Summer Snacks

July 6, 2010

Interview with Dr. Susan Mitchell – Health Expert for Target Stores

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Mike Carruthers:
When it comes to kids and snacking the theory goes that whatever is in the house is what they’ll eat. So…

Dr. Susan Mitchell:
Next time you shop prepare ahead. Grab things for the pantry that are easy like; peanut butter, almond butter, whole wheat mini bagels, pop top cans of tuna, dried fruit like cherries and blueberries.

Dr. Susan Mitchell, Nutrition and Health Expert for Target…

Then do that same thing for your refrigerator so you can have string cheese or other small cheeses, small cups of yogurt, chocolate milk, 100% juice, fresh fruit that you’ve already cut up like clumps of grapes - because if it’s right there they will reach for it.

Susan says that kids get about 30% of their calories from snacks. Much of them empty calories but kids will eat vegetables if you have them cut up and ready.

And the secret to them eating those vegetables is to have something to dip. So, hummus, honey mustard, or the light ranch dressing anytime that something is “dipable” kids love to do that. And scoop out watermelon and cantaloupe and serve it with some frozen yogurt.

And instead of sodas try smoothies as an alternative.

I keep frozen bananas in the freezer all of the time. I wait until they look like no one’s going to eat them, and then I just peel them, cut them up, throw them into a blender, add some Greek yogurt, a little milk and some peanut butter and you have this peanut butter banana smoothie that is out of this world.