fat and sugar found in yogurt-pops are natural and not added, making them a bit healthier. Making your own yogurt-pops is also much cheaper than buying store-bought frozen treats.

Another great benefit of yogurt-pops is that they are loaded with calcium. We know how important calcium is in skeletal and bone health so these yogurt pops are definitely a great addition to your child’s diet.

And last but not least, we can’t forget about the blend of vitamins that are packed into this little snack.

Tip: Add granola to the tops of the yogurt pops before they go into the freezer to turn them into upside-down frozen yogurt parfaits! Or, add different flavours of yogurt in layers to create fun patterns!

Recipe adapted from: http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/feeding/healthy-eating/the-20-best-snacks-for-kids/?page=6
Photo #1 credit: http://www.missteenwellingtoncounty.com
Photo #2 credit: http://2modern.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/pops_1.jpg

Snackwiches

2011-10-25T15:44:00.000-07:00

Get ready to stack with this healthy snack!

This protein-packed snack is made with some very common household ingredients. There is plenty of room for creativity, but here are some suggestions for what to include:

· sliced cheese

· deli meats (like oven roasted turkey or low-sodium ham)

· sliced cucumber

· sliced tomato

· crackers (like Ritz® or Wheat Thins®)

Once you have picked out your stackable ingredients, show your kids how to layer each food on top of a cracker. After they have arranged the layers the way they want, they can top it off with another cracker. Now it’s crunch time!

Nutritious Facts on the Snack:

Snackwiches provide your kids with many important nutrients. You can feel good knowing that these healthy snacks include foods from all four food groups of Canada’s Food Guide. You can find more info on Canada’s Food Guide by visiting http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php.

This snack is great after school or between meals because it has protein in it. Where is this protein? It’s found in the cheese and meat. You can be sure that protein will keep your kids full until their next meal.

Calcium is another important nutrient found in the cheese in this snack. Your kids need calcium to build strong and healthy bones! Other great sources of calcium are milk, yogurt and milk substitutes like soy milk.

Fun Tip! You can turn the food layers into fun shapes by using small cookie cutters!

Photo credit: http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2010/03/how-to-solar-system-birthday.html

Recipe adapted from Kraft snacks at: http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/kid-friendly/healthysnackideas.aspx

Fantastic Fruit Kabobs

2011-10-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

It’s time to add some colour to your child’s day with these juicy fruit kabobs! Your kids will love creating their own fun arrangements and patterns using their favourite fruits.

What you will need:

Variety of fresh fruits (read below for some examples)
Wooden skewer sticks

The great thing about this healthy snack is that you can use just about any fruit you have lying around, even thawed out frozen fruits. Some tasty examples include strawberries, grapes, pineapple, apple, pear, watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, kiwi, honeydew melon and banana to name a few! You can save money by buying fruit in season.

Start by cutting up fruit into cubes or slices and placing them into bowls. Provide your child with a wooden skewer stick and let them create their own fruity kabob. Show them how to make fun patterns using different coloured fruits.

Nutrition facts on the snack:

These vitamin-packed kabobs are loaded with antioxidants that will help keep your kids healthy. You can find antioxidants in many vegetables and fruits. They are important to include in your child’s diet to help prevent sickness (1). Fruits also contain fibre that helps with your child’s digestion.

Tip: Turn the fruit into fun shapes by using cookie cutters! Who knew pineapples could make such beautiful flowers?

1. Dietitians of Canada: http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Antioxidants.aspx

Recipe adapted from: http://www.huggies.com.au/toddler/recipes/fruit-kebabs-recipe

Photo credit: http://belladia.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/04/09/fruit_kabob.jpg