I think we are increasingly aware of the way we feed our children, and I mean both quality and quantity. Of course, I suppose that the vast majority are not experts and let us be guided a little by what we know, but It never hurts to know some basic rules so that our little ones are well fed. In this case I will refer to the snack, a meal that sometimes is not given enough attention.
Keep in mind that snack is a vital component of your daily diet, since children have small stomachs and need a lot of energy throughout the day, so they require small but constant consumption. Of course, it is not a matter of itching, but that you have healthy eating habits at a set time.
The premise should always be that children must be well nourished (which does not mean that they eat in an exaggerated way), and that with these foods can meet their needs according to the activities they perform. That is why it is vital to know what kind of food works best for you at every moment of the day.
What food does a child need for a snack?
The brain needs glucose to think and muscles to move and repair. In that order of ideas, the child needs carbohydrates and proteins, although what is really important is to identify the quality of the food we are giving them: despite being carbohydrates, it is not the same to give a chocolate palm to a ham sandwich.
Important: neither much sugar nor much fat
I am aware that children like sugar, that cookies with animal shapes and chocolate buns seduce them and that many parents also have little time to prepare a 100% homemade snack, which would be ideal. However, the effort involved in paying a little more attention to avoid giving them this kind of food will be rewarded in the long term in terms of the child's health.
It is true that carbohydrates are essential at any age, but when we choose this type of industrial products for our children, we are not only giving them fats that produce cholesterol but that they bring a very high glucose rise, which converts into energy quickly but that wear with the same speed ... consequently the child will feel tired more quickly. That is, we are supplying your needs in a very short term and with a poor quality product.
If they exercise, what foods should they take?
The first thing to keep in mind is the duration of each activity carried out by the child and there is also between each of them, since for example, When you practice physical activities such as extra-school children, you must have a snack for at least half an hour before starting.
Obviously the needs of these children are high and you need good sources of energy such as bread, fruits (banana and apple are excellent options), nuts, cheese and yogurt. A good snack that combines a piece of bread with a drizzle of olive oil and sausage will always be a complete, nutritious and perfect snack for the child to endure physical wear.
We must bear in mind that the carbohydrates that we must choose are the so-called 'complexes', that is, they transform into energy more slowly and help the child have what he needs during the day. Among them we find wholemeal flours, whole grains and legumes.
And after exercise and before dinner, should they eat something?
After exercise the most important thing is to recover hydration either through water, juices or natural shakes. At this time you should not eat anything else so that dinner time does not feel unappetizing.
I conclude with a personal opinion: one of the best things we can do for our children is take the time to think about their menus and make a good purchase to carry them out. Also integrating them into their preparation is a good idea to teach them to eat well, since they will be more motivated to eat what has been cooked. Trying to prepare different and fun recipes is a great tool that we have, so I suggest some of our recipes for snacks.
