Low Fat for Kids

[Scaredsammy]

Does anyone have any suggestions for cooking low fat snacks for the kids. I just can't seem to get my daughter's interested in snacking on something low fat or remotely healthy.

Any clues ?

Scared Sammy www.communityzero.com/weightlossfriends/ (http://www.communityzero.com/weightlossfriends/)
"Friends helping Friends"

[Tally]

I don't have any kids (yet http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ) but the big kid in my house (DH) loves to snack on Morningstar Farms Veggie Corn Dogs. Each corn dog has 150 calories and 4 grams of fat. Morningstar Farms also makes veggie corn dog "nuggets" in smaller serving sizes. HTH!

[kwormann]

ALso no kids, but I used to love apples with peanut butter, carrots with peanut butter or ranch dip, cheese and crackers (just buy lowfat kind)

Kim http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[LonormiManuel]

I've found that if we buy chips, soda, etc., then SOMEONE's going to eat/drink it. So we just don't buy it. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

My daughter's favorite snack (she's 10) is celery smeared with peanut butter & raisins. She also likes lo-fat string cheese, bananas, and peanuts.

[jandy2]

I might have a few ideas--my kids probably eat healthier than I do; my 3 1/2 year old requested broccoli for Thanksgiving dinner. My husband and I think she must have been switched at birth.:-) Anyway both my kids (18 month old too) like all kinds of bread; they even like eating a plain piece of homemade wheat bread. There are light recipes for banana and pumpkin breads--last month's issue had a pumpkin bread recipe they liked. Also, cookies don't have to be bad if they have good ingredients. I have a peanut butter cookie that is made with wheat flour and other good things. November's Child magazine had some good recipes like Peanut butter and Jelly cookies and cupcakes made with shredded carrots and crushed pineapple. They weren't very sweet but they didn't seem to notice. They also love yogurt. I have a yogurt maker and I mash banana and a little peanut butter in it and sprinkle it with wheat germ and they love it. My 3 year old won't let me forget the wheat germ--they even it without sugar but it doesn't take much to sweeten it up. For myself I like to make smoothies out of yogurt, banana, and frozen strawberries but I have to put in some sugar or sweetner.:-) Also, they love all kinds of fruits and eat raw veggies if there is a dip such as yogurt cheese. Hope this helps--you just have to look beyond the convenience cookie and cracker aisle.:-)

[almiter]

Don't know how old your daughter is, but how about involving her in the cooking process to get her interested. There is a great cookbook for kids called "Kid's Cooking" by the publishers of Klutz books. Also, check out the website www.goosie.com. (http://www.goosie.com.) They wrote a book called "Once Upon a Recipe" as well as others that use stories to get kids interested in cooking, as well as the most adorable line of kid size utensils that are working utensils- not pretend. Good luck

[laden]

I think a lot of it has to do with the presentation. Chips, cookies, and junk food are so easy to pop into your mouth. Instead of just buying fruit, try serving it in wedges with a yogurt dip. Or cut chunks of melon, orange sections and banana. Also serving baby carrots and other raw vegetables with a low-fat or fat free dip might help.

[BethR]

My kids (2 and 4) like just about anything that they can dip in something else. I often give them cut-up fruit with low-fat vanilla yogurt for dipping. Graham crackers work for this too. They also like to eat yogurt with cereal mixed in, and sometimes I crush up a reduced fat Oreo and mix it with yogurt. Carrot sticks and pretzels go over well sometimes, and they develop grapefruit cravings occasionally. My 2 year old loves packaged fruit snacks, but I limit his intake of them because of the sugar. Chocolate schoolhouse cookies from Trader Joe's are pretty well liked, and low-fat. Keep trying different healthy snacks -- you never know when a child will decide to like something!
Beth

[tammy/MN]

my 9 yr old girl loves craisins, my 3 yr old girl loves apples w/ peanut butter, & they both love gogurts-the yogurt in a tube. there is always pretzels & pop corn--try making a trail mix w/ both & raisins & such. my youngest loves anything veggie that can be dipped in fat free blue cheese salad dressing! go figure. i try not to keep anything too bad in the pantry or i will eat it as well.

[Anne]

Hi Sammy. My kids love to snack on quick breads. I usually use about 1/2 the sugar listed in the recipe and hardly any oil or fat - just use more pumkin, squash, or bananas to keep the loaves moist. I usually add powdered milk to up the calcium and mostly whole wheat flour. Pumpkin butter is a great topping or strained yoghurt mixed with banana (make it in small batches as it turns brown quickly). Nuts and cranberries are great additions too.