Encouraging healthy snacking in kids

It's a well-known fact that kids love to snack, and because snacks play a pretty crucial role in any child's diet, it's important to make sure they have healthy choices.

Ann Douglas, author of The Mother of All Parenting Books, shared some tips on encouraging healthy snacking with Balance Television host Dr. Marla Shapiro.

Douglas said that kids need to eat between meals, so they've got energy to keep up a healthy lifestyle.

"They really need snacks because they need to eat frequently," she said. "Especially because we're trying to encourage our kids to be more active. We want them to have that ready source of food to fuel that more active lifestyle."

The key is to have healthier food available and accessible, so kids don't turn to quick-grab options like chips, sugary drinks or candy. "Something like peeling a carrot can seem like a huge barrier to a kid," Douglas said.

Yet it's simple for parents to make healthier options an easy choice for kids to eat during recess or after school.

Douglas suggests preparing a veggie tray by cutting up cucumbers, peppers and carrot sticks, along with other favourite veggies and serving it with a dip. Once the veggies are cut and cubed into snack-able sizes, the effort of preparation is taken out of the snack. Douglas also suggests fruit and yogurt or mini-pitas with hummus. "Anything that kids can dip," suggests Douglas, to make it fun for kids to eat healthy.

For kids who need crunch, Douglas said fat-free microwave popcorn, unsweetened cereals or trans-fat-free crackers are great alternatives to potato chips.

If you're looking for more snack ideas, Douglas recommends calling your local health department and asking them for lists of easy, healthy snacks. Douglas said the health department can be a "wonderful resource in your community."

Portable and fun makes it easier for kids to choose a healthier snacking option.