SCHOOL SNACKS… # 2

A days ago, I accepted the healthy snacks challenge, so, “we rolled up our sleeves” and… well, it was not love at first sight. But I’ve come up with some strategies. We tried the new flavors first, before they went to the lunch boxes.

• Hummus became an entry
• We replaced soft drinks with lemonade
• We exchanged milk chocolate for dark chocolate with 70 percent cocoa.
• We made nuts handy: hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, etc.

It has become easier to eat at school after having tasted it at home. I bought three lunch boxes with four compartments that allow to carry a variety of foods.

The kids’ favorite snacks were:

Natural yogurts with oats or cereals, pieces of fruit such as grapes, kiwi, banana, and apple slices soaked in orange juice (so they do not go dark).

Homemade drinks earned a place on the podium: tea, lemonade and flavored water.

Although all contributed to reach this PLAN, the implementation ended up “undergoing some adjustments”: Quico loved the carrot sticks and the cherry tomatoes, Té did not like it all and they came back in the lunch box…

So we made some small changes to the snacks!

School snacks are one of the most discussed topics between parents and children, especially when they leave pre-school, where snacks are still part of the menus and enter primary school; then, they go to middle school and high school. Along this path there is a whole variety of processed foods, available to all the youngsters.

Yes, because taking snacks from home is “little kids’ stuff” and there is no time, either…

To give a little push and “ease” everyone’s life, there are bars and machines loaded with chocolates and bad snacks inside the schools.

Of course when I was a young kid I also ate the so-called “junk”, but now the rate of overweight and obese children does not stop growing. In addition to kids not practicing any physical activity, the fast food boom has also contributed to an increase in poor eating habits.

Child obesity is a disease that is not a problem for children, but for parents.

I am teaching my children to eat well. I want them to learn to make healthy choices and why they should. It is a long-term investment, as a mother of four I have and I feel this responsibility.

In case of doubt consult your pharmacist 😉