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Healthy Back-to-School Snacks for Kids

Posted by Samantha Smarte on
Healthy Back-to-School Snacks for Kids - Extend Nutrition

Healthy Back-to-School Snacks for Kids

It's that time of year again! Kids are back to class. Now's the time to get them excited about eating healthy with back-to-school snacks. They need nutrient-rich foods to encourage brain health, help them focus, and stay energized throughout the day. It’s important to promote healthy snacks for kids from a young age to teach them the value of fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich foods. Keep reading to learn more about encouraging healthy kids snacks at school and see the benefits of incorporating these nutritious items into your daily routine too. It's essential to have healthy snacks for kids on the go, but let's not forget the parents in the same position. 

Benefits of Healthy Snacks for Kids at School

Numerous medical practitioners talk about the advantages of healthy snacks for kids on the go. Whether you have a pre-schooler just starting their education, a middle schooler, or a high school student, a nutritious, well-balanced diet is one of the keys to their success. Along with playing a role in lifelong healthy eating habits, children perform better in school when they have access to nutritious foods. 

One study found a clear link between eating healthy and learning. The review concluded,

"Therefore, health promotion practitioners in the university setting should consider the positive role diet may play in students’ academic achievement when developing initiatives to promote healthy eating to students."

A similar study involving breakfast also found a special connection between improved performance and better achievement scores for students that always ate a healthy breakfast before class.

"For school performance outcomes, evidence suggests a positive association between habitual breakfast frequency and quality on school grades or achievement test scores."

Use Snack Time to Increase Vegetables & Fruits

Veggie sticks and fruit are excellent mid-morning or afternoon snacks. Whole grain toast with cheese, avocado, peanut butter, or cream cheese is also a great idea for mid-morning breaks. Additionally, nuts, nut butter, or seeds as an afternoon snack. Berries as dessert after dinner or lunch. 

Baked plantains are a great healthy snack for kids on the go. They require minimal preparation and taste great with guacamole or plain yogurt mixed with cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa powder, bananas, raisins, walnuts, or chia seeds for added protein. Another perfect after-school snack is almond butter with pears, apples, or bananas.

Avoid Added Sugars

The body needs some sugar, even for children. However, its consumption should be limited because it directly correlates with health problems like obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes later in life. Kids over two put the limit at 25g or less of sugar daily for ages two to 18. That's six teaspoons in total.  It only allows them to have eight ounces of sugar-sweetened drinks per week. 

Milk, yogurt, fruit, and veggies are the best back-to-school snacks for kids. It's better than prepackaged meals or granola bars that often contain high salt and sugar levels combined with fillers like maltodextrin and corn syrup. 

Most added sugars are in processed foods. Unfortunately, many kids eat processed foods daily. The best way to avoid added sugars is to eliminate sodas, reduce juice intake, limit fatty foods, and eat more fruits, vegetables, and meals high in fiber and protein. 

Keep the Nut-Based Healthy Snacks for Kids for Home

Most schools now require nut-free food items. However, there's nothing wrong with having these snacks for kids ready when they get home from school. Peanut butter is high in protein and tasty. Another option that combines fruit and peanut butter is a banana wrap with peanut butter and dark chocolate chips. The fun 'sandwich' is rich in protein, fiber, and tasty. 

Do you have a high school student that "doesn't have time" to sit down for a snack? Try an almond milk smoothie made with chocolate vegan protein powder, chia seeds, and a tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter. 

Provide Natural Hunger Control with Protein-Based Snacks  

Any protein shake is a great healthy snack for kids on the go. What if you don't have time or the ability to mix a shake? Don't give in to that iced-latte or calorie-loaded granola bar. You can find healthy snacks for kids at school and after school without a ton of sugar. Instead, try a protein bar, such as Extend Nutrition Anytime Bars, available in six different flavors, such as Chocolate & Caramel, Yogurt & Berry, Yogurt & Lemon, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter or Rich Chocolate

Extend Bars are designed to curb appetite between meals and deliver long-lasting, all-natural energy boost. These contain 9-12g protein, have only 0-1 net carb, are gluten-free, and will keep your snacking calories at 150. Plus, the sugar-free bonus means these healthy kids snacks aren't bouncing off walls from artificial or natural sugars found in many products. 

Additionally, protein bars are ideal for kids in grades K through college to keep in their backpacks for a quick, natural energy boost. One bar is enough to soothe hunger through afternoon classes and provide them the focus necessary to ace their test and stay attentive throughout a one- or three-hour lecture.

Choose Extend Anytime Bars & Shakes for healthy snacks for kids on the Go 

Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and high-fiber foods are excellent and nutritious. However, when you're packing your student's lunch, you can't always count on soft fruits to stay safe and warm vegetables to taste as good. Add an Extend Anytime Bar to their bag. These are healthy snacks for kids and ideal for any time of day. The healthy bars packed with protein and zero-added sugar come in delicious flavors with all natural ingredients your child will love, including

Just remember to save the Chocolate Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter varieties for an after school snack if your child's school has a nut-free policy. Consider the Best Seller Sample Pack for options at home and healthy snacks for kids on the go for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. These yummy and healthy snacks for kids at school contain 9-12g of protein, 5g of fiber and have only 0-1 net carb and 150 calories. The sugar-free bars help reduce appetite between meals and deliver healthy, long-lasting energy. In addition to the Extend Nutrition Bars, consider Extend Whey or Vegan Protein Shakes for an after school snack or as a meal replacement to cover breakfast for your high schooler to help them stay focused throughout the day. 

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