Fit Kids: Healthy Summer Snacks

When it comes to choosing healthy, tasty summer snacks for your children, local nutritionists say the process is simple, if you follow a few rules.

“Look at your labels. Things like sugar free,” said Janel Welch, the clinical nutrition manager at Unity Hospital.

One of the most common summer snacks is a popsicle. However, these icy delights are often loaded with sugar.

“The sugar that's in them is the same as in soda or candy. It's all a simple sugar that's considered an empty calorie,” said Welch, who advises parents to make their own, “you can make popsicles on your own by using 100% fruit juice and putting them into ice cube containers. You can also add a little bit of crushed fruit in there and that's a good treat.”

As for juice drinks like Kool-Aid, Welch advises cutting back on the amount of sugar, adding more water. Also, avoid sugar substitutes.

“In terms of sweeteners and children, there's not a lot of research completed with the effects of sweeteners and children, so it's best to stay away from them as much as possible,” said Welch.

The fruit you packed in their lunches this school year is still the best treat in the heat but you can dress it up a bit this summer.

“Dip it in yogurt and roll it in some crushed cereal and put it in the freezer. That's a good snack they can pull out of the freezer later on and munch on later on. Nice and cool and refreshing and full of nutrients,” said Welch.

Here are more tips for healthy family snacks:

• Peel a banana and dip it in yogurt then roll in crushed cereal or graham cracker crumbs. Freeze for a cool and refreshing snack or eat right away.
• Spread celery sticks with peanut butter or low fat cream cheese.  Top with raisins and enjoy your “ants on a log”.
• Mix together whole grain cereal, dried fruit and nuts.
• Take two graham crackers and smear with frozen yogurt. Add sliced banana and put together for a homemade ice-cream sandwich.
• Make snack kabobs. Put cubes of low fat cheese and fresh fruit onto pretzel sticks.
• Toast a whole grain waffle and top with low fat yogurt and sliced fruit of choice.
• Fruit smoothies are always a hit. Mix low fat milk, fresh or frozen berries, a tablespoon of orange concentrate in a blender with ice cubes. Have your children create endless smoothie combinations.
• Fill a waffle cone with cut up fruit topped with lowfat yogurt or pudding.
• Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on hot popcorn
• Dip animal crackers in low fat pudding.
• Dip min-toaster waffles or French toast sticks in cinnamon applesauce
• Spread light mayo on a slice of deli turkey and cheese, wrap around a sesame breadstick and you have created an outside sandwich.
• Spread peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla, top with sliced banana, roll up for peanut butter/banana burrito.
• Make a sandwich of choice on whole wheat bread. Use a cookie cutter and cut out the desired shape.  Serve as a snack.