Snack time has always been a moment of delight and relaxation, highly appreciated by both young and old. It is also an important nutritional break for, children since it helps hold them over from school until dinner.
Be careful not to confuse regular snack-time and irregular nibbling
Generally looked upon unfavorably in terms of maintaining a slim figure, regular snack-time is often confused with irregular nibbling, but the meaning is different. By nibbling we mean unplanned eating during the day, usually involving the consumption of foods rich in sugars and fats (chocolate bars, candy, etc.).
Snack-time, on the other hand, is planned in advance, and involves more balanced foods, adapted to fit with your schedule and appointed meal-times.
For adults, snack-time can be beneficial for balancing food intake over the course of the day. The same goes for smaller bellies, who just don’t have any more room left for their recommended lunch-time serving of fruit or a dairy product; they can have that during snack-time instead.
But so how can you best combine deliciousness and nutrition at snack-time?
An ideal snack in terms of nutrition should include three food families, each of which can bring a touch of fun: a cereal product (bread, cookies, cake, etc.), a serving of fruit and/or a milk product (flavored or not).
Children and adolescents rarely skip snack-time. It’s a great opportunity to give them raw fruit, fiber sources, and essential vitamins and minerals. In wintertime fruit can start to get harder to find, so plan to use dried fruit with no sugar added, or nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.); they’ll be quality sources for fatty acids, as well as for calcium and magnesium! Vary the delight by offering a serving of their favorite cookies along with a fresh fruit or a handful of nuts. If you enjoy cooking, then the cookies/cakes yourself; that way you can make a snack that suits to your taste while controlling the quality and quantity of the ingredients you use. In this connection, be sure to use whole-wheat flours, rich in fibers and vitamins.
