08-18-2024 Back to School - Flipbook - Page 5
A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Sunday, August 18, 2024
5
Snacks And Dinner
Can Be Both Quick
And Healthy By
Following A
Few Tips
By Emily Parks, Contributing Writer
B
ack to school also means back to a busy
schedule running to and from home,
school, soccer, appointments, and music lessons; all with hungry kids in the
car clamoring for snacks and, eventually, dinner.
A packed schedule can still leave room for healthy
on-the-go snacks. Having some staples in the
kitchen with a few go-to dinner meals will keep
you from caving into the kids begging for fast food
and junk food snacks.
Simplicity is key. Kevin Grodnitzky, M.S.,
R.D.N., L.D.N., registered and licensed dietitian
nutritionist, and owner of Nutrition Coaching
Center (www.nutritioncoachingcenter.com) suggests quick “mini meals” that a child or teen can
make in about three minutes or less for snacks.
“Pairing a nutrient-dense protein source with
a quickly digesting carbohydrate will provide the
energy needed for the soccer field or piano lesson
while still leaving room for dinner,” he says.
Suggested healthy snacks and easy options
that come together quickly include:
• Greek yogurt with fruit such as blueberries,
bananas or strawberries.
• Nuts or nut butters such as peanut butter
topped on an apple or banana slices.
• Peanut butter and bananas on whole grain
toast or a half a peanut butter and jam sandwich with sliced fruit on the side.
• Avocado toast: mash half an avocado to
spread over whole grain toast with sliced cucumbers and topped with everything bagel
seasoning.
• Hummus with whole-grain crackers or veggies such as baby carrots, sliced cucumbers
or bell peppers.
“The yogurt, hummus, and nuts or nut butters
are nutrient-dense that include protein while the
fruit, toast or whole grain crackers provide healthy
carbs for energy,” he says. “These snacks are filling
but not so heavy to spoil dinner.”
Plant-based yogurts are also an option for
those who have lactose or dairy intolerance, such
as cashew, coconut or oat-based yogurts. Grodnitzky notes even a few pieces of fresh fruit are a
great choice for a quick snack as it provides vitamins, minerals and fiber, and easily digest within
an hour to fuel afternoon activities.
“All of these options are time-efficient and can
be quickly found in the fridge, freezer and cabinet,” he adds. “Most can be made in three minutes
or less as it is just assembling the food; the quicker
the better.”
As tempting and easy as they may be, Grodnitzky advises avoiding snacks that are high in
added sugars and fat, such as ice cream, chocolate
bars or chocolate chip giant-sized muffins. “Foods
high in sugar and fat will spoil dinner, as foods
higher in fat take longer to digest, so you’re not as
hungry to eat your healthy dinner.”
As more time in the car may means less time
in the kitchen, Grodnitzky recommends having
two or three dinner meals that come together
quickly but are flexible enough to please the pickiest palate in the house.
“Choose meals that can be prepped in 10 to 20
minutes or less,” he says. “Plan to food shop every
week and have a few staples in the fridge, freezer
and cabinet.”
The best options include a protein, a starch
that is a healthy complex carbohydrate and a vegetable.
Taco Tuesday can be any night! A base of
canned black beans, ground beef or turkey, or
plant-based meat options can be easily topped
with salsa and guacamole. Many grocery stores
stock 3-minute frozen microwaveable brown or
white rice for another easy topping. Wheat or
gluten-free wraps bring it all together. Mixing
pre-shredded veggies such as broccoli slaw to premade romaine salad mixes makes a nice textured
salad that can serve as a side or another topping.
“Growing up, we all ate the same meal,” Grodnitzky notes. “Now everyone can alter the meal
based on food preferences. Kids want a burrito,
and the parents want a burrito bowl; it’s a very
flexible dinner that everyone in the family can
find choices that meet their dietary preferences.”
Healthy burger night is another option,
whether it’s a veggie burger or one made from lean
ground beef or turkey. No need to fire up the grill
if you are short on time or sunshine. Grodnitzky
suggests cooking the frozen burger in a stovetop
skillet with olive oil for about five to seven minutes
on each side.
Pasta comes together quickly and easily, with
gluten-free options and a variety of jarred sauces
and grated cheeses that can appeal to everyone in
the family.
Chicken nuggets aren’t just for kids! Heating
up frozen organic pre-grilled chicken or freerange chicken nuggets can be used to build a Caesar salad chicken wrap. Using the chicken nuggets
with pre-made bagged Caesar salad wrapped in a
whole grain tortilla wrap comes together quickly
for dinner.
“All of these meals can be part of a rotation of
go-to dinner options that are healthy and flexible
for difference food preferences,” he advises.
But if there’s a bad week of too many activities
and trips to the drive-thru, don’t give up on your
goal to improve your nutrition. Grodnitzky encourages a mindset of continuous improvement.
“One of the biggest mistakes I see is people
can have an all or nothing mindset with nutrition,”
he says. “They hit a busy week and don’t eat as well
as they would like, so they give up and go back to
bad habits. It’s progress, not perfection. It’s OK to
just get back on track the next meal or snack and
strategize for next time.”
No need to pack those healthy snacks in a disposable plastic sandwich bag. This season, Target
offers cute ways to pack the snack.
Fun products such as the Snackle Box by Melii
makes room for lots of different snacks with 12
individual snack compartments. Inspired by the
design of a tackle box, the compartments have removable dividers to make room for larger items.
The Snack Leak-proof Storage Container by
Bentgo (pictured above) is ideal for snacks like
veggies and hummus or yogurt with its two leakproof compartments and comes in six fun colors!
The 3-Piece Racoon Snack Containers from
Cat & Jack has three different-sized snack containers, each showcasing a different color and a different racoon graphic on the lid for fun flair. Each
container has a removable lid, and the compact
design fits easily into a bag.
This fall, plan to make thoughtful, healthy
food choices to make snack and dinner time not
only healthier but easier!