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I'm not sure if this is the correct forum for this topic. If it's not, then the mods can move it to the correct one.
A relative, who is a single dad, has asked us for ideas. We suggested things like buying a bag of apples. The problem is when their dad is at work, they end up eating items that are junk food. (Yes, he needs to limit how much junk food there is in their house.)
The snacks need to be ones that are easy to prepare as one of the teens has issues with coordination and thus would have problems preparing something simple. He is the one who is most likely to grab something unhealthy. For example, their dad had an item that was meant for dessert but got eaten by the kids.
I thought of something like having him get a bag of so-called baby carrots and some hummus.
Does anyone have some other good ideas that I could pass along to their dad?
yes.
baby carrots.
we eat them like candy.
if they do not like them "raw",
try a Ranch Dressing dip.
(ONLY Ranch seems to work)
after a while, lazy teens will not
even bother with the dressing.
grab a handful and go.
I know a couple who prepare healthy snacks for their (younger) children, like hard boiled eggs, washed & cut celery & other vegetables, washed grapes, peanut butter sandwiches, cheese cubes and crackers, and things like that and store them in the frig for them to eat.
I know another parent that has a "snack cupboard" with things like granola bars, fig bars, trail mix, raisons and things like that. Her young son can always find something (fairly) heathy to eat when he is hungry.
I agree that "junk food" needs to be limited in the house if that is what the teen is always selecting.
By the time that my kids were teens they were making many of their own complete meals, or meals for the entire family, as they got home earlier than their parents.
Apples dipped in peanut butter is something my kid likes. We have one of those apple slicers that you push down over the apple & it cuts them into wedges off the apple core. There are even these "Jif to go" (or some similar name) that is a serving of PB easily used for dipping.
Cut up bell peppers for dipping into hummus or ranch dressing. Celery with peanut butter (you can even buy the celery precut if you want). If they want to use the microwave, you can get frozen edamame and heat that up. Although I'm guessing they really want stuff they can just grab.
Smart Food popcorn is pretty tasty and while it's not theoretically healthy, it's on the better end of "junk" food.
If the Dad wants to plan ahead, he could make a bunch of turkey (or other deli meat) roll-ups, cut them up and just store them in the 'fridge. Take some tortillas, spread a thin layer of light cream cheese (or mayo or mustard...), layer some lettuce and turkey on it. You could add other stuff too, but you don't want it too thick. Roll up the tortilla and then cut into slices cross-ways, so you end up with discs about an inch thick. They are pretty easy to make and you can make a bunch at once, so they'd last for a few days in the 'fridge.
As you mentioned, the key will really be not having junk food available to them.
Most of the suggestions already made are things that we do. Another is to purposefully make or buy extra dinner food so that some is left over. When my kids get tired of apples, carrots, and granola bars, they like to heat up some of the chili, shepherd's pie, enchiladas or whatever we had for dinner yesterday. These foods also tend to be higher in protein than the usual "snacks," which is a bonus.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hapa1
I grow avocados in my yard and my nephews like to eat them as a snack. They are very healthy and delicious.
This works if you live in Southern California AND it's avocado season. My family loves avocados too, but we're between crops locally and the next batch won't be ripe until November.
Some teens will grab a big bowl of cereal. I make granola at home so it has less sugar and lots of nuts and dried fruit. That's a healthy snack, especially with milk.
Assorted fruits and vegetables, pre-washed and pre-cut and ready to eat.
Peanut butter on toast or crackers. Tuna mayo mixed and ready to go. Dried fruit, nuts, trail mix, beef jerky.
I'd make up dozens of bean and cheese burritos and have them in the freezer, ready to microwave.
The kids would make grilled cheese sandwiches.
There wasn't a problem with junk food in my house because I would never buy any. They can't eat it if it isn't in the house.
My first thought was the veggies-and-hummus idea someone else mentioned. The dad can also show his teens how to make guacamole, and keep celery sticks handy. Guacamole is very easy: add lemon/lime juice, oregano, salt and chopped garlic and green onions to smashed avocado. Voila! Not only a tasty, healthy dip, but a great sandwich spread, too.
There's a brand of crackers that are wheat/gluten free, that are very good, called "Mary's Gone Crackers", in several subtle flavors, made of crushed seeds with a nice texture, that can be used with cheese and cucumber for snacks. This could even be dipped in guacamole for an extra touch.
Dad should stop bringing junk food into the house. No carbonated drinks, either. Sugared cereal counts as junk food, IMO.
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My family loves avocados too, but we're between crops locally and the next batch won't be ripe until November.
