It is closing in on the end of summer which comes just in time for back to school, back to daycare, back to LIFE and set schedules for many families. I have been preparing the kiddos lunches every day including personalized handwritten notes. I love making their lunch for multiple reasons;
1. I feel like I can make their lunches cheaper than buying it,
2. I can see what they are eating each day, and
3. I can make sure they are eating a balanced, no sugar added meal and they are teeth friendly lunch options as well.
What does "no sugar added" mean? In this case it means some of these foods still contain sugar naturally. Added sugar has been added to a food or product during the manufacturing process. To avoid added sugar, look for words on a food label such as glucose, sucrose, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, raw sugar, rice syrup, corn sweetener, fruit juice concentrate, brown sugar, corn syrup, can juice, can sugar, crystalline fructose, beet sugar, caramel, and barley malt.
Here's a little guide to sugar intake. Every 4 Grams of Sugar = 1 Teaspoon measurement
The recommended amount of sugar for 2–3-year-olds is 25 grams of sugar, or about 6 teaspoons.
The recommended amount of sugar for 4–8-year-olds is 28-32 grams of sugar, or 7-8 teaspoons.
1. I feel like I can make their lunches cheaper than buying it,
2. I can see what they are eating each day, and
3. I can make sure they are eating a balanced, no sugar added meal and they are teeth friendly lunch options as well.
What does "no sugar added" mean? In this case it means some of these foods still contain sugar naturally. Added sugar has been added to a food or product during the manufacturing process. To avoid added sugar, look for words on a food label such as glucose, sucrose, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, raw sugar, rice syrup, corn sweetener, fruit juice concentrate, brown sugar, corn syrup, can juice, can sugar, crystalline fructose, beet sugar, caramel, and barley malt.
Here's a little guide to sugar intake. Every 4 Grams of Sugar = 1 Teaspoon measurement
The recommended amount of sugar for 2–3-year-olds is 25 grams of sugar, or about 6 teaspoons.
The recommended amount of sugar for 4–8-year-olds is 28-32 grams of sugar, or 7-8 teaspoons.
Protein:
Hard Boiled Eggs - I make a bunch & keep them in the snack drawer
Hummus
Chickpeas
Nuts
Natural Peanut Butter
Fruit:
Fresh Fruit like apples, bananas, oranges, raspberries, strawberries, cut up grapes, etc.
Unsweetened Applesauce
Avocados - no more than a quarter a day
Lindsay Snack and Go! Olives - they are a delicious, convenient, and finger-friendly snack with no liquid or mess. Great for portability due to its size, their Snack and Go! Olives are an easy and better-for-you way to add more fruit to any lunch box. They are friendly for diets such as keto, Whole30, paleo, vegan, and gluten free. They do not contain artificial flavors and are non-GMO with BPA-free lining in their packaging. Lindsay Snack and Go! Olives come in four varieties: Pitted Black Ripe, Sliced Black Ripe, Kalamata Pitted, and Pimiento Stuffed Spanish Manzanilla Olives. I enjoy adding them to my salads!
Dairy:
Plain Greek Yogurt
Cheese Slices - use block cheese because shredded can have hidden sugars/carbs.
Vegetables:
Roasted Sweet Potato Bites
Homemade Salsa
Cucumber Slices
Carrot Sticks - It's cheaper to peel/cut them yourself or baby carrots (they are washed in chlorine, but it is less than what is in normal drinking water)
Bell Pepper Slices
Edamame
Grains (Carbs):
Pretzels - always check the food labels because some brands have added sugar.
Unsalted Popcorn
Dates with pits removed (starchy fruit)
I have created an easy printable list for your fridge so you can keep these ideas fresh for your next shopping trip:
I have created an easy printable list for your fridge so you can keep these ideas fresh for your next shopping trip:
There are a few reasons why you don’t want to give your child too much sugar. Besides weight issues, too much sugar in your child’s diet can affect their teeth and make them have trouble sleeping. For a well-balanced body, exercise is key, but nutrition is the most important piece of the pyramid. With sugar even natural sugar, you want to make sure it is consumed in moderation. Healthy habits start now, so let’s set them up for success!
What are some of your go-to snack ideas for kids? Have you tried Lindsay Olives before? What did you think?
I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.
These all sound great to me. As far as I'm concerned, they're great for grown-up snacks, too, lol.
ReplyDeleteI feel kind of guilty, because even though I tried to feed my kids healthy food and snacks, but back then, there wasn’t much emphasis on reading the ingredients, etc. we did the best we could. They would have never liked olives for a snack! I pinned the Kids Snack Idea List. I am learning a lot about healthier foods, but now for my grandkids. Thank you for sharing your knowledge about this and raising your kids to be healthier (& like olives) ��
ReplyDeleteI've learned that things I thought I once didn't like, I do now and it is because I have cut a TON of sugar from my diet. Some things I use to eat (and shouldn't have) are too sweet. I understand things were different from when I was a child and that is why I want to do better for my children.
DeleteThese are all great ideas for healthy snacks. I love fresh veggies and fruit myself.
ReplyDelete