Healthy snacks for kids

Most kids are starving when they walk through the front door. Here are some great ideas for warding off the munchies until dinner, from the Australian Healthy Food Guide.

• Freeze seedless green grapes for a cool treat.
• Make a banana hotdog by spreading peanut butter on flat bread to wrap around.
• Fill a small pita pocket with ‘confetti’: vegemite, grated cheese and colourful vegies like carrot, capsicum, celery etc.
• Fresh vegies and dip: team broccoli florets, snap peas, raw beans or sliced up carrots or celery with flavoured healthy dip or salad dressing.
• Bake flat bread until crisp and serve with a healthy dip such as hummus.
• Core an apple and slice into rings, then spread with peanut butter and crushed wholegrain cereal.
• Make icy poles with frozen fruit juice.
• Halved tomatoes hollowed out and filled with light cream cheese and corn kernels make tasty ‘cheese pots’.
• There’s nothing wrong with an afternoon serve of wholegrain cereal or homemade muesli.
• Healthy beverages: Keep good alternatives to soft drinks on hand, such as fruit and vegie juices, low-fat milk and chilled water.

Get rid of temptation: banish high calorie snack foods from the house and include them as once a week treat so your youngster doesn’t feel deprived.