A working mummy has many a nagging worry, but chief among them is the question of whether her family’s eating and snacking habits are healthy enough. Children especially enjoy their snacks and working mothers are finding it harder and harder to choose a healthy snack menu that meets her family’s nutrition requirements.
To help busy, working mums find a healthy solution to this problem, here’s a list of five things to consider when choosing your family’s snack menu.
1. Make Your Own Snacks at Home
Make nutritious snacks at home with readily available items in your kitchen and pantry.
Vegetable- or fruit-based snacks are some of the easiest and healthiest snack options you can make at home. These are high in nutrition and low on fat and calories. Use vegetables such as lettuce, carrots, and peas, or fruits such as bananas, apples, and guavas to give your family a healthy snacking alternative. You can also make smoothies using ingredients like strawberries and spinach, or healthy trail mixes, or even healthy, homemade chips.
2. Make the Transition Fun
For your family, switching to a healthy snack menu may not be easy. But you can make it easier by ensuring the transition is fun and one that you are all in it together.
For instance, ask your family to list out a snack menu and get them excited about the idea of making the snacks together as a fun, family activity over the weekends. That way, you can make muffins and crackers in batches to last the week, or quick vegetable and fruit-based snacks to eat immediately.
3. Avoid Processed, Packaged Snacks
People always associate snacks with packaged and processed food. While there are more healthy snacking options you can choose from, unhealthy packaged snacks options are so much easier to avail. Still, avoid packaged snacks as much as possible, as they contain large amounts of sodium, sugar and fat – all of which are harmful for the health of your family members. Juices and sodas are also filled with sugar, and you could do well to replace these options with homemade, fresh juice.
4. Shop Healthy, Shop Organic
Still, if you must shop for snacks, follow this rule: shop healthy – shop organic.
Before you shop, make a list of healthy ingredients you can use to make snacks at home and opt for healthier options such as protein bars or yogurt.
Organic products are always a good buy, but that usually comes with a price. If you’re worried about paying a premium for healthy snacks, search for deals and coupon codes online to reduce the burden on your purse strings.
5. Read Product Labels and Compare Them
Read and compare product labels to check for harmful ingredients and choose the healthier option. Don’t be fooled by labels that say it contains natural, healthy ingredients. For example, that fruit juice you think is a healthy, may actually have a lot of sugar in it.
Think Home, Think Healthy. In short, remember snacks are meant to be small meals to keep you nourished through the day. So, while you sometimes cannot avoid packaged snacks, always opt for snacks you can whip up in your very own kitchen to ensure your family’s snacking habits are healthy and fun.