Healthy Snacks for Hungry Teens?
We know how it is to be a teenager and crave junk food all the time, or we used to at one point in our lives. But since we know what kind of havoc it would cause on our health, we should be wiser than them when making healthy choices for ourselves.
Snacking is an essential aspect of our day, but also, if snacked by itself, it can lead us to trouble in terms of weight gain. Here are some healthy snacks that will not only keep you feeling full but won’t turn into that belly bulge.
A handful of almonds (for teenage girls) :
Almonds are a good source of fiber needed when your diet lacks fiber-rich foods like vegetables. Fiber helps in keeping you full for more extended periods, which prevents unnecessary snacking or eating junk food. Almonds also help keep your sugar levels balanced, thus preventing mood swings that binge on unhealthy snacks.
A piece of fruit (for teenage boys):
Fruits are undoubtedly the best way to satiate hunger pangs, especially when craving salty snacks like chips or fries. Bananas are highly recommended as they keep our digestive system working correctly. The high fiber content keeps us full for more extended periods and balances our blood sugar levels, preventing food cravings later on.
Unsalted popcorn (for teenage girls):
Popcorn can be made at home by popping corn kernels without adding salt or butter. They make a perfect healthy snack since they are high in fiber and water content which keeps you full for extended periods! This is where Nutrition comes into time while still being low in calories.
Whole wheat crackers (for teenage boys):
Crackers made from whole wheat or brown rice help keep our sugar levels balanced ahus reducing the hunger pangs between meals.
Snack ideas for youth:
Inexpensive school snack ideas are essential, but they can be challenging to come up with. Many parents try to provide their children with healthy snacks in the hope of keeping them fit and well. But there is a need for some inexpensive snacks that can fit into your budget while still helping feed the kids throughout the day.
Here are some simple suggestions for great affordable treats that you can give your young ones when they’re off to school or on an outing:
Crackers and Cheese Spreads:
Using slices of cheese or lunch meats, cut them into small squares, then place them onto crackers or bread pieces. You can find low-priced canned cheese spreads at most supermarkets that offer multiple packs for a reasonable price.
Chips and Salsa:
As crazy as it sounds, some people still think that the key to keeping the family on their toes is making them eat chips with salsa. Although this can certainly be inexpensive, it can also upset the stomach if you are not careful about eating it together.
If you must have this combination for your kids, try buying lower-priced bags of corn chips or tortilla chips which are usually around $1-$2 for a large bag. Then buy canned salsa at one of your local supermarkets for another dollar or two per jar. A good rule of thumb here is less expensive brands tend to have more volume per jar than higher-priced ones do, so you’ll be saving money.
Nuts and Fruits:
The best thing about nuts is that you can buy them in bulk at most wholesale or discount retailers for a meager price per pound compared to what supermarkets charge. You could then either have the kids find creative ways to eat them, such as by adding walnuts to their salads or mixing peanuts into rice cereal, cocoa pebbles, pancake mix, etc., or you can have them just snack on nut mixes without any problem whatsoever.
Some good examples of this are pistachio nut mixes sold at many stores throughout the year for around $20-$25/kilo, which can quickly provide your family with enough snacks for a week! Other lower-priced dried fruit varieties usually come in at around $10/kilo.
Oatmeal and Raisins:
This combination seems to be growing more popular as time moves on, but it’s been around for hundreds of years indeed! If you want your children to eat oatmeal instead of the same old cold breakfast cereals each day (not that there’s anything wrong with those), one easy way to make it interesting for them is by adding raisins or other small dried fruits such as cranberries, cherries, etc., into their bowl before serving.
You can also buy different flavored oatmeals such as apple cinnamon style varieties which will take things up a notch without causing too much-added expense.
Leftover Mashed Potatoes:
Although this might sound strange, some parents prepare these up ahead of time for their children to take to school with them! They do this because mashed potatoes are very filling, warm, and delicious.
If you want your kids to be excited about eating something healthy, try making extra mashed potatoes one night and then taking some in containers the following day before setting out for work or school. Just don’t forget to include a fork to enjoy it with ease.
Fruity Cereal Bars:
For those who don’t know, cereal bars are nothing more than cold cereal items formed into different bar shapes and wrapped plastic wrappers instead of boxes.
Although these may seem like they’d be more expensive than eating cold cereal, the opposite is usually true as you’ll save more money buying them than you would by purchasing separate boxes of cereal.
A great example of this is some brands of Froot Loops type cereals which sell for around $3-$4/box but then give your children 5 or 6 bars instead!