Snack Archives - Designed For You Nutrition

21 08, 2023

Starting Kindergarten

By Amy Sonnenberg|2023-08-21T12:16:42-04:00August 21st, 2023|Blog, Misc, Snack|0 Comments

Kindergarten. For parents and children, it is a big mix of excitement as well as uncertainty as you both prepare for a new adventure.

I recently polled a group of preschoolers about what part of kindergarten they were most excited about. Running in the gym and getting to eat lunch at school were tied for first place. While I offered them advice to not to crash into their friends in the gym, we’ll talk nutrition tips here.

From years of supply teaching as an Early Childhood Educator in Kindergarten classrooms, I’ve had the opportunity to witness a wide range of elementary social dining situations. For many children, it is a whole new world eating socially without a parent looking over their shoulder. Whether you are 4 or 44, eating with your friends is so much fun! Educators do their very best to remind children to make good use of their time, but the reality is that the “kindies” often get distracted during nutrition breaks. It is up to us to set our children up for success. Starting Kindergarten

Hand Washing 101: Kindergarten children often like to pump soap and watch it go down the drain. This isn’t going to cut it. Show your child how to properly wash their hands & practice together. Singing the alphabet while hand washing is a great strategy for helping them scrub a little longer as well as practice their, “ABC’s.” Win-win in my books!
Practice with lunch dishes ahead of time. The ones with latches are easier to open and close for little hands. Let them eat from these dishes during the summer, that way they will be experts at opening and closing the dishes before school even starts.
Send water. Juice boxes often get wasted or spilled. Whole fruits are a more nutritious option and more likely to not be wasted.
Pack small bite sized foods. Peeling oranges or eating a large sandwich can be challenging with limited time.
Ask your child what they would like to have packed in their lunches. Make a list of their suggestions together and shop based on the list. Re-visit the list every few months to see if there are any new additions or things that should be removed for a little while.
It can be difficult to gauge how much food to send. Some days it will seem as though you can’t keep up with how much food they eat and other days, the lunch will appear untouched. Getting used to school and eating in a group setting takes time to get used to.

Some Lunch Box Favourites:

Cut up fruit like strawberries, melon, apples & pears
Fresh

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

6 04, 2023

Easter 2023

By Amy Sonnenberg|2023-04-06T10:34:04-04:00April 6th, 2023|Blog, Misc, Snack|0 Comments

It is that time of the year again when the chocolate bunnies and jelly beans are out in full force. Mini eggs used to be my weakness. I would open the bag and I couldn’t stop eating them until they were gone. While they are still one of my favourites, I can eat a few here and there and be completely content. In fact, I currently have a part bag in my pantry that has been there for a few weeks already.

I will readily admit that there was a time when I had trouble saying no to sugar. I had secret stashes all over the place – in my purse, in the house and even at work. Over the years, things have changed and I have been able to form a healthier relationship with sugar. It took time and patience with myself – it didn’t happen overnight. I learned to deal with those cravings with new strategies. Sometimes it was exercising, calling a friend or putting a serving of chocolate into a bowl and NOT going back for seconds. Some days were tough. Some days I felt like I succeeded managing my cravings and some days I didn’t. The good days were just as important as the bad days in my learning curve though. The good days showed me I could do it and the bad days, when I felt nauseous afterwards, reminded me why I needed to keep working on the goal of reducing sugar.

During these special occasions and holidays, I often think about instilling healthy habits in our children. In many ways it feels like we hop from Halloween, Christmas to Valentine’s and then Easter, all with a pretty significant focus on sweet treats. While I am all in for a little indulgence here and there, what are we teaching our children when we bombard them with sugar at every occasion? What kind of habits are they forming that they may have to struggle to break as they get older? Will they too struggle with eating too much sugar just like I did?

With all this in mind, I thought I would share some alternative ideas to fill your child’s Easter basket with. While some sweet treats are fine, there are so many other wonderful things to include in a fun basket.

