Snotty Noses Happy Parents Raising Healthy Kids by Dr Orlena Kerek, Paediatrician

Children need snacks. They need lots of energy for all that running around, growing and learning. They also can't go long times between meals like adults do. That means that children need healthy snacks through out the day. This is one of my children's favourite healthy snacks and it's really easy to make.

How to Make a Child’s Snack More Filling

When you offer children a snack, it’s a great idea to give them a variety of food types. If they just eat carbohydrates (think cookies and cake) you’ll often find that they’ll be hungry again in half an hour. (This may be because when their blood sugar levels go up too high, their bodies compensate and send their sugar levels down again. If there is nothing else around they can go down too much, making them feel hungry again.) To avoid this, give them some protein or a bit of fat that helps them feel full up for longer. Yoghurt is a great source of both protein and fat (I use full fat greek yoghurt). It’s also a great source of calcium for growing bones.

Make sure snacks contain a mixture of food groups, including fat and protein.

Ingredients for Healthy Apple and Yoghurt Snack

• An apple each
• A 125 ml pot of yoghurt between 2 children
• A teaspoon of good vanilla essence

How to Make Healthy Apple and Yoghurt Snack

It couldn’t be easier.

• Mix the vanilla into the yoghurt and divide into two bowls.
• Slice the apples and put on the bowls.

The vanilla gives the yoghurt an amazing flavour but without using refined sugars.

You can easily elaborate on this snack using different fruit. 

Try dried fruit and nuts. 

Or cinnamon instead of vanilla.

Healthy Snacks are the Key to Stress Free Healthy Eating

If your children eat healthy snacks through out the day, you won't be stressed about them eating their veggies at dinner. They'll already have eaten lots of fruit and vegetables so you won't worry so much.

Healthy Snack Guide for Children

If you'd like more help with how to make easy, healthy snacks for your children, sign up for this Healthy Snack Guide. It's full of lots of easy ways to make snacks more healthy. You need to put in your email address, but if you don't want to receive my weekly newsletter, you can easily unsubscribe.