[lovemy2boys]

AJ comes home from school every day at 3:30.

He eats lunch at 11, and a very, very small snack at school - so when he comes home at 3:30, he is "starving". And he eats from the minute he comes home until he goes to bed!

And because of my DH's work schedule plus our daily schedule, we usually eat dinner at 4 pm. But even if I push dinner back until 5 or 5:30, there is still a 2 hour period of "starvation" both before and after dinner that I have to contend with.

This kid is a 7 year old bottomless pit!

So my question is, what kind of healthy snacks do you all feed your kids? Mine already eat tons of fruits and veggies, but they just don't seem to fill up on them...and the constant grazing thing drives me nuts...

Any advice is appreciated!

[nikkianni]

Might I suggest Ants on a Log?
We loved those as snacks when we were kids. Also, banana slices rolled in wheat germ are fun to make and taste good (promise).
This one's not so healthy but might be fun. My Dad used to take crescent rolls, sprinkle them with cinnamon, twist them in knots and bake. They'd be waiting for us when we got off the bus from school in the winter.

[Fran27]

I totally sympathize with your kid... I'm the same way, fruit and veggies don't fill me up

Yogurt with wheat germ
Cottage cheese with fruit
Fruit smoothie
Cereal
Crackers and cheese
Raw carrots with ranch dressing for dip
Whole wheat tortilla with fat free refried beans and cheese

My pediatrician has a poster with a lot of ideas on the office door but I can't remember anything, doh.

[binkybear]

English muffin mini pizza's were always one of my favorites. The sauce keeps in the fridge for days and it's easy to make with a toaster oven.

I LOVED fresh popped popcorn (air pop). It's not greasy, no chemical goop on it, you can sprinkle as much salt or those powdered cheeses they sell for popcorn onto it as you like....AND it's really filling (fiber) while being pretty low fat-n-cal. Plus kids think it's kinda fun to make and watch the bowl fill up...you get A LOT of popcorn from one "scoop".

Celery sticks with either PB or cream cheese were big when we were kids....apples with PB were good too.

The more fiber, the more filling

[Stormster]

E won't eat bananas but I might try that Nikki!

I give him peanut (well almond) butter on whole wheat crackers, cheddar cheese sticks with sliced apple, those are the healthiest i can manage with him now.

[Stormster]

Originally Posted by Fran27

I totally sympathize with your kid... I'm the same way, fruit and veggies don't fill me up

Yogurt with wheat germ
Cottage cheese with fruit
Fruit smoothie
Cereal
Crackers and cheese
Raw carrots with ranch dressing for dip
Whole wheat tortilla with fat free refried beans and cheese

My pediatrician has a poster with a lot of ideas on the office door but I can't remember anything, doh.

Fran your kids eat raw carrots???? I'm sooo jealous!!

[lovemy2boys]

Thanks, guys for the great tips!

I have one kid who eats EVERYTHING and loves all things healthy, and the kid who only wants (but rarely gets) waffles, french fries and chicken nuggets...

But AJ just keeps growing! He's 7 and in a size 10 slim pants (he actually needs an 8, but needs the 10 in length).

Anyway, it's eat eat eat...He never gets full!

I'm embarassed to ask...what exactly is wheat germ and in what section of the market can I find it?

[aclee]

Ty eats fruit and veggies for snacks. Love bananas, apples, grapes, raw pepper, ever steamed turnip with apple. I'll open a can of green beans and spilt 1/2 a small can out on his tray for a snack! Peas are a pretty standard pre dinner, keep him busy snack, cause he chases them all over his tray one by one.

I think it depends what you want to "get in him" what you use for snacks. I had a bag of meatballs (maybe turkey or chicken?) that I bought at Whole foods that I used to put in a small dish and nuke for 45 seconds for Ty's lunch when he was a little smaller. Spill in some frozen peas or green beans and that was a great meal that he loved. If you are looking for more protein, letting him snack on something like that, which is SO easy to make, might be a good idea. You could even make them your self and just freeze them in a big zip lock bag.

Other than that, I like the pizza on a whole grain english muffin. You can even use Newman's spaghetti sauce, which is a pretty good quality spaghetti sauce, so you don't have to have a separate pizza sauce on hand. Add cheese and veggies and do them in the toaster. Even a piece of whole wheat toast with PB on it is good.

When I was a Nanny, snacks had to be whole foods. Not a granola bar or whatever. I found that if they were hungry, they ate and apple. If they "wanted" to eat, they passed and waited till dinner...and ate a better dinner for it.

[binkybear]

Originally Posted by lovemy2boys

Thanks, guys for the great tips!

I have one kid who eats EVERYTHING and loves all things healthy, and the kid who only wants (but rarely gets) waffles, french fries and chicken nuggets...

But AJ just keeps growing! He's 7 and in a size 10 slim pants (he actually needs an 8, but needs the 10 in length).

Anyway, it's eat eat eat...He never gets full!

I'm embarassed to ask...what exactly is wheat germ and in what section of the market can I find it?