• bouncy balls
• bubbles
• vegetable seeds & gardening tools
• good quality chocolate – no hydrogenated oils – avoid cheap chocolate!
• skipping ropes
• shorts & t-shirt
• swim suit
• sandals
• Fruit to Go – real fruit leather
• fold up soccer net
• mini hockey sticks
• reusable water bottle
• crafty things – stickers, pencils, markers, googly eyes
• books
• side walk chalk
• ball glove and baseball
• ice pop molds – make your own frozen yogurt or smoothie tubes!

Please share some of your healthy ideas below in the comments!
From my family to yours, have a blessed Easter!

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

9 11, 2022

More of This, Less of That

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-11-09T21:14:46-05:00November 9th, 2022|Blog, Snack|0 Comments

As North Americans, it feels as if we often have an all or nothing approach to many areas of our lives. This is very true in the world of healthy eating. We seem to find ourselves in a never-ending cycle of over indulging and then promptly forever swearing off of candy, chips, pizza, cookies, etc. The truth is that this method rarely works and if it does, it is usually with copious amounts of determination and only for short periods of time. It is actually just a “more of this, less of that” issue.

What if we starting looking at healthy eating a little differently? Let’s make a pact to erase the whole ‘good food,’ and ‘bad food,’ classification system that we have been using. While we are at it, let’s also forget about the whole guilt after eating thing. Let’s approach food with the knowledge that all food are options to be enjoyed. We can still acknowledge that food choices have varying levels of nutrient density and begin implementing strategies that make more room for more nutrient dense foods in your life. A little more of this and less of that, if you will.

One of my favourite strategies when working with clients is instead of banning certain foods, we make more nutrient dense choices a priority. We can still eat some chips, while at the same time are also actively looking for ways to increase our raw veggie intake too. For example, have one small bowl of chips paired with carrot sticks and hummus.

Think you drink too much coffee? Try drinking from a smaller mug and aim to add 2 extra glasses of water per day. Slowly but surely as you make room for healthier habits in your life, your tastebuds shift and you will find yourself skipping the chips every once in a while, and enjoying carrots & hummus on their own. Most often it is these smaller shifts in habits that set you up for long term success. My point is that eating nutritiously isn’t meant to be a punishment. It is actually a beautiful way to show yourself some love. What is one thing you can do today to fit in more nutrients to your daily diet?

Photo by Negar Mz on Unsplash

13 09, 2022

Marvelous Muffins

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-09-13T23:34:08-04:00September 13th, 2022|Blog, Misc, Snack|0 Comments

Store bought muffins have a long list of ingredients, many of which are things that aren’t commonly found in your own kitchen.

I remember a time when first married that even the idea of baking muffins in my own kitchen seemed like a mountainous task. I wasn’t sure where to start and relied on prepackaged muffin mixes to help me along. As I enjoyed success using these packages, I became more adventurous and started opening more of my recipe books that had begun to collect dust.

With trial and error, this banana muffin recipe was born. I can count on this recipe to bring me delicious results every single time. Skip the grocery store variety and enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done with your own homemade morsels.

Banana Muffins

4-5 ripe bananas
1/3 c coconut oil, melted
½ c raw sugar
1 free range egg, whisked
½ tsp vanilla
1½ c spelt, gluten free or whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ c flax, ground
½ c chocolate chips, pecan or walnut pieces or dried cranberries
¼ c raw pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top of muffins

Preheat oven to 375°F when using a stone muffin pan, 350°F for non-stick muffin pan. Mash bananas. Add sugar, egg & vanilla. In another medium sized mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir in melted coconut oil. Add chocolate chips and give a quick stir. Divide evenly into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Insert a cake tester to make sure they are baked through.

Photo by MICHAEL CHIARA on Unsplash

3 08, 2022

Leaving the Nest

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-08-03T15:59:59-04:00August 3rd, 2022|Blog, Breakfast, Brunch, Misc, Snack|0 Comments

There comes a time when we have to let our baby birdie’s leave the nest. For many of us, this transition happens right around now as many of the big kids are off to post-secondary education or finding apartments and starting new jobs.

