What’s the difference between a treat and a snack?
My kids are in school. Every so often I ask them what they see in their friends’ lunch boxes that they might like me to buy - for variety. Most of the time I am quite surprised at what is being sent as “snacks”. Sadly, from the point of view of my kids, they do not get these tasty, unhealthy “snacks”. Which leads me to believe we need to redefine “snack” and make it distinctly separate from a “treat”. What surprises me even more is that adults often fall into the same category. In this day and age of being able to find most things pre-packaged it can be hard to figure out what to give as healthful snacks.
Treats are foods that are meant to be eaten once in a while; maybe once or twice per week. They hold little to no nutritional value and certainly do not fuel our bodies properly. The downfall is they usually taste so good.
Snacks are foods that are nutrient dense, that are meant to sustain us for a period of time, that help our bodies regenerate, that give us energy for a few hours, and that enables our brains to think clearly.
Of course, this doesn’t end with just snack time. There are things that many eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner that should also be considered a treat as opposed to daily healthful meals. But lets start here with school-time meals.
Eating healthfully can positively influence your child’s behaviour, ability to focus, immune system, and energy levels, not to mention a life long respect for the foods that keep us alive. (There are a ton of other benefits. If I were to name them all it would be a book in and of itself!) Remember, we work at our best when properly nourished. Although your kids might eat their treat snack, you need to ask what benefits they getting from them?
Here’s a look at some popular unhealthy choices:
SNACK TIME:
Fruit-type snacks – roll-ups, fruit leathers, and all the variety of bite sized nibblets. These are loaded with the sugary parts of the fruits, and often have more sugars, preservatives, “natural” flavouring and colours added to them for appeal. Even real fruit leather with nothing added, though much more nutritious, hold little value when it comes to sustenance. These should be a “sometimes treat” and should still be paired with a better sustaining snack. Fresh fruits offer much more benefit and sustenance.
Yogurt - Stay away from yogurt drinks, yogurt tubes and “fruit on the bottom” yogurts, and really, all pre-flavoured ones as well. These should be a treat since they are generally have refined sugars added to make them taste good and the fruits a far cry from fresh. For a proper snack make your own using plain yogurt and fresh fruits finely chopped. Add a teaspoon of honey or pure maple syrup for sweetness. Though a “sugar” it is easy to control the quantity and you know exactly what it is. Click here for other names of sugar that will help you read the labels.
Popcorn - A treat at all times. Air popped, no problem! Stovetop in a bit of oil, not bad. But please, please, please stay away form microwave popcorn. Air popped, though healthy, still doesn’t offer much for proper sustenance while at school.
Crackers - For the most part they are loaded with preservatives. There are other options that have little to none, you just need to look at the labels. There are some flatbread styles that offer benefits. “Wasa” brand is one.
Granola Bars - The name sounds healthy, but have you read the ingredients? Sugar is usually near the top of the list. Also, most bars have nuts in them which is a no-no in many schools. These should be a treat, not a regular snack. You can make your own that would be more of a proper snack and you could easily replace nuts with school-safe seeds.
Muffins, store bought - Not likely to be good. These are usually made with white flour and lots of fat and sugar, thus making them empty calories. Even the whole wheat muffins hold a stop sign with higher amounts of fat and sugar. Make your own trying different flours like chickpea, spelt or quinoa. You can usually cut back on the sugar content also with little difference in taste. This will make a proper sustaining type of snack. There are great recipes online. Check out http://whfoods.com. It is one of my favourites.
Cookies. Bear Paws. Pop Tarts. And most other cookie-like individually pre-packaged items. All sometimes snacks. Nothing nutritious or filling here. Again, making your own is the best way to go.
BEVERAGES:
Fruitopia; Kool-Aid Jammers; Juice Boxes and every other beverage generally sent to school. All treats. Full of sugar. Avoid anything concentrated. The exception might be pure fruit juices with nothing added. But even so, they often contain grape juice used as a sweeter. It is still to be considered a treat since there is nothing to be digested and all that sugar is easily absorbed into the blood-stream.
