Summer Snacks Stat

Remember portion control at snack time

When your little one works up a sweat during summer fun, you may think snack- STAT!  Afterall, snacking culture is on the rise with 47% of consumers eating 3 or more a day!  While thoughtfully planned snacks can be a part of a healthy diet, one study suggests children may not need as much as you think! 

Researchers observed children that participated in four different youth sports and determined that the almost 200 players burned about 170 calories per game.  However, on average, they followed that up with about 210 calories in snacks including 26g sugar from food and drink!  Just to put that in perspective, there are 4g sugar per teaspoon, so this is about 6.5 teaspoons of sugar in one snack!  With childhood obesity steadily on the rise, choosing healthful options to refuel post game can go a long way to nourish and satisfy children without contributing to unhealthy weight gain. 

Next time that rosy, sweaty face greets you, aim to have snacks on hand that provide key nutrients without the added sugar (about 200 calories or less).  Our suggestions below focus on keeping fruit, vegetables, whole grains and kid satisfaction in the mix! 

Instead of: 

• Sport Drinks à  Ice Cold Water
• Fried potato chips à  Swap up with popped corn
• Chips with queso à Tortilla chips with salsa
• Ice Cream Sandwich à Frozen Banana Pop or Green Slimesicles
• Chocolate Chip Cookies à Banana Drop Cookies
• Fruit Snacks à Homemade Fruit Leather
• Pop Tarts à Graham crackers with peanut butter and sliced banana

Tip: Not sure what a portion of fruit or vegetable looks like for your little ones?  Check this out to get you going in the right direction!

Published August 2020