One of the biggest challenges a young adult faces when they leave their childhood home is how to feed themselves. Independently grocery shopping, abiding by a budget, cooking and keeping up with school or work expectations is a lot to manage all at once.

Quick Tips:

• Find stores that are either in walking distance or along the bus route.
• Discuss the value of menu planning & purchasing sale items.
• Have them join you when shopping. Nothing beats a little hands-on experience.
• What appliances are available or allowed in their living space? Having a clear picture of what is available will allow for maximum creativity and resourcefulness. Many residences or roommate situations offer communal kitchen spaces that provide space in a fridge, a stove/oven, microwave, etc.
• Regardless of kitchen space, pack some glass dishes with snap lids for easy food storage. A few key pieces of cutlery and perhaps a favourite mug as well to make them feel more at home.
• If there is a purchased menu plan, find out exactly what is included and how to stretch your options as much as possible. Don’t waste your money on foods you can easily have or make in your room. Making their own coffee or tea can save a pile of money. Save the fancy café stops for a special treat.

Being Creative in Your Space:

No kitchen, no problem:

• trail mix
• bagged popcorn
• pretzels
• apples, bananas, oranges, pears

Have a kettle?

• tea, coffee, hot chocolate
• oatmeal
• soup

Have a fridge?

• yogurt, cheese
• milk
• fruit & veggies
• hummus

Have a toaster oven?

• whole grain toast
• frozen homemade waffles & pancakes
• reheat leftovers

Have a personal blender?

• smoothies
• guacamole
• hummus

High Value Foods:

These foods are generally gentle on the budget while at the same time providing good nutrient value.

• natural nut butters – almond, peanut
• raw nuts & seeds
• lentils, black beans, chickpeas
• whole grain pasta & sauce
• quinoa

Healthy Living Habits:

• minimize late night snacking & if you do, make it good quality choices
• eat regularly – aim for 3 main meals & no skipping breakfast
• get outside – with a sometimes hectic class schedule & homework, we can forget to take advantage of the beautiful sprawling campuses; getting outside is not only good for physical exercise, it is also good for nourishing our brains and giving us some space to breathe

Wishing you well as you both begin a new adventure!

Photo by Sarath C M on Unsplash

4 07, 2022

Camping & Cottage Life

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-07-04T17:31:51-04:00July 4th, 2022|Appetizer, Blog, Breakfast, Brunch, Entree, Misc, Snack|0 Comments

There is so much more to holiday food than hotdogs and s’mores over the fire. Take it up a notch this summer by spending a little time planning your menu ahead of time.

Here are my top 5 tips to make your outdoor holiday a success!

1. Plan ALL meals and snacks before you pack up the car for your adventure.

2. Eat highly perishable items near the beginning of the trip and pack the cooler in order of use.

3. Keep drinks in a separate cooler from food. This will help avoid perishable food from being in a cooler that is opened more frequently.

4. Tape 3-5 empty, ‘tic-tac,’ containers together and fill with spices such as salt, pepper, garlic powder or cinnamon. This makes your spices easy to find and, in a user, friendly container.

5. Dedicate a large plastic tote to your make outdoor makeshift kitchen. This bin has shaved off hours of prep because it contains all the miscellaneous items, we might need and have forgotten in the past.

Now What to Eat?

Do whatever washing, chopping or prepping you can at home. We always take with us a large container of pre-cut veggies. Fruit is pre-washed, dried and stored in large plastic storage bags.

Breakfast:

• hard boiled eggs
• whole grain pancakes that just need to be warmed in the toaster
• oatmeal – add in raisins, nuts, cinnamon and maple syrup
• granola

Lunch:

• whole grain wraps or pitas filled with tuna, avocado & veggies, hummus & veggies
• mini whole grain pita pizzas – pizza sauce, sliced nitrate free turkey pepperoni, diced green peppers and grated cheese
• sandwiches – sliced cheese, nitrate free deli meat, whole grain bread, lettuce, tomatoes and mustard
• Good old PB & Jelly – whole grain bread, unsweetened peanut butter and naturally sweetened jam

Dinner

• foil dinners – prepare these ahead of time at home and use near the beginning of your trip. (chicken & veggies, roasted potatoes)
• steak
• precooked sausage

