Smart Snacking-3 Quick After-School Snacks for Healthy Teeth
All kids love sugary snacks, it’s no wonder after a long day at school many reach for sugary, high-fat treats. Food loaded with sugar and carbohydrates causes tooth decay, so it’s best to avoid this kind of diet or keep it to a minimum. The battle to get kids eat healthy and nutritious food usually continues throughout the teenage years into young adulthood, but take heart; teaching your kids good eating habits today means they will be more likely to continue or come back to a healthy-eating phase as adults.
But, for now, try these delicious snack ideas that will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. The recipes contain a lot of teeth-friendly ingredients and don’t take much time to whip up. Foods such as milk, cheese, raw carrots, nuts, celery are a good choice for a quick snack.
1. Refreshing Berry Yogurt Sundae
This is a creamy treat that is full of calcium and the goodness of berries. It is flavorful and refreshing. Balance the amounts of yogurt and fruit to your child’s preference. More yogurt will make it taste more ice-cream like.
Recipe:
Take a parfait glass, start with a layer of low-fat vanilla yogurt in the bottom, then a spoonful of your favorite in-season berry (you can also use defrosted ones). Keep layering. When done, top with a yogurt layer and sprinkle some low-fat granola or chopped up almonds or walnuts or graham crackers on top.
The Benefits
It’s yummy!
Rich in calcium, phosphates and vitamin D
Berries provide an antioxidant boost
2. Creative Fruit Snacks
Fruit is the best snack your kids can eat after school. Fruit is chock-full of vitamins and minerals, not to mention fluids and fiber. Make the serving fun and creative and the kids will gobble them up.
Cheesy Octopuses – Use kitchen scissors to make legs or buy stringable cheese sticks and add 2 raisins for eyes.
Banana and Kiwi palm tree – Cut up kiwi for the leaves and halve the banana for the trunk.
Solar System Snack – Use circular slices of orange, kiwi, banana, blueberry to create a solar system on the plate.
Fruit Flower Snack – Create a flower with strawberry slices for petals and celery for stems.
3. Healthy Veggie Chips
French fries are loaded with unhealthy fats and carbohydrates. Forget potatoes and try other vegetables. They are just as delicious.
Recipe:
Use sweet potatoes or carrots, kale, spinach for chips. Coat the sliced veggies in a thin layer of olive oil. Add in any spices or seasonings, bake for about 12 minutes at 350° F, flip once and then bake until they turn crispy. If you have a dehydrator, you can also use this to create your own veggie fries.
Lastly, make sure your kids brush after snacking with good oral health products. Look for toothbrushes and toothpaste with the ADA Seal (American Dental Association). Encourage smart snacking and smart eating. Healthy food is delicious and easy to cook. Eat well and keep smiling those perfect smiles.
If you have any concerns regarding your kid’s dental health, please get in touch with our pediatric dentist at Stellar Dental with locations in Silver Spring and Hyattsville, Maryland.
Stellar Dental is a leading dental service provider based in Maryland with offices at White Oak and Hyattsville. We strive to provide the best dental care solutions and a state-of-the-art facility to our patients. Our major services include – dental implants, Invisalign, braces, 6 Month Smiles and other general dentistry procedures. We have a team of warm, friendly and compassionate dental professionals.
