Summer Survival Tips No.3 - Happy Snacking!

Healthy snacks are essential for energy-hungry children to keep them
going all day long without those blood sugar peaks and troughs. Here's
a round-up of some of the best snacks to offer your little angels this
summer!

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Chopped fruit salad - Apples, grapes, strawberries, blueberries,
kiwi and pineapple all work well in fruit salads. Combining this with a
dollop of natural yoghurt will help to slow the release of the natural
fruit sugars to help promote stabilised energy levels.
*
Cereal bars - There are now some fantastic tasty cereal bars on
the market that combine oats with dried fruit and natural fruit juices
without any added sugar, sweeteners or anything nasty or artificial in
them. Organix cereal bars and Lyme Regis Fruitus Bars are probably two
of the best on the market at the moment and make a fantastic, portable,
healthy snack for your children (or yourself!).
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Popcorn - We're not referring to the salt / sugar-laden popcorn
usually found in cinemas - this is the make-it-for-yourself-at-home
healthy version! Most health food shops sell packets of popping corn
that provides entertainment and nourishment all in one! Making your own
popcorn at home is so easy and one of those things that never ceases to
amaze children as the huge fluffy corn emerges out of the tiny kernel
with a loud 'pop'. You can eat it warm out of the pan completely
unadulterated or drizzle some molasses or manuka honey on top to
increase the nutrient value. Why not have a video screening at home
with real popcorn in the interval?!!
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Veggies and Dips - Why not try making your own home-made houmous
or guacamole (with your children for a lovely messy activity!) and then
add some sliced carrot, pepper or celery sticks for lots of dipping.
This snack is bursting with lots of nutrients and excellent for blood
sugar balance.

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Fruit kebabs - anything where children get involved with making
their own food is usually a huge hit so why not try chopping up lots of
different types of fruit on a large plate and let them make their own
fruit kebabs on wooden skewers (watch younger children with sharp
skewers). The more brightly coloured and varied you can make your
kebabs, the more nutritious they will be, packed full of vitamin C and a
powerhouse of antioxidants.
*
Toasted seeds with honey and soy sauce - Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in
a frying pan and add a mixture of sunflower and pumpkin seeds (120g) for
about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and add 1
tbsp honey and 1 tbsp soy sauce, return to the heat for 1 minute and
then leave to cool. This is an excellent snack for children to nibble
on and is packed full of those all-important essential fatty acids.
*
Grilled bananas on wholegrain toast drizzled with manuka honey -
this is rather a substantial snack, but you could cut it into smaller
squares for children to share as a tasty appetiser. Manuka honey is
fast gaining a reputation as a super food with its anti-bacterial
healing qualities now being recognised in some hospitals. Both
delicious and nutritious, manuka honey is an excellent food to include
in your children's diets.
*
Energy shake - liquidise together 1 ripe banana, ¼ pack silken
tofu (about 55g), ½ cup apple juice, 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, 1
tablespoon flaxseed oil and ½ level tablespoon lecithin granules to a
smooth consistency and drink straight away. This is a supremely
nutritious smoothie packed full of protein, vitamins, minerals and
essential fatty acids - almost a meal in itself - a delicious and
healthy snack!

From the Nutri e-newsletter No. 113