Wednesday 2 July 2014

MAKE ROOM FOR HEALTHY SNACKS - THIS IS THE WAY TO WEIGHT LOSS

I think snacking is important. I mean healthy snacking of course.
If you have never had snacks between your main meals or you usually have only a biscuit or a chocolate bar, then use your kids to make changes. How?







If you are a mum,


then you know that it is hard to find time when you can have a break and eat something healthy. Well at least we use this as an excuse. Most of the mums just give up their snack time all together and have bigger portions at lunch and dinner. Others try to have some food on the go, usually when they are already so hungry that they need sugar to satisfy them and pump up their blood sugar level. Not the best thing to do if you want to maintain your weight - or even want to lose some.

I have found just only one solution. 

I have decided to stick to my morning snack around 10 am and my afternoon snack around 3 pm and I adjusted my daughters snack time to mine from the beginning. We started early when solids were introduced into her diet and later when she become a toddler she found it normal that we have food together. So we always stop twice a day, have a picknic on the floor of our living room or on a bench in the park and we have some healthy food.

Of course we both eat the same food. 



Can you imagine that while are you eating a Mars bar, your toddler is chewing on an apple happily? Of course they want to eat the same food - and this is good.
Because this means
  • that you have to have something healthy. I suppose we agree on that that Mars bar is not ideal for toddlers.
  • that you have the power to teach them healthy eating habits through your personal example
  • that you have 10 minutes quality time with your little one(s)
  • you have a break, there is nothing what cannot wait 10 minutes, is it?
  • that you do not need to have some food on the go, no hurry, less stress
  • that you do not need to skip your snack , so your blood sugar level is balanced all day - result is a smiley, relaxed mum
  • your kids will love this time with you and they will copy you happily
Don not worry about preparation. You do not need to offer complicated meals as a snack. However try to avoid crisps, chocolate and muesli bars with icing or chocolate coating, flavoured yoghurt, cupcakes, fruit drops, sugar coated raisins etc. What then?

  • seasonal fruits like apple, pear, satsuma, orange, banana, peach, cherries, melon 
  • dried fruits like prunes, dried apricot, dried cherries, raisins (avoid banana chips, dates)
  • Light cheese, cheese sticks, cottage cheese on wholemeal toast, 
  • yoghurt, quark or formage frais with fruit pieces or with a small teaspoon honey, 
  • smoothies - find my earlier post on smoothies here: SLIMMING MUMS' SECRET FRIEND
  • Bread sticks, whole meal toast, bagel, wholemeal or rye crisp bread, rice cake 
  • boiled egg, hummus, light cream cheese, guacamole, 
  • crunchy vegetables like celery sticks, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes
The best thing to offer a variety of the foods listed above, kids love if they have a choice. Make a fruit plate with carrots or offer whole meal bread sticks with light cheese and apples. Make sure you prepare enough food for everyone, and do not forget this is your snack too, so do not wait until the little ones finished and eat only the left overs! Pick what you want and enjoy it.

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