If you are a mom at home on a diet, you will probably related to a frequent situation I encounter as a weight loss consultant. Many of my clients with children are able to keep to a healthy eating plan through most circumstances except two. It all starts to go astray when the kids come home from school, or when they are preparing school lunches.
It's no surprise really. Kids love snacks we buy from the supermarket, and parents love them because they are quick and easy to throw into the lunchbox or for kids to grab from the shelves in the pantry. Small bags of chips, tasty bite size crackers, sodas and the like. No problem. Except when it comes to mom's weight loss program. Mom loves them too!
These products are high in fat, high in energy and high in refined sugars. And after one, two or three nibbles it is possible to wrack up an unwanted 500 calories. This single act will probably stall your weight loss or even worse!
To stop your kids from sabotaging your weight loss efforts, here are 20 snack ideas for kids that will do far less damage to your weight loss program if mom nibbles (just a little).
1. Chop up ? tinned pear or other fruit in natural juice and set in 200mls of low calorie jelly. Make up into individual disposable plastic containers with lids.
2. Cut up crisp vegetable sticks with dipping sauce - ranch, peanut (satay), sweet chili or tomato.
3. Cut celery sticks 6-8 cm, fill with cottage cheese and top with sultanas or chopped nuts.
4. Combine a mixture of low fat hard cheese cubes, nuts and dried fruits in plastic wrap or a lunch bag.
5. Roll up thin slices of carrot and celery with grated cheese in a slice of cold meat. Secure with toothpick. Slice the carrot and celery with a vegetable peeler for really thin slices.
6. Cut oranges into quarters and freeze on trays. Put into plastic bags for a fruity ice block.
7. Meatball surprise. Next time you are making meatloaf, double the quantity and make a batch of meatballs. These are great in lunchboxes cold. Add a slice of pineapple with a toothpick to each meatball. Add dipping tomato sauce if required.
8. Mini quiches?.make a batch of crust-less quiche and cook in muffin tray. Each 'muffin' will be a wonderful healthy snack for kids.
9. Chilled fruit surprise - slice a combination of strawberries, bananas, kiwi fruit, watermelon, grapes or in season fruit. Place in small resealable plastic container. Top with apple juice; do not overfill. Seal, freeze. When packed in lunchbox, will keep sandwiches cool and prove a refreshing treat on a hot day.
10. Rice cakes spread with mashed avocado, mashed banana and cinnamon, or try mashed avocado, sliced tomato and sprouts.
11. Chopped hard-boiled egg served with low fat mayo, salt, pepper on a crisp bread.
12. Leaf wrappers: wrap a cheese finger, celery stick and carrot stick in a lettuce leaf. Wrap in foil and place in lunchbox. Contents will be kept moist.
13. Yoghurt tub.
14. Baby Bell Cheese and low fat cracker.
15. Creamy dates: slice dates lengthways, remove stone. Fill with Philadelphia cream cheese (low fat).
16. Quick sausage rolls: wrap a skinned (good quality) sausage in several sheets of filo pastry. Brush pastry with beat egg to glaze. Cut into desired lengths. Bake in moderately hot oven for 15-20 minutes. Rolls can be frozen.
17. Same as above but use fresh chicken breast strips and cut to 2" - use tomato or favorite dipping sauce
18. After school hot snack attack: Spread a round of pita bread with tomato paste and herbs. Top with tomato, ham, mortadella, add onion, sliced mushrooms or pineapple. Sprinkle grated low fat hard cheese over pita bread. Grill to make a tasty pizza. If no pita bread is available, substitute a crisp bread.
19. Fruity kebabs: place bite size pieces of fruit in season on kebab skewers.
20. Pop top sandwich tuna tin, crisp bread, sachet of mayonnaise. Kids can put their snack together at school so that it doesn't go soggy.
Remember fresh is best both for yourself and your children. By substituting these ideas for some of the prepackaged snack food and cookies your kids eat you will be doing both them and yourself a favor.
(c) Copyright Kim Beardsmore
You are free to publish this article in its entirety, without changes as long as the Copyright and Author's Bio, remain in place and the URLs and links remain intact and working.
About The Author
Kim is a successful weight loss coach who will cut through the diet-hype and help you reach your goal weight. No public 'weigh-ins', meetings that cost you money or fads...simply results you will love! You can receive a free consultation. Visit today: http://tinyurl.com/6l2cd. Are you interested in earning money from home? We can help you grow a profitable home business: http://tinyurl.com/6l2cd.
same day cleaning service Des Plaines ..Many of us have tried losing weight in the past... Read More
We have such good weight loss intentions. We emotionally beat... Read More
It's calorie-free, inexpensive and easily obtained - yet few people... Read More
An increasing trend over the last few years has been... Read More
One way of recognizing a fad diet is... Read More
Dr. Atkins death was unexpected. On 8 April 2003, he... Read More
When women talk about their biggest obstacles to successful weight... Read More
Rules of day to day no longer apply as you... Read More
Let me ask you a personal question. As you read... Read More
I am considering Gastric bypass surgery because I am overweight,... Read More
Motivation is a factor often overlooked when it comes to... Read More
With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of... Read More
Weight loss programs often have big claims. Understand the "science"... Read More
Before you try starving yourself or turning to diet drugs... Read More
Yesterday, out of the blue, without any foreboding gossip or... Read More
It was bad enough hearing almost daily that obesity in... Read More
Do you have a big event coming up? Perhaps you... Read More
We in the diet and exercise industry have our own... Read More
Weight loss is an issue that affects men and women... Read More
Stop Being Influenced by Food Ads on TVThere is much... Read More
I don't know anything about you but if you're anything... Read More
Weight loss specialists will tell you that attitude has a... Read More
For many years, the experts, including our government have been... Read More
20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT1. Take it one step at... Read More
Trash Your TV! is pleased to announce the easiest weight... Read More
home cleaning services Mundelein ..Your blood cholesterol level is affected not only by what... Read More
Recently, I read an article from Japanese magazine that by... Read More
If you are trying to lose weight, the holidays literally... Read More
Because the Internet allows so many millions of people to... Read More
Only if you're trying to fool the scale on a... Read More
College weight gain is at an all time high, and... Read More
Teenagers with body mass indices between 25 and 30 require... Read More
We in the diet and exercise industry have our own... Read More
Food manufacturers can easily manipulate a whole population by the... Read More
As our bodies move from Winter into Spring we can... Read More
In December 2003, the FDA incorporated an ephedra ban making... Read More
It all begins with water .... Water makes up 75%... Read More
Notice, if you would, that every diet out there only... Read More
When we discover that we are heavier than we want... Read More
Infrared Radiant Heat (IRRH) is a form of radiation that... Read More
If you are losing, trying to lose, or think you... Read More
As much as many of us who are over-weight do... Read More
Of all the possible exercises there are to help you... Read More
When approaching your goals for a better you, every game... Read More
If you have been dieting, there is a good chance... Read More
Diet information is everywhere. In advertisements, on TV, in magazines;... Read More
Doctors prescribe Walking as the best medicine for weight loss.We... Read More
Weight Loss and Water: A Way to Make Your Body... Read More
Exercise Physiologists who study the effects of exercise on weight... Read More
A metabolism drug like ephedrine, has shown many people how... Read More
Weight Loss |