Get your COVID-19 vaccine—visit vaccines.gov. EASY SNACK IDEAS You don’t have to make healthy snacks fancy or complicated. Try these fast, simple ideas: ● Carrot sticks and bell pepper slices with hummus. ● Sliced apple or banana with peanut butter. ● Blueberries or grapes with plain, low-fat yogurt. ● Whole-grain crackers with lowfat cheese. ● A berry and banana smoothie with fresh fruit and soy yogurt. ● A mini pizza. Top half of a wholewheat English muffin with sauce and low-fat cheese and heat it in the toaster oven. Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American Academy of Pediatrics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; MyHealthfinder; U.S. Department of Agriculture Plan healthy snacks YOU KNOW most kids will grab cookies, chips and candy without parents guiding them to healthier snacks. Between meals, kids need energy from wholesome foods like fruit, vegetables and whole grains. “Use snack time to get in extra servings of fruits and vegetables while steering kids away from processed foods,” says Chérie L. Hauptmeier, D.O. “Made in a factory and sold in a bag or box, processed foods are often loaded with salt, sugar and fat—and not much nutrition.” All it takes to make sure your kids have the healthy snacks they need to thrive is a bit of planning. TIPS FOR BETTER SNACKING Here are some ideas from Dr. Hauptmeier to nudge the whole family in the right direction: ● Set an example. Your kids want to be like you, so eat the kind of snacks that you’d like to see them enjoying. ● Serve the rainbow. When prepping snacks for the week, include as many colors as you can. Orange carrot sticks, red pepper slices and green snap peas all add color and nutrition. ● Don’t hand over a box or bag. Instead, put a serving into a bowl and make sure they eat it sitting down and away from screens. ● Make grabbing the best choice easy. Put your healthiest snacks front and center for your kids—at their eye level, where they can’t miss them. ● Hide what’s less healthy. It’s hard to scrub every less-healthy snack from your kitchen. Store these out of sight on a high shelf or in the back of the freezer. ● Create variety. It’s easier to make good choices when kids can choose from a variety of healthy options. ● Choose water. Make it the default drink in your house. Limit sugary drinks and soda. Chérie L. Hauptmeier, D.O. Family Medicine, Obstetrics / Medicina familiar, Obstetricia Call 830-333-9486 to make an appointment with Dr. Hauptmeier. Uvalde Medical & Surgical Associates 1195 Garner Field Road, Building B, Suite 500 Uvalde, TX 78801
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