Back to school is a busy time for both kids and parents. I made it easy on the food front today for Good Food Friday on ABC Charleston.
Tip 1: Incorporate fruits or veggies at each meal and snack.
Sunsweet’s new Fruit packs make this really easy! They come in three varieties – prunes, dates and apricots. They’re made with 100% real dried fruit no added sugar or sweeteners. Simply pair them with nuts or cheese to build a balanced, energizing snack.
Tip 2: Dip it!
Get kids to eat more veggies by offering a delicious dip. I love the O’DANG Hummus Dressings because they come in flavors that kids know and love like Ranch and Honey Mustard BUT they only contain 25-45 calories per serving compared to your standard ranch which can clock in at well over 150 calories. They’re also vegetable-based instead of oil-based and chickpeas are the first ingredient
Tip 3: Sneak those veggies in.
Another way to get kids to eat their veggies is to sneak them in. I shared organic milkshakes by Sneakz – they come in chocolate, strawberry, vanilla. And you wouldn’t even know that they are made with veggies! Since they are shelf stable, you can take them on the go, and I also like adding them to recipes like oatmeal and muffins.
Tip 4: Make food fun!
Serving food in a fun way can help encourage consumption of positive food groups. I shared my veggie & cheese kebabs made with the Borden Cheese Snack Bars and a star sandwich made with the Borden Cheese Slices. Cheese is a good source of protein and calcium – both important for growing kids. And Borden Cheese has everything from your mozzarella to your cheddars in singles, shreds, bars you name it.
Tip 5: Swap out your refined white bread for one made with whole grains.
I love the bread and bagels by Canyon Bakehouse because they have that similar taste and texture to white bread but they are made with whole grains AND their gluten-I shared their honey oat, cinnamon raisin and blueberry bagels. They are made with ingredients you would find in your own kitchen like brown rice, olive oil, sunflower seeds – nothing artificial.
Tune into CBS WSPA next week for more healthy back to school meal and snack ideas!
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