Age appropriate snacking is SO last year. Eat how you feel inside: playful, healthy, full-of-life. Throw away that sleeve of raw almonds. Ditch the dried fruit. Grab a pack of fresh, nutritious, nestled-in-nostalgia Sunnie and Snack Your Age.
]]>The statistics on snacking are sobering. Studies show that snacks make up roughly 23 to 27% of kids’ daily nutritional intake. U.S. kids snack anywhere from 2 to 10 times a day, averaging the nutritional equivalent of a fourth meal. What they snack on adds much of the sugar, fat and salt we see in their typical diets.
Parents understand that snacks have the power to drag a child’s diet down the unhealthy rabbit hole. And this is unsettling.
But what if we could harness the best of snacks and snacking? What if we could make snacks work for children, not against them?
It’s possible. Especially if you focus on the strength of what a snack can offer your child. Snacks can be an effective way to meet your child’s nutritional needs, balance his overall diet, and regulate his appetite.
Let’s dive deeper.
Snacks Fill Nutrient Gaps in the Diet
No child eats perfectly. They are on the learning curve of eating, discovering their food preferences and dislikes. Eating can be sporadic, monotonous and unbalanced. Take the preschooler who is on a food jag, or the grade-schooler who takes the same lunch to school every day, for example. Many parents would call them “picky.” Their eating patterns place them at a higher risk for missing important nutrients in their diets.
Yet, nutritious snacks have the power to provide quality nutrients, like calcium, protein, and vitamin C, closing the gap and creating food balance. Use snacks strategically to cover your nutritional “bases.” For example, if kids don’t get enough fruit or vegetables at mealtime, they can be offered as part of a snack. If getting enough fiber is a challenge, choose snacks that deliver a source, such as whole grain granola or blueberries.
Snacks Stave Off Hunger
Have you ever noticed how a child responds to a single snack food like fishy-shaped crackers? Either they eat them and are hungry soon afterward, or they eat a lot of them just to feel satisfied. In the end, kids tend to be over-hungry or overeating.
Certain nutrients in foods such as protein, fat and fiber are effective in helping kids feel fuller longer. Fiber, protein and fat digest slowly and empty from the stomach at a slower rate than carbohydrate, for instance. This means kids stay fuller longer after eating a snack containing these nutrients.
The key is to offer more than one food group for a snack, and provide smaller portions than you would at mealtime. A “mini-meal,” if you will. Mini-meals have two or more food groups that pack a punch of filling nutrients. For example, our blueberry granola bites offer fiber, protein and other important nutrients, filling your child up and closing the nutrient gaps. And, what’s better? No more screams of “I’m hungry!”
Snacks Add Variety
A varied diet equals a nutrient-rich diet. One of the goals of feeding kids is to introduce them to a wide range of foods and add variety to the diet over time. When parents offer the same snacks day in and day out, they miss an opportunity to enhance the balance and variety of their child’s diet. Parents and kids get stuck serving and eating the same snacks again and again.
It’s Time to Harness the Power of Snacks
The truth is, kids do well when they snack on nutrient-rich, wholesome snacks. They enhance their daily eating patterns and diet quality, keeping kids growing well, regulating their appetite and eating, and helping them develop good snacking habits.
Let’s make snacks a win for children!
These combinations of nutrient-rich foods may offer your child more variety, keep him full and satisfied, and minimize nutrient deficits:
What’s your favorite snack to give to your child?
By Jill Castle, MS, RDN
Sunnie Advisor and Author, The Smart Mom’s Guide to Healthy Snacking
]]>I clearly remember the night I switched our family dinner experience to a family-style service.
Family-style is a way to serve food, usually with meal items on platters and in bowls, centered on the table. Kids and other family members serve themselves. My daughter looked up at me at the end of our meal and asked excitedly, “Mommy, are we going to eat like this all the time?”
She loved having all the food on the table and the freedom to choose her meal. I loved knowing that all I had to do was select the menu and prepare the food.
I knew I was onto something.
Why You Should Try Make-Your-Own Meals
Over the years as a mom and pediatric dietitian, I’ve come to see the value in letting kids make their own meal (or snack). Aside from the smile at the end of a meal, there are some real benefits to taking this approach.
1. Autonomy Fosters a Sense of Capability
When I teach about child nutrition, I always include the topic of child development. I believe it gives parents priceless information about what motivates some the typical behaviors we see in children, like picky eating or asking for specific foods that peers eat.
We know from studies in child psychology that school age children are developing their sense of capability. In fact, experts call this phase the Industry vs. Inferiority phase. If a child learns a new skill, she’s more likely to view herself as a capable human being. If I child fails to learn, or, someone does the skill for her (such as making food choices, or assembling food, for example), she may learn she’s inferior, or incapable.
