Best (healthy) snacks for kids

[kjcba8101]

I'm always looking for continuous improvement, so I'm looking to upgrade the quality of snacks my 1.5 and 3.5 year old girls are eating. I saw yogurt covered raisins (8g of sugar per box) and fruit snacks at 11g of sugar per packet.

What do your kids eat? I'm trying to find a better alternative to these things.

 

[hollywood]

Fresh fruits are far better than anything that's processed. Dried fruits contain significantly more sugar by weight due to them being "concentrated." Those little "halo" or "cutie" mandarin seedless oranges were some of my son's favorites at that age, but then he would eat just about any fresh fruit you put in front of him, but he loves watermelon, strawberries and mangoes. Watermelon is pretty easy to keep, just cut it into bite sized pieces and have it ready in the fridge. Especially in the summer, it's a double-whammy in that it provides lots of hydration as well.

 

[anon_ph7vrsh7abnty]

https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Healthy-Road-Trip-Snacks-Kids-43432034

This is exactly what our road trips look like with kids.

 

[DrMaseofBase]

I'm always looking for continuous improvement, so I'm looking to upgrade the quality of snacks my 1.5 and 3.5 year old girls are eating. I saw yogurt covered raisins (8g of sugar per box) and fruit snacks at 11g of sugar per packet.

What do your kids eat? I'm trying to find a better alternative to these things.

My kids are exactly the same age. They eat:
Yogurt
Goldfish
Chicken nuggets
Mac and cheese
Ice cream
Chips and queso
Waffles
Eggs
Turkey sandwiches
Peanut butter

That's about it

They have no allergies or intolerances.

 

[Colorado_Poke]

What do your kids eat?

My 2.5 year old son eats anything and everything that he isn't allergic to. He would probably eat the family dog if we forgot to make dinner.

 

[osutater]

My 2.5 year old son eats anything and everything that he isn't allergic to. He would probably eat the family dog if we forgot to make dinner.

My kid used to be this way but now will only eat Prime Beef Tenderloin.

 

[HighStickHarry]

I feed my kids as close to the Mediterranean diet as I can. I hide olives in tomato sauces and salads.

I put almonds in their no sugar added apple sauce.

I buy a healthy whole wheat bland cereal and I mix in a kashi low sugar cereal. They eat that up.

We never put sugar on strawberries or other stuff unnecessarily. If you keep their tastebuds from being sugarized they will love fruit like humans are supposed to.

I fed them fish from an early age too. That's important.

Carrots and hummus they love.

I don't put peanut butter on their apple slices.

They love pistachios

Dessert is a local honey and cinnamon toast.

Whole milk never skim. I put almond milk in their cereal and sometimes mix it in their whole milk if their meal has adequate fats.

Don't get me wrong they get a lot of crap but this is our foundation.

 

[HighStickHarry]

And if my kids don't eat what I fix then it's nothing and their meal goes in the fridge for the next time they are hungry. Women don't get this strategy for some reason.

 

[poke2001]

My kids are exactly the same age. They eat:
Yogurt
Goldfish
Chicken nuggets
Mac and cheese
Ice cream
Chips and queso
Waffles
Eggs
Turkey sandwiches
Peanut butter

That's about it

They have no allergies or intolerances.

Our kids should hang out.

 

[osuengineer]

Grapes, beef jerkey.

 

[hollywood]

on hot days, frozen (seedless) grapes are a great choice as well.

 

[nathajw]

https://www.popsugar.com/moms/Healthy-Road-Trip-Snacks-Kids-43432034

This is exactly what our road trips look like with kids.

We should go in together on groceries, see if we can get bulk rates. I swear if you took a picture of our snack drawer that's what it looks like. That and copious amounts of fruit. My wife is very healthy and feeds the kids the same way but damn, between Sprout's, Kroger, and Costco our grocery bill can be 1,500 to 2,000 depending on the month. 3 boys will dominate a pantry/fridge though. If we bought crap and processed food it would be under 4 figures but I keep telling my self the extra $ is a long term investment.

 

[kjcba8101]

We should go in together on groceries, see if we can get bulk rates. I swear if you took a picture of our snack drawer that's what it looks like. That and copious amounts of fruit. My wife is very healthy and feeds the kids the same way but damn, between Sprout's, Kroger, and Costco our grocery bill can be 1,500 to 2,000 depending on the month. 3 boys will dominate a pantry/fridge though. If we bought crap and processed food it would be under 4 figures but I keep telling my self the extra $ is a long term investment.

I think it's a great investment. On a side note-do you guys listen to many health related podcasts? I was listening to one by Dave Asprey the other day that was dynamite in regards to foods and health.

 

[nathajw]

I think it's a great investment. On a side note-do you guys listen to many health related podcasts? I was listening to one by Dave Asprey the other day that was dynamite in regards to foods and health.

