Healthy Snacks

Encourage your child to try new, healthy foods! Sometimes tastes change. I was preparing dinner tonight and found out that even Max likes broccoli! I don't even like it RAW!

Students really need a healthy snack at the 10:05-10:25 a.m. break. Next week we will have a full week. Having a balanced, nutritious snack will help your child learn better.


Unfortunately, several of the snacks available for sale at school are UNHEALTHY.


Chips (even the baked ones), microwaved popcorn (although not all brands), and Pop Tarts, all contain HYDROGENATED OILS, often listed as "Partially Hydrogenated Oil." This is a very unhealthy item to consume on a daily basis. Daily consumption of chips and/or Pop Tarts is an UNHEALTHY DIET. Please help your child have the best fuel possible.




Here's what the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org) says about hydrogenated oils:
"Trans fats are produced when liquid oil is made into a solid fat. This process is called hydrogenation. Trans fats act like saturated fats and can raise your cholesterol level. Look for words like hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil. Select foods that either do not contain hydrogenated oil or where a liquid oil is listed first in the ingredient list. Sources of trans fat include:
Processed foods like snacks (crackers/chips) and baked goods (muffins/cookies/cakes) with hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil
Stick margarines
Shortening
Some fast food items such as french fries"




INEXPENSIVE & HEALTHY IDEAS
+ String cheese and fruit (canned or fresh)
+ Nonfat cottage cheese or yogurt with fruit
+ Smoothies with milk or yogurt and sliced bananas or strawberries
+ Whole-wheat crackers with cheese or peanut butter
+ Yogurt with fresh fruit or granola
+ Low-fat chocolate milk
+ Scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt with fresh berries
+ Fresh fruits and vegetables
+ Raw vegetable sticks with low-fat yogurt dip/cottage cheese/hummus
+ Apples and cheese - pears and other fresh fruits work too!
+ Baby carrots
+ Fruit salad
+ Applesauce cups (unsweetened)
+ Frozen fruit bars
+ Dried fruit such as raisins or plums and nuts
+ Cereal - dry or with milk
+ Baked potato chips or tortilla chips with salsa
+ Pretzels (lightly salted/unsalted) and a glass of milk
+ Bagels with tomato sauce and melted cheese
+ Flavored rice cakes (caramel/apple cinnamon) with peanut butter
+ Popcorn - air popped
+ Whole-grain crackers or english muffin with peanut butter
+ Vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, graham crackers, animal crackers or fig bars & glass of milk