Are your kids always asking for a snack? What snacks do they beg for? Is it for foods that were once considered to be treats? Get this: data from the journal Health Affairs says that kids today consume almost 600 calories every day from snacks. They’re eating snacks on average three times a day and these snacks include higher sugar, higher fat items such as sodas, chips and cookies…items that use to be considered treats.

Kids eat about 170 more calories every day from snacks as compared to the 1970s. Snacks are now another leisure activity…you eat because food is everywhere and you think you’re suppose to eat it. For many kids, it’s a free-for-all. They snack steadily from after school well into the evening on less-than-healthy foods.

Think about this…many kids have grown up in the era of ‘supersizes’ and have no idea what a reasonable portion looks like. Cookies have always been the size of a small pizza…who knew they were once the size of a vanilla wafer? The foods du jour for snacking are everything from fast food and sodas to chips, cookies, candy…in portions that more than equal the calories in a meal.

This week on the podcast, Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine joins me to talk about smart snacking strategies.  Her number one strategy is to eat breakfast and make sure it contains protein, carbs with fiber and some fat so that kids stay satisfied until lunch.

Breakfast can be as simple as Slow Cooker Oatmeal (see recipe below) or a hard-boiled egg, whole wheat pita and banana or orange for the road when time is tight.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

Makes 6 servings                         Prep 15 minutes

Slow cook on LOW for 10 hours            Cook 5 minutes

3 cups 1% milk

11/2 cups steel cut oats

1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

2 apples (such as Gala or Granny Smith), cored and diced

2 tablespoons packed dark-brown sugar

3 tablespoons sweetened dried cranberries or raisins

3 tablespoons chopped walnuts

1. Oatmeal. Coat a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine milk, 3 cups water, the oats, 1/4 cup of the brown sugar and the salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook overnight on LOW for 9 1/2 to 10 hours.

2. Uncover and stir in remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar. Set aside.

Topping. Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add apples and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add brown sugar, 1 tablespoon water and dried cranberries. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in nuts.

3. Stir oatmeal in slow cooker until smooth. Spoon about a cupinto a bowl and add a few tablespoons of the topping.

Serve warm.

Per serving: 335 CAL; 6g FAT (2g SAT); 11g PRO; 65g CARB; 5g FIBER; 644mg SODIUM; 6mg CHOL

Regina says that smart snacks can prevent that period of time after school from becoming a snacking free-for-all. She suggests a small whole-wheat wrap with turkey, lettuce and tomatoes; sliced apples or whole-wheat bread with nut butter or whole grain tortilla chips with bean dip or salsa.

We both agree that managing your children’s diet is about consistently providing healthy options and by being a good role model yourself the majority of the time. What do you think?

Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Links:

Slow cooker oatmeal: http://www.susanmitchell.org/blog

Add picture of Regina plus FC cover

 Want more information? Listen to this week’s podcast below.
Listen to this week’s podcast