Snacks

• produce that doesn’t bruise easily – oranges, apples, carrots, celery
• hummus
• trail mix
• nut butter & apple slices

Photo by Laurine Bailly on Unsplash

25 05, 2022

Rhubarb Mango Muffins

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-05-25T09:17:06-04:00May 25th, 2022|Blog, Breakfast, Snack|0 Comments

Rhubarb is one of the first flavours of spring that our gardens gift us with. In addition to welcoming us to the season, rhubarb is also a good source of fibre, vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

While I do love the combination of rhubarb and strawberries, I wanted to think outside of the box and experiment a little. So, what happens when you take the tropical sweet flavour of mango and pair it with the pucker producing flavours of rhubarb? Something magical and delicious!

Rhubarb Mango Muffins

1 cup rolled oats
1 1/3 c gluten-free or spelt flour
3/4 c raw sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c unsweetened coconut
3/4 c milk or unsweetened dairy alternative (oat, almond)
1/2 c coconut oil, melted
2 c rhubarb, finely chopped
1 medium mango, peeled & diced

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line your muffin tin with paper liners if you need to.

Note: I have a stoneware muffin pan that requires no greasing or paper liners. I’ve been using the same pan for at least 10 years and I love it! It does take some time to season the pan, but it is time well spent.

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon & coconut. Mix ingredients until they are evenly distributed. Prepare rhubarb & mango and add to oat mixture. Stir in fruit so that it is also evenly distributed. Melt coconut oil and set aside. Add milk and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir. Now add the melted coconut oil and stir. If the batter seems too thick, add ¼ c milk until you get a cake like batter consistency. Divide the batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Enjoy!

Photo by Slashio Photography on Unsplash

11 04, 2022

Variation of An Easter Egg Hunt

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-04-11T11:24:00-04:00April 11th, 2022|Blog, Snack|0 Comments

Easter is a special time in our house. While we do take time to reflect and appreciate the significance of the holiday, let’s be honest, the Easter basket / egg hunt is a pretty exciting part of the festivities! So what does the Easter Bunny bring to our house?

My boys do have a few Easter sweet treats that they look forward to and I do think it’s important to allow these in moderation. The more I say no to treats, the more alluring they become. Allowing them to have the opportunity to indulge and practice self-regulation is an important life skill that takes trial and error to get right. That being said, I try to focus on non-candy things to add to my kid’s baskets.

When the kids were little, all it took was a container of bubbles, a bit of sidewalk chalk and plastic eggs to keep them happy. With kids that are a little older now, it can be a little more difficult to join in the fun without relying on candy.

A few things I’ve learned over the years:

• It can be challenging to remember that Easter is not Christmas 2.0. As is true with most holidays, we are encouraged to spend, spend, spend. The amount of money we spend on our child is not a true reflection of our love. The time that we spend with them matters more.
• The hunt is often more exciting than what is in the basket. Use the basket as an opportunity to give your kid’s the things that they already need for the upcoming season.
• It may be an actual crime that mini eggs taste as good as they do!

Here are a few of my favourite things… (Anyone else hear the song in my head?)

Ages: 0-2

• Keep it simple with empty plastic eggs and a basket – enough said.
• If you do want to add a thing or two, board books are a great option.

Ages: 2-4

• empty plastic eggs and a basket
• sidewalk chalk
• bubbles
• crayons, markers
• stickers
• bug catcher
• clothes – new sundress or shorts, sandals, sun hat or ball cap, swimming gear
• snacks from Love Child Organics

Ages: 5+

• sports equipment (ball & glove, bike helmet, skipping ropes, yo-yo, hacky sack) After a long winter, get them excited to spend more time outside again!
• books
• clothes as above
• sunglasses
• seeds to plant – flower or vegetable, gardening gloves & shovels
• sand pail & shovel
• kite

Ages: 10+

• same as above
• gift cards for mini golf, bowlinghttps://www.designedforyounutrition.com/easter-basket-rescue/
• headphones
• music

While it doesn’t hurt to throw in a few chocolate eggs here and there, we are training our kids taste buds. Let’s help them learn how to celebrate special events without making sugary treats the focus.