When kids learn they’re capable, they can grow into independent, autonomous individuals. This feeds into their self-esteem, as well.
Letting kids make their own meals provides an opportunity to cultivate autonomy in everyday life.
2. Self-Service Encourages Learning about Appetite, Food Preferences, and a Balanced Plate
Kids are born learners. In fact, they’re learning about food, what they like and dislike, how much to eat, and how to make a nutritious and satisfying meal. And all this can happen during mealtime!
Letting your child serve herself gives direct feedback so she can keep learning about food and her body. For example, when your child puts too much food on her plate, she learns to take less and come back for seconds. If she doesn't serve herself enough, she learns to take more next time.
She may learn to take small amounts of new foods so she doesn’t waste it. And, by watching you, she’ll learn what a balanced plate looks like.
3. Kids are More Likely to Eat It
I remember watching my kids make their own plates at parties. After giving some loose guidance such as, “pick a fruit or a veggie,” and “choose a good protein source,” I let my kids pick and choose what they wanted to eat. And they’d eat a good meal.
No big surprise. Some research indicates that when kids can be “hands on” with food and in charge of their selections, they’re more likely to eat what they’ve chosen. Plus serving oneself may lead to less overeating and being open to new foods.
4. Family-Style Meals Cultivate Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Cutting a piece of lasagna with a fork and knife, and pouring a glass of milk may seem easy for you and I , but for a child, there’s a big learning curve to climb. Yes, of course, you need to be there for support (especially for the safety aspects of using a knife!), but you’re letting your kid figure it out.
The table is a great place to cultivate the fine motor (cutting or sprinkling shredded cheese onto food) and gross motor (passing bowls or spooning food onto a plate) skills all kids need to learn and develop.
At Sunnie, it’s important that all kids are supported in their developing autonomy and skills with food. Our lunch kits its are designed with this in mind.
If your goal is to raise an independent, healthy eater, you can start cultivating her independence now. Just let your child assemble lunch.
Shine on, friends!
Jill Castle, MS, RDN
]]>What’s a parent to do? Some parents have unwittingly turned into food cops, policing every morsel of food that enters their child’s mouth. Others feel they’ve been set up to fail. Navigating these foods without controlling them seems super-human.
I get it. As a pediatric dietitian, I’ve seen families struggle with sweets and treats. On the one hand, parents want their kids to enjoy them. On the other hand, they don’t want them to take over the healthy diet they’ve worked hard to establish.
The good news is there’s a way to manage them. A way that will allow your child to enjoy them without ruining his healthy diet or his relationship with you or food.
But first, let’s clarify what constitutes sugar, because many parents are confused.
What is added sugar?
The sugar recommendations for kids and the guidelines put out by health organizations, detail the limits on added sugar. Added sugar is the refined sugar, such as white sugar, brown sugar or agave, that’s added to foods during processing. For example, homemade cookies and quick breads have a cup or two of sugar in the recipe, which makes them sweet. Added sugar is found in candy, cookies, and sweetened beverages like soda and lemonade.
Other foods contain added sugar but aren’t so obvious – they’re hidden. They may be found in mayonnaise, bread, baby food, cereal, crackers, tortillas, sausages, salad dressings, packaged oatmeal, yogurt, and spaghetti sauce, for instance.
Recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) state that children’s added sugar intake should be less than 6 teaspoons per day (or less than 25 grams). This doesn’t mean the number of teaspoons you actually add to your child’s food. This is the daily added sugar allowance from all food sources, including obvious and hidden sources.
For younger children (under the age of two years), experts from the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) caution against introducing added sugar in the daily diet. If you can hold off on introducing sweets and treats until later, you can get a head start on helping your child develop healthy eating habits.
Reading the ingredient labels on food packages can help you detect added sugar. Words that end with “-ose,” like sucrose or glucose, and ingredients such as honey, molasses, agave, and coconut sugar indicate sources of added sugar.
What Does Not Constitute Added Sugar?
Sometimes parents get confused about sugar, vilifying fruit or milk as sources of sugar. They see the Nutrition Facts Panel and see the word “Sugars” and automatically think it means added sugar. It doesn't. There’s actually a separate line for added sugars, which makes interpreting the labels on food packages much easier.
The nuance is this: Yes, fruit and milk contain sugar, specifically fructose and lactose, but these are not added. They occur naturally. Grapes, banana and watermelon are naturally packaged with sweetness. Nature intended milk to have lactose, and fruit to have fructose as part of the package. Because these foods don’t contain a source of added sugar, you won’t find formal limitations for them in the diets of children.
How to Balance Sweets and Treats
Including sweets and treats in the diets of children is a balancing act. Research informs us that eliminating them altogether or tightly controlling them may drive children to like them more and overindulge when eating them. Alternatively, creating a free-for-all with sweets will likely lead to overeating them. You need to hit the sweet spot - a strategy for including sweets.
