THE KEY TO AVOIDING
PROCESSED SNACKS
NUTRITION TIPS FOR A GROWING FAMILY
Taryn Palmer RDN, LD
A healthy diet is a key component to living a long and active life. Whether you are one or 100, eating a variety of
real, healthy foods and decreasing the amount of processed calories we put in our bodies is important. Focusing
on certain nutrients or practices for different age groups can help our children create good habits for the future.
BABIES
At the beginning of life, good nutrition is somewhat uncomplicated. New babies should receive breast milk or ironfortified formula as their main source of nutrition throughout the first year. While there are many debates about
which is best for baby, there are many factors at play and as long as a child is being lovingly cared for and fed, that
is what matters most.
As babies begin to gain neck strength and sit on their own, solid food can be introduced. Past recommendations
pointed to four months as being a good time to start solids, but recent research suggests waiting until babies are
closer to six-months-old before introducing those first bites.
TODDLERS
Exploring their independence is an important part of a young child’s life, and mealtime is no exception. Allowing
toddlers to feed themselves may be messy, but it’s important as they develop fine motor skills and an appetite for
a variety of foods.
Young children often go through different phases, and a food they loved today may be hated tomorrow. While
extreme pickiness can be problematic, “food jags” (requesting the same foods meal after meal) are not uncommon
or signs of bad parenting. It often takes children over 20 exposures to a new food before they eat it willingly, so
don’t give up when offering variety.
CHILDREN AND TEENS
Kids and teens are busy, and there often seems to be little time to sit them down for a well-balanced meal. Planning
and prepping is key to avoiding too many processed snacks and trips through the drive-thru.
Keep foods on hand that are both portable and nutritious, like whole-grain muffins, string cheese, nuts and pre-cut
fruits and vegetables. These options can be grabbed in a rush and eaten on the way to school or practices.
Protein is another important component of children’s diets. Not only are they busy, but they are growing. Protein
will help keep them full until their next meal or snack, as well as provide the important building blocks of muscle and
tissue—allowing kids to grow and develop properly. Cheese, yogurt, nuts, beans and peanut butter are all great
sources of protein for kids and teens.
NEXT PAGE: Whole Grain Peanut Butter and Honey Banana Muffins
Whole Grain Peanut Butter and Honey Banana Muffins
Source: www.melskitchencafe.com
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups (10 ounces) white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or cinnamon
1 1/2 cup (about 13 ounces) mashed bananas, about 3 large bananas
1/3 cup honey (3.5 ounces)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 large egg (about 1.75 ounces)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (5 ounces) creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup milk (can sub almond milk)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or
grease well with nonstick cooking spray (this batch makes about 14-16 muffins - so you’ll
want a second muffin tin with a few cups lined or will need to bake a second batch).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, honey, coconut oil, egg, vanilla, peanut
butter and milk. Mix until well combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix!
5. Scoop the batter into the muffin liners.
6. Bake for 17-18 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch and a toothpick
inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean (increase the baking time as needed since
ovens vary in temperature, just take care not to overbake).
Remove the muffins from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack (bake any remaining batter into
muffins). Once cool, store well-covered at room temperature for a couple days.