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Step 1
Make dairy or soy milk part of a child's everyday diet. Whether in the form of yogurt, chocolate milk or cheese cubes, dairy protein is both nutritive and filling, which means kids will be less likely to eat unhealthy snacks throughout the day.
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Step 2
Make it easy on yourself. While food made from scratch is the best, some parents simply cannot cook everyday. In such cases, buying prepackaged food is still a good option if you buy fortified food that is also low in fat.
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Step 3
Get a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fat when preparing children's snacks. Using the food pyramid is a good idea, or you can simply select a few different items from more than one food group. Diced cantaloupe or grapes, with cheese or peanut butter on toast, makes a good example.
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Step 4
Think simple. You can get a smoothie ready in just a couple of minutes by mixing frozen berries with milk or tofu in a blender. You can also add peanut butter to fruits and vegetables for a healthy, filling snack.
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Step 5
Get your kids involved, as children may be more willing to eat something if they prepare it themselves. By allowing them to get their hands dirty in the kitchen, you are giving them the power to make healthy choices. If you do let them prepare snacks, stay away from complicated recipes and stick to things that don't require cooking or adult supervision.
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Step 6
Get fun children's snacks at the supermarket to fight the temptation of vending machines. Chocolate-covered-muesli bars, cheese and crackers in individual containers and chocolate milk with cartoon characters painted on the outside can substitute for the high-fat snacks sold in schools and shops.