Wheat germ is usually in the cereal isle in a glass jar. It was something we'd put on yogurt as kids....not really "great" in taste (imo)....I always think of grape nuts, even thought their not "related" at all

I snack on dry cereal, always have. When I could eat wheat the frosted mini wheats were a fav...again a lot of fiber that could help to fill him up, at least help him feel full. What about homemade smoothies...yogurt, pb, banana, berries or something else he might like, even a scoop of carnation instant breakfast for flavor and filling.

[Fran27]

Originally Posted by Stormster

Fran your kids eat raw carrots???? I'm sooo jealous!!

Oh no, we haven't even tried little bits of cooked ones yet (I keep forgetting, doh).

I was just giving ideas... I know I like raw carrots and ranch dressing!

[lovemy2boys]

Originally Posted by aclee

I think it depends what you want to "get in him" what you use for snacks.

Well, here's the thing...Adam is a healthy eater. He'll eat ANYTHING basically...but is ALWAYS hungry! He can eat a complete, healthy dinner, and 1/2 hour later, still be hungry! And not just wanting a snack, but wanting food...He is not overweight, nor is he underweight. He is actually a perfectly lean, tall 7 year old.

So for him, I'd like something that is healthy and filling, - not trying to "make up" for any missing dietary things, basically something that will hold him over before dinner when he comes home from school "starving", and something again between dinner and bed time, when he's hungry again.

Joe is Joe. He'd eat like garbage if we let him. He claims that everything is gross and proceeds to gag on everything (fake gagging - he'll eat grean beens one day, then a week later say that they make him gag, and will go out of his way to prove it). He tried to pull the ol' I won't eat dinner but want a PB & J a 1/2 hour later, so we caught on immediately and don't allow snacks when he pulls this. We also have to watch his fluid intake because he's the type of kid who will drink a gallon of milk a day, and get so full that he won't eat.

What I'd like for Joe (who is very tall and ridiculously underweight to me, even though his doctor is not concerned) is a healthy snack that is high in calories that will put a few needed pounds on this kid! I think he could benefit from protein, but am tired of the PBJ thing...He doesn't like red meat...oh boy - I'd be here all day if I had to list all of his dislikes!

So that's basically the gist of it, ladies! 2 different kids with Polar opposite eating styles...

[Celesyee]

I know you said you're tired of the PBJ thing, but how about rice cakes smothered with peanut butter and topped with sliced banana along with a tall glass of milk. It's great carb, protein, potassium, and calcium. Hopefully, the protein will keep them fuller longer.

Or fruit smoothies or yogurt shakes with sliced fruit.

Sweet potato fries are also a great healthy filling snack.

[binkybear]

Originally Posted by lovemy2boys

Well, here's the thing...Adam is a healthy eater. He'll eat ANYTHING basically...but is ALWAYS hungry! He can eat a complete, healthy dinner, and 1/2 hour later, still be hungry! And not just wanting a snack, but wanting food...He is not overweight, nor is he underweight. He is actually a perfectly lean, tall 7 year old.

So for him, I'd like something that is healthy and filling, - not trying to "make up" for any missing dietary things, basically something that will hold him over before dinner when he comes home from school "starving", and something again between dinner and bed time, when he's hungry again.

Joe is Joe. He'd eat like garbage if we let him. He claims that everything is gross and proceeds to gag on everything (fake gagging - he'll eat grean beens one day, then a week later say that they make him gag, and will go out of his way to prove it). He tried to pull the ol' I won't eat dinner but want a PB & J a 1/2 hour later, so we caught on immediately and don't allow snacks when he pulls this. We also have to watch his fluid intake because he's the type of kid who will drink a gallon of milk a day, and get so full that he won't eat.

What I'd like for Joe (who is very tall and ridiculously underweight to me, even though his doctor is not concerned) is a healthy snack that is high in calories that will put a few needed pounds on this kid! I think he could benefit from protein, but am tired of the PBJ thing...He doesn't like red meat...oh boy - I'd be here all day if I had to list all of his dislikes!

So that's basically the gist of it, ladies! 2 different kids with Polar opposite eating styles...

If Joe likes the milk thing I'd sneak the protein in the milk!
Use the milk as the base for a blender smoothie..add carnation instant breakfast (strawberry, choc, mocha, vanilla..whatever he likes, they sell variety packs and each pack has 2xs the protein of an egg) then add the banana, pb, or fruit he likes and if you really want to get sneaky on him throw in a bit of tofu. He'll never know it's there if you don't tell him...get the smooth, soft silken brand/variety (not anything "firm"). Tofu is packed with protein and takes on the flavor of whatever it's made with.

[lovemy2boys]

It would serve him right to have to have to eat Tofu!

Seriously though - I am going to try so many of the tips on here...It's tough trying to make sure they are each getting their nutritional needs met when they are both so vastly different.

[binkybear]

Originally Posted by lovemy2boys

It would serve him right to have to have to eat Tofu!

He'll never know....