Kids and their parents line up for healthy snacks from the YMCA's new teaching kitchen.
Kids and their parents line up for healthy snacks from the Greater Holyoke YMCA's new teaching kitchen. By KATHY VIENS
HOLYOKE - According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three children in the United States are overweight or obese. It is absolutely imperative that we do take action now and help our children develop healthy eating habits.
Everyone loves a snack, especially kids. There is an abundance of snack options, especially healthy ones. With the advent of summer, now is the perfect time to help your entire family be snack smart by understanding the why's and when's of snacking, as well as the best foods to keep at hand in large supply.
Kathy Viens is executive director of the Greater Holyoke YMCA. Her column appears monthly. Children have small stomachs and tend to eat less at meals. They look for snacks between meal times. Ensuring your kids are eating healthy must include these in between times. Thinking of snacks as important energy fuel, rather than a "treat" may help you and children make wiser choices.
Here are some strategies to help you help your kids:
• Keep healthful snacks at the ready; designate a portion of your cupboard or refrigerator as the snack areas to help kids make wise choices;
• Stock up on healthy snacks: fresh fruit, raw vegetables, whole wheat crackers, cheese, nuts and nut butters, yogurt, trail mix (without candy in it), whole grain bread, low-sodium tortilla chips with salsa, unsweetened cereals, hard boiled eggs, plain popcorn, fruit juice popsicles and dried fruits;
• Bring a list of some of the items above with you to the grocery store, and have your children help you pick out healthful snacks to bring home. If they pick it, they're more likely to eat it;
• Time snacks for two to three hours before meals so kids will still be hungry for lunch and dinner;
• Snacks should satisfy hunger. Resist the urge to offer snacks as rewards for good behavior or to address disappointment. Instead, offer a special activity you can do together or a trip to a special place your child enjoys;
• Sometimes kids say they're hungry when what they really want is attention. Take some time with your child and he or she will let you know if they're really hungry. Teach your kid how to recognize the physical symptoms of hunger;
• Keep snacks small. If your child remains hungry, he or she can ask for more; and
• You set the example, so snack smart yourself! Think of three ways you can reward yourself with things other than food.
Not sure where to go or how to prepare healthy snacks? Contact the Greater Holyoke YMCA about learning more. Recently, a brand new teaching kitchen was unveiled in an effort to help our community learn about healthy eating. Education will be available like nutrition classes, cooking demonstrations, kid's nutrition/cooking classes, and more.
For more information about the Y's teaching kitchen and its programs, visit holyokeymca.org
Take the time to now help your family live a healthy life through education on healthy eating.
The Greater Holyoke YMCA was founded in 1886. William Morgan, the physical education director at the Holyoke YMCA, first introduced the sport of volleyball at the Y in 1895. In 2007 over 4,600 people participated in Y-operated programs and services from Holyoke, South Hadley, Granby and surrounding communities. For information on Holyoke YMCA programs, call the Y at (413) 534-5631 or visit www.holyokeymca.org