It’s so easy to break open a bag of Goldfish, pretzels, or fruit snacks for your children. The companies producing these products make it simple with individual servings, fun character themes, and cute little shapes.
But, guess what? These cute little snacks are full of chemicals and are made in laboratories. The list of ingredients is long and confusing, full of strange chemicals and carcinogens. With the onset of childhood obesity and developmental issues, it makes me wonder how these foods are affecting our children.
As a parent with young children I’m often asked for advice on healthy alternatives. In the words of Dr. Frank Lipman, choose foods that come from God, not from man. Keep it simple and do your best to feed your children real, whole foods.
In reality, preparing fresh food can seem overwhelming for parents, especially when there is such little time. There’s no need to be holed up in the kitchen by yourself slaving away. Why not make it an activity and do it with your children? It’s fun and an ideal way to generate awareness around the food you’re eating.
To make it easy, here are the top five snacks my children gobble up in my house:
1. Homemade Popsicles
Popsicles are a crowd pleaser and such a great way to pack a huge amount of nutrition into a fun treat. I take one of my favorite smoothies and turn it into a popsicle. Here is the recipe:
Eight ounces almond or coconut milk, a handful of spinach, a scoop of cacao, a handful of cacao nibs, tablespoon of chia seeds, 1/2 an avocado and 4–5 cubes of ice in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Divide among molds or paper cups. Cover and freeze until firm and serve!
