Fiber Foods for Kids

Parents know that high-fiber diets can help regulate kids' digestive systems and decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, kids often shun "yucky" high-fiber foods. To increase your child's fiber intake, try an easy-to-prepare, fiber-rich snack that also tastes yummy.

Snack Mix: Fiber to Go

Make a quick snack mix by combing high-fiber foods such as whole-grain cereals, raisins, and almonds with a few handfuls of M&Ms or chocolate chips. Measure single-serving portions of the snack mix into small baggies and keep them on hand to pack in lunches or for your kids to grab on the go.

Ants on a Log: Serve a Little Fun with Their Fiber

To make this classic snack, spread peanut butter onto a stalk of celery and place raisins on top. While your kids are having fun eating raisin "ants" on a celery "log," they are also getting a little fiber.

Veggies and Fruit with Dip

Use low-fat ranch dressing as a veggie dip and low-fat vanilla yogurt as a fruit dip. Your kids will be much more likely to polish off fiber-rich foods like broccoli, baby carrots, and apple slices if they have something fun to dip them in. An added nutritional bonus: low-fat-dairy dips provide a healthy dose of calcium.

Sandwiches on Whole Wheat Bread

Use a cookie cutter to slice sandwiches into amusing shapes such as hearts, stars or dinosaurs. When you make your child's favorite grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a fun shape he will hardly notice that you used wheat bread (or fiber-enriched white bread) rather than ordinary white bread.

Fruit Smoothies

Make your kids a simple fruit smoothie by blending a banana with some frozen berries, yogurt, ice and milk. To your kids, it's a frosty treat; to you, it's a fiber-filled dynamo. Adorn your smoothies with miniature parasols to make them even more enticing.

References

• The Mayo Clinic