I don't know how old you are but what my kids get fed for snacks vs what I was fed in 80s and early 90s is night and day. Chips, Schwanns man, Hot Pockets, Pop Tarts, pizza rolls, Oatmeal Cream Pies.... Whatever you want, if you're hungry help yourself.

Parents are so much more informed now than my parents were but kids are also a lot less active now than back then too imo.

 

[Rdcldad]

I don't know how old you are but what my kids get fed for snacks vs what I was fed in 80s and early 90s is night and day. Chips, Schwanns man, Hot Pockets, Pop Tarts, pizza rolls, Oatmeal Cream Pies.... Whatever you want, if you're hungry help yourself.

Parents are so much more informed now than my parents were but kids are also a lot less active now than back then too imo.

so true

bologna cheese and mustard on wonder bread with chips a ding dong or twinkie every day for lunch all the dp and whole milk in the fridge you could drink. plenty of ice cream in the freezer

my friends folks had a soda gun in their
wet bar and his mom was an obgyn lol

 

[kjcba8101]

I agree with you guys. I view the idea of healthy eating as a constantly moving target. I'm trying to give my kids the benefit of my knowledge of food and its effects on the body. Hopefully, that means a healthy lifestyle for them when they get older. There's so much free info out there, it's up to us to go out and implement it.

 

[The Duke]

My wife has her MPH and is a certified dietitian.

Strongly suggest avoiding any and ALL processed foods.

Good snacks for kids include:
Cheerios
Avocados
Cheese
Apple sauce
Soft fruits like bananas
Soft vegetables they like

 

[N. Pappagiorgio]

Pretty much ding dongs and twinkies.

 

[Cowguy]

Pretty much ding dongs and twinkies.

He didn't ask you to identify the members of your posse.

 

[osu2082]

We try to fit in as much Greek yogurt, granola, hummus and fruit (blueberries, grapes, strawberries, bananas, and apples) as possible but there is plenty of bagel bites, pizza, cereal, and chick fil a.

I also should have bought stock in a fruit snack company!

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

We try to fit in as much Greek yogurt, granola, hummus and fruit (blueberries, grapes, strawberries, bananas, and apples) as possible but there is plenty of bagel bites, pizza, cereal, and chick fil a.

I also should have bought stock in a fruit snack company!

Reading this thread makes me want to invite all your kids over so I can fry some Twinkies and gorge them on Dr Pepper until they're rolling on the floor in a euphoric food coma.

 

[Rdcldad]

My wife has her MPH and is a certified dietitian.

Avoid any and ALL processed foods.

Cheerios
Avocados
Cheese
Apple sauce
Soft fruits like bananas
Soft vegetables they like

could u clarify your post?

does your wife advise to avoid all things on the list down to soft veggies?

or just the processed foods?
thx!

 

[DrMaseofBase]

I am too often seeing parents apply their own eating related neuroses to childreb

Reading this thread makes me want to invite all your kids over so I can fry some Twinkies and gorge them on Dr Pepper until they're rolling on the floor in a euphoric food coma.

millenial parents

 

[nathajw]

When we go out to eat it's no holds barred, we just don't keep anything close to junk in the house. I don't mind this either as it keeps me from being a total fat ass. I get enough extra calories from booze.

What kind of father would I be if I didn't teach my sons the art and strategy of fully dominating a Chinese buffet (load up on meats before starches) or if they didn't know the best Mexican spots around?

 

[nathajw]

My kids are exactly the same age. They eat:
Yogurt
Goldfish
Chicken nuggets
Mac and cheese
Ice cream
Chips and queso
Waffles
Eggs
Turkey sandwiches
Peanut butter

That's about it

They have no allergies or intolerances.

Are you sure they aren't allergic to fruits and vegetables?

 

[The Duke]

could u clarify your post?

does your wife advise to avoid all things on the list down to soft veggies?

or just the processed foods?
thx!

Sorry about that, I edited the post for clarity. Avoid processed foods. The list are suggested snacks.

 

[JonnyVito]

Make sure to give your kids protein also not just fruits and veggies. They need the protein to make sure their metabolism is worked out also. When you eat fruits they are crabs thus very easy to digest. Eating protein will make their body work to digest. I eat cheese for a lot of snacks during the day instead of just pounding fruits. I would think with the energy kids spend in a day that calories aren't much of an issue.

I am guessing pixie sticks are as common as they where in my day?

 

[osu2082]

Reading this thread makes me want to invite all your kids over so I can fry some Twinkies and gorge them on Dr Pepper until they're rolling on the floor in a euphoric food coma.

I should have bolded and underlined bagel bites and chick fill a as this makes a LARGE percentage of their daily calorie intake!

 

[AC_Exotic]

snickers
ho-hos
ding dongs
chocolate donuts

You're welcome.

 

[hollywood]

When you eat fruits they are crabs thus very easy to digest

Man, I can't afford to feed my kid crabs all the time, no matter how easy they are to digest!

 

[csh]

snickers
ho-hos
ding dongs
chocolate donuts

You're welcome.