We are in our second week of the four week DietBet weight loss challenge I am hosting and today I thought we’d talk about healthy snacks. I know personally I get into the routine of eating the same few things for my snacks so I thought it would be helpful to make a list of some healthy snacking options.
I’ll get to these easy and fun frozen pops in a minute.
Snacks are an excellent way to curb your hunger until your next mealtime. Eating frequent small meals helps to keep your blood sugars steady which in turn prevents you from feeling sluggish or overly hungry. Snacks are also a great way to get in all the food groups requirements. I am talking about planned snacks, not mindless munching (i.e. after dinner when you are clearly not hungry but just feel the need to eat).
Snacking when you’re not hungry is definitely an undesired behavior. You must be very mindful when it happens in order to kick the habit. That is a whole other post, but for now let’s talk about some healthy planned snacks that you could incorporate into your day.
Speaking of healthy snacks, I made these frozen banana pops for my kids the other day. Of course they don’t have to be just for kids if you are a fan of frozen bananas. I could have rolled them in a variety of fun toppings, but I wanted to keep them as nutritious as possible so I chose strawberry yogurt, cheerios and wheat germ. Of course melted chocolate and sprinkles were calling my name, along with peanut butter but I wanted to make these nut-free for my son who has yet to be introduced to nuts and I wanted to keep these low in added sugar. The kids loved them just the way they were!
Can I also say if you have older babies (mine is 14 months) these are awesome. It kept my boy occupied in his high chair for about 30 minutes. He started picking the cereal and eventually got to the banana which took it’s time to soften up. He was a mess and loved every bit of it!
You can make as many as you’d like and once they are frozen, transfer them to a zip lock freezer bag for storage. These are also a great snack for the kids to help make.
- 2 firm bananas, cut in half crosswise
- 4 oz organic yogurt (any flavor will work)
- ½ cup cheerios
- 1 Tablespoon wheat germ
- Place wooden stick into cut ends of bananas. Place yogurt on a plate and cereal/wheat germ mixture on another plate.
- Roll banana in yogurt, using spoon to coat it well.
- Next roll yogurt covered banana in cereal mixture, using a spoon or your fingers to press mixture gently onto yogurt.
- Place on a wax paper lined plate and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Once frozen, you may layer banana pops with waxed paper and transfer to a plastic bag for storage.
I most often snack on fruit, nuts and hummus & crackers. One of my goals for 2013 is to make more homemade snacks, especially for the kids. I’ll be sure to share my favorites!!
Questions: What are your go-to favorite snacks?
Pumpkin Pie Bars {Gluten Free}
Cinnamon Baked Apples with Vanilla Yogurt
Berry Lavender Baked Oatmeal
Lamb and Spinach Pita Pizza
I love frozen bananas! I buy apple bananas (since they’re all over Hawaii) and peel them, and wrap them in plastic to toss in the freezer. I grab one when I’m craving a little sweet treat and it hits them spot. Great job snazzing them up for kiddos.
E recently posted..favorite fitness gadget
Thanks! My kids really do love frozen fruit and it was a good treat for me too!
Wow…that’s a great idea…
helen recently posted..Simple Vada Curry
I’m a snacker for sure! Cute idea on the frozen banana pops although my 2 1/2 year old daughter is going through a phase where nothing can be mixed. She would probably want the O’s picked off! 🙂
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted..Blueberry Lemon Chia Seed Mini Muffins
Ahh, my daughter went through a similar stage. She prefers things like sandwiches & tacos separate. First thing she does it deconstruct it all. Haha.
So clever. This is a great idea. I can’t wait to try it. I would strongly suggest, though, using PLAIN yogurt. No need for all the added sugar that is in most flavored yogurts. Especially since there is a good amount of sugar in the banana.
Thanks Suzy! I’m not too worried about the added sugar here since each banana pop only uses about 1 spoon of yogurt so it amounts to only 1-2 grams of added sugar (the 4 ounce container divided among the 4 pops and there was still a little leftover on the plate). My kids are not a fan of plain yogurt and I really like the added flavor in these pops! I have gotten them to like the vanilla Greek yogurt which doesn’t have as much sugar as flavored but not as few as plain. I am happy about it- good compromise in my books. 🙂
These are great for kids…even big kids like my husband! I’ve made them by half dipping them in melted dark chocolate. Such a great night time treat!
Maria Tadic recently posted..How To: The Perfect Vegetable Lasagna
Yum! That is what I plan on doing next time we want a healthier dessert. Thanks for your comment!
My daughter has eaten frozen banana chunks out of the freezer before– I love the idea of turning them into popsicles… might have to do this today as our afternoon snack! Pinning, too. 🙂
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast recently posted..Paleo for Athletes Review and Giveaway
Thanks Laura! They will be great for the Texas summers too. 😉
These are perfect for kids-Thanks for sharing! Great list of healthy snacks too
Thanks Bree!
Since I gave up desserts for the month of January I have been eating a lot of bananas to curb my sweet tooth. I love this idea. I have bananas and sticks, I may try a dairy free version today for the kids after school snack.
Thanks Dana. They requested I make them again so that’s a good sign. 🙂
Love your snack options!
My favourite snack (currently) is a single serving can of tuna with sugar snap peas. MMM. Could eat that 3 times a day (if my hubby didn’t complain about the stinky tuna cans…)
My favorite snacks: roasted butternut squash, roasted green beans with salt, spaghetti squash, grass-fed beef jerky, Wink Frozen Desserts (just made a video review of this AMAZING STUFF!), spinach & ketchup, tomato paste, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and…. FREE SAMPLES AT WHOLE FOODS – LMFAO!!! 😉
GiGi Eats Celebrities recently posted..Worth The Brain Freeze
What a GREAT snack idea for kids!! I know my kiddos would love these.
Tina @ Best Body Fitness recently posted..The Whole Shebang–Nature Made Tour
My nephews would love this! And my sis-in-law would approve, because its healthy! I may sub regular Cheerios for honey-nut
These are perfect for kids-Thanks for sharing!