From time to time I like to remind us of my favorite snacking trick: “Buddying Up” your snack.

I tell kiddos all the time: “No lonely snacks!”

By that I mean, pair your snack with another food from a different food group. For example, I just ate an apple with peanut butter (fruit + protein/fat). Not only does it make the snack a little heartier, but it also means that I’m getting extra nutrition in.

Pairing a carb-y snack, like pretzels, with dip such as hummus (beans) makes a post-snack crash less likely and gives energy for playing & learning.

Adding a new food to a “safe” food can make things a little less intimidating to a picky eater. So if your kiddo likes crackers, offer a dip, salsa, nut butter or spread and let them decide what to do. (They might surprise you by combining foods in ways that we never could have imagined).

When we show kids how to “Buddy Up” their snacks, we’re showing them that balanced eating isn’t boring—we can create satisfying snacks that taste good and make them feel good.

Got any go-to snack pairings? Let me know–I’m always looking for good ideas.

Snack Idea:

Yogurt (dairy/protein) + sliced bananas (fruit/fiber)

Reach out at Karen@CoastalFamilyNutrition.com or call the office at 603-674-2479.

Please feel free to share this with someone who may like to learn more about feeding kiddos!