INDIANAPOLIS \u2013 In today\u2019s fast-paced world, parents often grab whatever snack will quiet a hungry child. Chips, candy, and sugar-filled treats may do the trick in the moment \u2014 but often leave kids wanting more soon after.
Taylor Parish, a registered dietitian at Riley Hospital, says there\u2019s a smarter way to fuel kids between meals.
\u201cWhen you want to build a snack, you want to compare your macronutrients,\u201d Parish said. \u201cThe reason being is, if we ate ultra-processed chips from the vending machine, that won\u2019t keep you very full for very long \u2014 and you\u2019re likely to overeat that because it doesn\u2019t have a lot of fiber.\u201d Her approach centers on balancing carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats to help kids stay satisfied for hours.<\/p>\n
One of Parish\u2019s favorite solutions for busy parents is the Snackle Box \u2014 a portable, colorful container filled with snack variety.
\u201cHere we have nuts and seeds\u2026 sweets over here \u2014 some no-dye sprinkles, some chocolate chips, freeze-dried fruit, popcorn \u2014 whole grains \u2014 and then an inner pea, like a crunchy air-roasted pea,\u201d she said. Parish says including small treats can help prevent overeating later:
\u201cMy girls know, if you\u2019re going to have something sweet, where\u2019s your protein? For breakfast, they might have cinnamon sugar toast, but then they also make an egg with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
When shopping for healthy snacks, Parish recommends looking for items that cover all three macronutrients:
Carbohydrates:<\/p>\n
Protein:<\/p>\n
Healthy Fats:<\/p>\n
\u201cThink of a great carb option \u2014 fruits, vegetables, maybe their favorite chip \u2014 and then some sort of protein, like cottage cheese or Greek yogurt\u2026 and some sort of fat, like nuts, seeds, avocado, cream cheese.\u201d
For kids (or adults) who turn up their noses at veggies, Parish says patience and creativity are key.
\u201cI would say, no pressure. Do it in so many different ways\u2026 maybe they have a ranch dip they like \u2014 who cares if they have half a cup of ranch on it? If they\u2019ll eat the broccoli for the first time, then eventually over time they\u2019ll need less ranch and eat more of the broccoli.\u201dTips include:<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s in a snack box or a quick grab from the fridge, Parish says the formula for keeping kids full is simple.
\u201cThe biggest takeaway is\u2026 if you have some sort of carbohydrate with something like a protein or a fat, they can stay full longer \u2014 and not say \u2018I\u2019m hungry, I\u2019m hungry every five seconds.\u201d She encourages parents to make snack time fun, colorful, and collaborative \u2014 letting kids have a say in what goes on their plate.<\/p>\n