Kids love to snack. Growing kids have dietary needs so eating is essential to proper growth. It is not unusual for a child to feel as if he is always hungry. Hunger is not the problem. Overeating and poor food choices are the problem. A child will grab anything that sounds good when the urge to snack hits. It is important to provide healthy snacks in easy access to encourage a child to eat better and make better food choices. If you make apples in an easy to reach place as opposed to chocolate chip cookies the child will reach for the apple. Opportunity is often the root of poor food choices. If the child is used to eating unhealthy foods when he is craving to munch on something soon it will turn into craving junk food. Give your child a chance to crave healthy foods by providing healthy foods in reach. One way to do this is providing a snack station right in your refrigerator. It is easy to do and if planned correctly will curb your child from constantly asking what there is to eat.
What you need:
Plastic tub to house all items
Containers for small items
Plastic bags for grab and go items
Healthy snacks
What you do:
Gather healthy snacks and cut, chop, or prepare snacks to put in your snack station. Large items will be put in containers while smaller items such as nuts or crackers and go in grab and go plastic bags. All items need to be prepared enough so they are easy to access and are no fuss. Otherwise your child is more likely to grab a handful of cookies.
Snacks for a Snack Station:
Cheerios
Nuts
Apples
Grapes
Nutella
Cottage Cheese
Yogurt
Celery Sticks
Carrots
Cheese Sticks
Small prepared salad
Wheat crackers
Cubed Cheese
Strawberries
Pretzels
Raisins
Real 100 percent fruit, fruit leather
Trail mix
Peanut butter
Hummus