LUNCH
Milk - Oh the dairy industry. They spend millions of dollars a year to have us know that milk does a body good. They also have lobbyists working in their favour and have done an amazing job at helping to fund the Canadian Food Guide, thus putting milk as one of the top requirements for our daily needs. Guess what. You do not need milk. I don’t consider milk as a beverage. Given its higher protein count I consider it more of a food. Now, I have my own issues with drinking milk everyday, but when I see kids drinking chocolate milk daily as a source of calcium it makes me want to pull out my hair. Not only is it not a good source of calcium since our bodies don’t absorb it easily, but the proteins are actually hard for most of us to digest. Did you know that chocolate milk has as much sugar in it as a can of soda pop? Still think it’s healthy? Drink water instead.
Lunchables - Oh my, preservative heaven. There isn’t anything healthy about lunchables in any form. Even as a treat I would avoid them. If anything make your own using fresh sliced chicken breasts, fresh sliced cheese and squares of dark pumpernickel bread. This is as close to a lunchable as my kids will ever get and it is easily prepared the night before.
Deli Meats - Another heaven for preservatives. Usually these cuts of meats are all the “leftover” parts of the animal with added ingredients to make it taste good. Please keep these to a minimum. Replace with home cooked meats for your sandwhiches.
Pizza and Hot Dogs - Many schools use these items for fundraising. Though they may be good sellers, they do little for the body. It’s all processed and usually on a white crust/bun. These are fun to purchase once in a while. But they are definitely a treat. (Adding veggies to the pizza really does not make it healthy. Don’t be fooled!)
Some “rules of thumb” to follow:
For a drink, always send water. It is the only beverage our bodies actually need to survive. Not to mention that dehydration is an issue amongst most children. For more info on water please click here.
Try to avoid pre-packaged at all costs. I know it is convenient, but the long-term health of your family should be worth the extra effort to make something fresh.
Fruits and veggies will always be winners. Unless you have an allergy to one or more types of fruit or vegetables, you can never go wrong with this option as a snack. It is the easiest fast food and the best idea for a snack. Pair fruit it with an unsweetened yogurt and veggies with a hummus for more sustenance.
Nut butters are no longer allowed in school due to the increase in children with allergies. However there are alternative such as sunflower and pumpkin seed butter. It might add some variety. You can find these in the natural isle of your grocery store. Look for ones that have no salt or sugars added.
Home cooked meats are always better than deli meats. Roast beef cooked at home looks way different than what you find at the deli counter. If you rely on deli meats consider buying a meat slicer and making your own deli-style meats from fresh whole meats, chicken, and turkey. Using salmon or tuna in sandwiches is also a good option.
Salads come in all shapes and sizes. Try getting your kids to eat a bean or lentil salad. Not only is it a great option for protein but it is easy to make in a big batch ahead of time.
Aim for variety and expose your children to different tastes and textures. You might be surprised to learn what your kids do like. I rarely cook special meals for my children just because they are children. I feed them as I would an adult. My three year old gets a super small portion of salad on his plate. He doesn’t usually eat it because he is three, but at least he is seeing that this is what we are meant to eat.
Everything pre-packaged, as a rule of thumb, should be minimized.
Energy Bars. There are a few different types available, and they all have a decent calorie count, making them more of a meal than a snack. Pay attention to this. If you are looking for a quick snack, have 1/3 of a higher calorie bar, or find one that has a lower calorie count. Go for ones with whole food ingredients like raw nuts and seeds and fruits. Most energy bars are designed with the athlete in mind. They provide a large amount of carbs in one shot – necessary for those burning a ton of energy at once. But this is not necessary for the average person. Some energy bars are high in carbs; others are high in protein. Strength training demands extra protein.
BREAKFAST:
Breakfast Cereals. There are certainly better options and ones that are not so good. Really, anything that the kids LOVE are probably not the best. I’m talked about anything with a frosted coating, a fruit flavouring, and even our dear circled cereals, some of which are advertised as whole grain etc. (I am purposely not naming brand names or cereal names, but you know which ones I am talking about!) Although these may contain healthier ingredients, the amount of sugar in these cereals acts as a negative and far outweighs any benefits the cereal may or may not hold. I urge you to read the book “Suicide by Sugar” by Appleton and Jacobs. In the meantime read the labels. If you are not sure what an ingredient is, or cannot pronounce it, steer clear of it. If you check the natural isles of your grocery store or health food store your will find much better options.
