SNACKS FOR KIDS

LAURA SHAMMAH MS, RDN

SHOPPING FOR AND PREPARING SNACKS FOR SCHOOL CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE—EVEN A DIETITIAN. PEOPLE EXPECT MY CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL WITH ONLY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, BUT I BELIEVE THAT CAN BE EMOTIONALLY DAMAGING. I TRY TO SEND FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND SOME LESS HEALTHY SNACKS—OTHERWISE KNOWN AS JUNK FOOD. HOWEVER, I AM CAREFUL WITH WHICH JUNK FOODS I BUY. I ALLOW MY KIDS TO BRING INDIVIDUAL SNACKS OF THEIR CHOICE, ALTHOUGH I DO NOT BUY SNACKS WITH MSG.

Each year, each child and each school brings different challenges that I try to do my best to overcome. I try not to pressure my kids because food shouldn’t be a source of worry for any child or family. I aim to be creative, consistent, and calm.

My goals for this year were to try to have all snacks and lunches prepared the night before and to have each child ready on time so they could eat the healthy breakfasts that I prepare—and pray they don’t miss the bus.

I allow my kids to make their own decisions about what foods go into their bodies. I educate them, but I don’t pressure them. I believe the bigger you make the issue of eating healthy foods, the more resistance they may feel—so, I try to play it cool and you should too.

ARE YOU PUTTING TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON YOUR KIDS TO EAT RIGHT? RELAX!

Food shouldn’t be a source of worry for your family. Try to get your kids to eat healthier, but be creative, consistent, and calm. It can take 10 to 15 times before a child will decide to try or like something new. If it doesn’t work the first time, try a different approach, a new way to prepare and disguise the food, and, again, remember the importance of doing this in slow, small steps. Have patience and try to remember that the psychological damage may be worse than the physiological.

BE AWARE OF WHAT’S IN THE SNACKS YOU BUY

As I said, I let my children choose the snacks they take to school. I don’t mind sending chips, however they must not contain Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer commonly added to Chinese food, canned vegetables, soups and processed meats, veggie burgers, chips, canned beans, bullion cubes, dried soup mixes, salad dressings and many other junk foods.

Many people do not tolerate MSG well. It can cause headaches, flushing, sweating, facial pressure or tightness, numbness, tingling or burning in the face, neck and other areas, rapid, fluttering heartbeats (heart palpitations), chest pain, nausea, weakness, and/or liver damage. In addition studies show that MSG may cause weight gain by damaging the appetite regulation center in the area of the brain, causing leptin resistance. It can even cause brain damage in children, because a child’s brain is four times more sensitive than an adult’s.

Unfortunately, foods rarely list MSG as an ingredient. Just as sugar has many aliases, so does MSG. Some of its other names are hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, hydrolyzed yeast extract, autolyzed yeast extract, plant protein extract (which sounds very innocent), sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured whey protein, and textured soy protein.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

If you’re giving your kids apples and explaining how good they are for their health, yet they see you eating a Snickers bar as a snack, it’s never going to work. Feeding the entire family healthy meals and snacks is part of being a good parent. Never use the “D word” (diet) in front of children. Strict diets look like punishment to a child. Eating healthy foods should be a way of life. Two good tips: lead by example and eat everything in moderation.

WHAT ARE YOUR KIDS DRINKING?

You know that plants need water to grow—so do your children. Teach them to love water at a very young age and educate them about sugary sodas, iced teas and sports drinks. Let them know that one 20 oz. bottle of Coca-Cola, contains 65 grams of sugar. The American Heart Association suggests that a person consume no more than 24 grams of sugar in a day! Sugar in soda has been known to dissolve tooth enamel and even worse, cause heart disease. Some juices contain a lot of sugar as well. Always read labels and remember, you can’t go wrong with a glass of water. Don’t just live, live healthy!

Laura Shammah MS, RDN has a masters degree in health and nutrition and is a registered dietitian. She has been operating her own private practice in both New York and NJ for over 20 years. She is happily married and has four children.