“I’m hungry” is a common plea parents hear from children during the day. When hungry, children tend to pester their parents for less nutritious snack options. One way to calm the snack choice battle is to provide your child snack choices within some controlled limits.
Define the stoplight model
Consider providing snack choices using the red-, yellow- and green-light system, just like the stoplight. Children typically know that green means go and red means stop. For snack choices, yellow means sometimes. This method is something that children can easily relate to and use to independently make their snack choices.
Helping children learn this concept can start as early as 2 years old when children start to understand colors. Initially you will need to assist your child in understanding and selecting healthy snack choices using this color-coding.
As children grow older and become used to using this system they will be able to self-select their snacks. Using this concept works great as children like to have a choice versus just being told what they can eat — hence fewer battles.
First, teach your children the following:
- “Green-light” foods have the highest levels of nutrition. Eat more!
- “Yellow-light” foods have some nutrition, but not as much as green-light foods do. Eat some!
- “Red-light” foods have the lowest nutritional value for your brain and body. Eat less!
Then organize snack foods using the green-, yellow- and red-light system.
- Green-light snack foods. Have a variety of these foods available and continue to replenish these foods throughout the week.
- Yellow-light snack foods. These foods have some nutrition, but not as much as green snack foods. Eat some of these foods.
- Red-light snack foods. Limit the amount of these food choices available and do not frequently replenish them. If they are gone, they are gone.
Stock your shelves
Use containers color-coded with green, yellow and red stickers in the cupboard and refrigerator to assist your child with making healthy choices. Consider the snack food suggestions below and organize them into the appropriate container.
- Green-light snack food options. Put unsweetened applesauce, fruit cups, small bags of popcorn or one serving of whole grain cereal in snack bags in the cupboard. In the refrigerator have low-fat milk, apples, grapes, slices of turkey, low-fat cheese sticks, low-fat yogurt, or snap peas available. During the week, when these foods are gone, refill the container.
- Yellow-light snack food options. Keep some granola bars, veggies with sauce, flavored yogurt pouches, dried fruit, and 100% fruit juice on hand for “some” times.
- Red-light snack food options. Put a few small bags of chips, small cookies or soft pretzel bites in the cupboard or fruit drinks in the refrigerator. During the week, when these foods are gone, do not refill the container.
With some planning and organizing, you can help your child make healthy snack choices. Teach your child that food is your body’s fuel, and fueling up with nutritious foods will make your body and brain feel amazing.
For more information on healthy food choices and wellness for your child, visit the Sanford Fit website.
Learn more
- 7 healthy snacks for athletes on the go
- Practice mindful eating with your family
- What’s the scoop on sugar?
…
Posted In Back to School, Children's, Health Information, Healthy Living, Parenting
