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After School Snacks for Kids as Part of a Healthful Diet

     

 

By Michelle Dudash, RD

Michelle Dudash is an award-winning registered dietitian, Cordon Bleu-certified chef and author of the upcoming book, Clean Eating for Busy Families, who entertains and educates people on how food and health can deliciously co-exist.

The next time your children arrive home from school hungry, make sure to create mini-meals that are both tempting and are made up of items from the USDA MyPlate recommended food groups. Look for ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables, low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products, whole grains and a variety of protein foods.   

California Avocados are a great ingredient to have on hand to incorporate into snacks for little ones. Kids generally like the mild taste of the fruit and California Avocados contribute to meeting recommended daily fruit servings. 

The nutrition profile of California Avocados makes them easy to fit within the Dietary Guidelines recommendations for a balanced diet, including:

  • Reduce daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) 1,500 mg for children – Avocados are naturally sodium free
  • Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids by replacing them with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids – Avocados contain only 0.5g of saturated fat per 1 oz. serving (1/5th of a medium avocado) and 50 percent of avocado’s fat content comes from monounsaturated (good) fats.
  • Consume less than 300 mg per day of dietary cholesterol – Avocados are cholesterol free
  • Keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible – Avocados do not contain trans fat

Enjoy them now while in season, April through October.

Here are a few ideas for tasty after school snacks:

 

Lady Bugs on a Stick

Mash Califonia Avocado, mix with fresh salsa and fill celery sticks with the mixture. Top with small grape tomatoes and serve!
 

California Avocado Tostada Tomás

Melt reduced-fat cheddar cheese on tostada shells. Serve with fixings, letting your children craft their own faces using California Avocado slices for mouths, shredded carrots for hair, and black beans for eyes and noses.
 

California Avocado Nacho Boats

Cut a California Avocado in half and remove the seed. Then, let your kids fill the avocado centers with their favorite nacho toppings, like salsa and low-fat sour cream. They can eat right out of the skins with forks or by scooping with baked whole-grain tortilla chips. This snack is delicious and one-fifth of a medium avocado is 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
 

Happy Face California Avocado Chicken Salad

Combine a Caesar Salad Kit with cooked chicken strips and California Avocado to create fun happy faces, using the chicken strips for hair, croutons for the eyes and nose and California Avocado slices for the mouth.
 

California Avocado Pinwheels

Place sliced California Avocados, frozen and thawed corn, sliced provolone cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped green onions and a drizzle of light ranch dressing on a whole-wheat tortilla. Roll and slice into bite-size pieces.

The most important thing is to find healthy foods that your children like. So, feel free to substitute your children’s favorite fruits and vegetables for endless snack possibilities.  

Check out our California Avocado Kid Friendly recipes or get more nutrition information for Moms and Kids