Healthy Kids Snacks That Aren't
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The added food dyes and high fructose corn syrups cancel out the benefits of the milk. Plus, many of the yogurts for kids are created with a lot of preservatives so that they can weather the trip from home to the lunch room without spoiling. To avoid preservatives, serve yogurt at home. To avoid sugary, additive-filled snacks, sweeten plain yogurt with berries and their juices.
Instant Oatmeal
A high fiber cereal paired with skim (or light soy) milk will keep your kids full straight through the morning until lunch time. But if you reach for the pre-sweetened oatmeal that comes packaged in individual bags, you'll be setting your kids up for a sugar high and subsequent crash as if you had served them a breakfast pastry instead. There is far too much sugar included in each serving of instant oatmeal packets (up to 3 teaspoons each) to justify its fiber content.
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Instead, use the unsweetened instant oatmeal and add your own spices or ingredients to make it tastier. You can still cook it in the microwave in 2 minutes or less and you can still offer the same flavors - try sprinkling real cinnamon on top or add a handful of blueberries - but now you'll include important nutrients and minerals, which were previously absent.
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