Keep the kids Bizzy@ Home with the Irish Heart Foundation
Stuck at home with the kids here are some healthy ideas to keep them busy
Read MoreOur dietitian Sarah Noone on keeping the kids filled up with healthy snacks now that they are at home all day
Are you finding yourself overwhelmed with feeding your kids right now? Are you dreading the fact that your kids are going to want to eat all day long while you are at home ? Kids wanting to snack all day can be exhausting, they can also eat you out of house and home.
If being home all day is a new normal for you and feeding your kids 3 meals and a million snacks (I mean 2 ) is getting to you, you are certainly not alone.
The best way to get around frequent snacking is by making sure that the snacks you provide are filling.
What can be done:
The best way to get around frequent snacking is by making sure that the snacks you provide are filling. This means ensuring there is a good balance of protein and fibre so the snacks are sustaining and add to the quality of childrens’ diet. There are plenty of foods that will be in your cupboards that contain fibre and or protein such as cheese and apple slices, low fat yogurt and nuts, nuts and raisins or vegetable sticks with humus.
Also try to offer planned meals and snacks consistently throughout the day. A good rule of thumb is to offer snacks a few hours after one meal ends and about one to two hours before the next meal begins. Postponing snacks until a few hours after a meal helps prevent kids from having no appetite and refusing food at a meal and then begging for more food as a snack just after the meal. On the other hand, putting a stop to snacking immediately before meals encourages a healthy appetite at mealtimes.
A good rule of thumb is to offer snacks a few hours after one meal ends and about one to two hours before the next meal begins.
Some further tips for smart snacking include:
Five quick and easy snacks:⠀
Whole grain toast, nut butter and fruit⠀
Veggie matchsticks (cucumber or carrot can work well) and humous
Cheese cubes and grapes ⠀
Banana or Apple and nut butter
Small pot of yogurt with some chopped fruit
Stuck at home with the kids here are some healthy ideas to keep them busy
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