Do you have more ideas to add to my list? Please comment below and share your thoughts!

Previously posted as Easter Basket Rescue.

4 04, 2022

Sports & Snacks – Creating a Winning Combination

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-04-04T10:49:47-04:00April 4th, 2022|Blog, Snack|0 Comments

Sports fields are bustling with activity. Soccer balls, nets, baseballs and bats have come out of storage. New cleats have been purchased and lines are painted on the grass.

As a nutritionist and mom, I have a few thoughts about re-fueling during and after the game.

Let’s consider rehydration first. Most often, water is the best source of rehydration. When physical activity has been intense for a period of 60 minutes or more is when your child’s body may need a little more replenishing.

Sports drinks are filled with artificial colours, flavours & sweeteners or refined sugar. Some bottles top out at nearly 9 teaspoons of sugar! The World Health Organization recommends no more that 3-4 teaspoons of sugar daily for a child up to the age of 8. For children 9 and above, we use the adult recommendation which is no more than 6 to 9 teaspoons of sugar daily. The average North American, children included consume 33 teaspoons of sugar every day! With one 591 ml bottle of a commercially prepared sports drink, you are either exceeding or maxing out the daily recommendation. Think it is better to skip the sugar and rely on artificial sweeteners? Think again, the use of these substitutes have been implicated in weight gain, migraines and nausea. Another common question I hear is about chocolate milk. Here is the scoop, 1 cup of chocolate milk has 4.25 teaspoons of refined sugar in it! Again, the younger child has exceeded the recommended amount with just one glass.

Keep it simple & offer water. If you feel that your child requires a sports drink I suggest making your own by diluting 1 part 100% fruit juice with 2 parts water and adding a dash of sea salt. Some athletes use coconut water as well. Instead of chocolate milk, offer a plain glass of milk which has the same amount of protein as chocolate but without any refined sugar. Add in a banana and you’ve got a great snack that is both a source of protein and carbohydrate.

The issue of refueling can get a little complex when training for intense sport is involved. If your child is in this category, it is wise to seek professional counsel to make sure you are on the right track.

Here are my favourite post sport snack tips for rec leagues. Remember to take into account any allergy restrictions on your team. Avoid refined sugars, artificial flavours & colours. After all, most children are heading to bed shortly after getting home. Look for whole food options whenever possible:

• watermelon
• blueberries
• banana & melon kabobs
• strawberries & plain yogurt for dipping
• orange slices
• carrot sticks & hummus
• cucumber slices & cheese
• frozen grapes

Wishing you many happy evenings cheering on your team!

Photo by Connor Coyne on Unsplash

20 09, 2021

Lunch Box Rescue

By Amy Sonnenberg|2021-09-20T14:44:47-04:00September 20th, 2021|Blog, Brunch, Snack|0 Comments

Here we are a few weeks into our fall routine. Right now is about when the novelty of packing lunches begins to wear off. If this is you, keep reading for tips & tricks to pull you out of your lunch box slump.

• make a list of what you like to eat for lunch & don’t forget about leftovers
• using this list, plan your lunches for the week ahead of time
• make your lunch the night before
• bake a batch of these delicious banana muffins to surprise yourself at lunch with

Banana Muffins

4-5 ripe bananas
1/3 c coconut oil, melted
1/2 c raw sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c spelt or gluten free flour
1/4 c ground flax seed
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c chopped pecans, optional
1/3 c chocolate chips or dried cranberries
1/4 c raw pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mash bananas. Add coconut oil, sugar, egg & vanilla. Using a wooden spoon or mixer, combine ingredients well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, flax, baking soda & baking powder. Add dry ingredients to wet. Mix well being mindful not to over mix. Add nuts & chocolate chips or cranberries. Give a quick stir. Divide evenly into 12 muffin cups. Top with pumpkin seeds. Bake for 24 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. If these muffins are going to school, please keep in mind the nut-free policy.

Enjoy!

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