5 Ideas For Out-of-Home Snacks

Sweet and savory flavors, drinks full of nutrients, dairy and fruit touches. There are some important guidelines parents should follow to ensure their children’s snacks are nutritious and healthy.

Children’s nutrition makes all the difference to their development. The habit of taking care of preparing snacks outside the home is synonymous with helping them towards their healthy growth. A snack should be nutritious, provide energy and, without a doubt, be tempting enough that the little ones are happy to consume it.

There seem to be too many requirements. How can we avoid falling into an eating routine that ends up being low in nutrients, full of sugar and saturated fats? It’s all a matter of looking for what is simple and tasty, trying to include cereals, milk, fruits and various proteins.

The options for these snacks are very varied:  a glass of milk with a slice of loaf of bread, walnuts or  oat muffins will bring something delicious and healthy for the children. It is necessary to offer the little ones a touch of creativity so that they can have fun with their snacks.

The importance of snacks in children’s diet

The snack fulfills a compensatory function between lunch and dinner. Children consume calories constantly. For them, it is essential that there are between four and five meals a day. With each meal, the specific nutritional needs of the time of day will be met.

Nutritionally, lunch and dinner should provide 30% of daily calories each, breakfast 25% and snack 15%. With that, there will be a balanced diet.

The snack takes place in the mid-afternoon, when lunch has already been digested and the body needs new energy. Snacks away from home do not require large preparations or portions. Also, they should be light enough to have an appetite for dinner.

5 Nutritional Ideas for Out-of-Home Snacks

Snacks away from home have a special flavor. The most popular ones usually include savory and sweet flavors, as if they were a mini-lunch. For example, a glass of milk or juice will allow children to consume the fluid and water they need. Next, we’ll show you five delicious ideas that whet your appetite just by reading.

1. Cheese, pate, ham and sliced ​​bread. Very simple, but with the necessary calories and protein for the afternoon. Two or three servings of each ingredient are enough for a child to feel satisfied. Remember the importance of ensuring protein intake, as these nutrients have been shown to exert a decisive influence on muscle health.
2. Cereals, yogurts and fruits. For snacks outside the home, fruits should be cut for comfort. Ideally, the ingredients should be separated and the child should mix them before consuming. This will be a special alternative for children who play sports and need protein and vitamins in large amounts.

Recipes that require more time to prepare

1. Carrot, banana or pumpkin muffins  and milk. Asking today’s parents to prepare special snacks for their kids seems pretty absurd. However, this is not so much work if snacks are prepared once a week  and portions are distributed each day. There are many recipe ideas for making  muffins  for kids.
2. Homemade dark chocolate, coconut, oilseed and oat biscuits. Without a doubt, snacks outside the home for children who need energy should contain oilseeds. To drink and accompany this delight, there’s nothing better than a glass of vegetable milk: choose between coconut, almonds or soy. This recipe contains a significant amount of oatmeal. This nutrient helps prevent constipation, according to research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

1. Light whole wheat flour pizza, goat cheese and fruit juices. Without a doubt, snacks outside the home will be remembered as magical afternoons if children find these delicious dishes at mealtime. Homemade pizzas have an incomparable flavor. We can also add parmesan cheese, arugula and olives.

Tips for packing snacks away from home

Finally, another important tip: a suitable container will be better for the child’s nutritional needs. It is interesting to have airtight bags for food. These packages can be used ​​numerous times and therefore do not pollute.

In addition,  reusable bottles are practical options for transporting milk or juice. The Tupperware- type lidded containers are also super practical . There are different shapes and models of these containers, but it is not convenient for them to be very large. On the contrary, the snack must be perfectly fitted.