Smart Choices On The Go
Football. Band. Cheerleading. Spelling Bees. These classic after-school activities and more are back this year. And whatever your children might be into, they are going to need practice.
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Most practice time occurs somewhere between the end of the school day and dinnertime, making it inevitable for busy students to need a snack while they’re on-the-go. But being hungry or, worse, “hangry,” doesn’t always lead to
the smartest choices, so planning ahead is a parent’s best practice.
Tips for snacking healthy:
Prepare. The best time to put afternoon snacks together is in the morning or the day before, not when you are headed out the door to get to your activity.
- Think easy. You want items that don’t have excess fat and sugar, but they also need to be really easy to grab n’ go. Things like:
• Apples
• Carrots
• Celery sticks
• Almonds
• Pretzel sticks
- Look for the “lesser of evils.” For example, if you need to get fast-food as a last resort, skip the burgers and fries. Look for wraps and lean meats like chicken.
- Be a role model. Let your kids see you snacking on apples or almonds as well. Then there’s no surprise or disappointment when they see those items in their own snack bag.
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