Here are some suggestions:
Whether we like it or not, sweets and treats are part of the childhood nutrition experience. We need to help our kids navigate them, and not instill guilt or create unhealthy eating habits.
At Sunnie, we're committed to creating what we call "next generation" sweets, using low glycemic sweeteners or natural sugars. Yes, we include a sweet treat in every lunch pack. But, our nutritionist uses the 90 – 10 Rule to balance all our lunch kits. We focus on natural sources of sweetness and try hard to eliminate added sugar in our treats. Just look at our nutrition panel. You’ll find low sugars (which mostly come from natural sources) and no added sugar.
We know you want to feel good about what you feed your child. And we believe your child should enjoy eating balanced meals, even with a sweet treat.
Shine on!
Jill Castle, MS, RDN
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There’s no doubt a plant-forward diet is good for one’s health and the planet. So, if you’re wondering why your family should embrace plant-forward eating, and how to get started, we’ve got you covered. First, let’s dive into definitions to set the foundation.
Plant-Based Eating vs. Plant-Forward Eating
According to a 2017 Nielsen survey, 39% of Americans are trying to eat more plants. That is, more fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Yet, confusion exists around the terminology associated with plant-forward eating. Does eating mostly plants mean you’re a vegetarian? A vegan? What’s the difference between plant-based and plant-forward diets?
If you're a parent who wants to serve up more plant-oriented meals, let’s set the record straight. Here’s a rundown of the differences:
A Plant-Based Diet is an eating pattern consisting of foods derived from plants, including vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, beans and fruits with few or no animal products.
A Vegetarian Diet means abstaining from the consumption of meat and possibly other animal products, like milk, for moral, religious or health reasons. The vegetarian diet is further categorized into the following:
A Vegan Diet is an eating pattern that pays strict adherence to an animal-free diet. Vegans avoid using products made from animals as well, such as honey and leather goods.
A Plant-Forward Diet is an eating pattern that emphasizes plant foods, such as fruit, vegetables, grains, beans and seeds over animal-based foods. However, all foods fit on the plate, but the balance favors plant foods.
As you can see, all of these diet patterns emphasize eating plants as the anchor to the diet. For families who are just starting out, a plant-forward diet is a good place to begin.
An Emphasis on Eating More Plants Has Health Benefits
There’s been quite a bit of research in adults suggesting positive impacts on heart health, weight, diabetes, and the gut when adults eat a plant-based diet. In children, we don’t have the same level of research. However, it’s generally recognized that eating more plants is desirable and healthy for kids.
Some research has found healthier body weights in children who follow a plant-based diet. But, there’s also been evidence of nutritional deficits when children follow strict vegan diets. That’s often due to the removal of meat and other animal products, which may cause nutrients gaps including calcium, vitamin D, iron and vitamin B12.
If families want to be more plant-forward, they can do so by reducing the amount of meat and animal-based products they consume, while placing more emphasis on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds in the diet. Animal-based foods in the diet, like dairy, can help ensure proper amounts of calcium, vitamin D and protein because the naturally-occurring nutrients are easily absorbed and used by the body. Also, including a small amount of meat, poultry or fish can supply a good source of iron, zinc, healthy fats and vitamin B12.
Plus, eating more plants means more fiber in the diet, feeling fuller after eating, and more regular toileting habits.
Sunnie is a Plant-Forward Lunch Kit
Our lunch kits use whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, but you’ll also see dairy foods like cheese and yogurt. We know how important it is for kids to build strong, dense bones, especially during childhood. We also appreciate the other nutrients provided by dairy foods which help kids feel full, close potential nutrient gaps, and help little brains develop. We want kids to get the health benefits of plant-forward eating, while also getting all the nutrients they need to grow well and thrive.
Shine on!
By Jill Castle, MS, RDN
Sunnie was built upon these positive principals. Each Sunnie lunch box is a “build-your-own” kit so that kids can do it their way: eat all the sauce with a spoon, nibble on some cheese, make a pizza slice, or skip the bread. We know how important it is for kids to do it themselves, and in their own way. At Sunnie, we support them 100%.
]]>Snacking has become an important part of life these days because most of us don’t sit down to eat breakfast or lunch (tell me who has time for that? Okay, we kid). It’s a new day out there and we wanted to come up with a solution that could feed you and your family at the pace of LIFE. Not just a bar, not just a carb-ridden bag of crackers, but actual REAL FOOD that made you feel nourished, whole…or as we call it “sunnie”. Our product is rooted in understanding what will provide the best fuel (hello, balanced macronutrients!) to nourish kids and grown ups alike. Since nutrition is a complex science, we felt it critical that we partner with one of the best and most well regarded dietitians that we could find. Enter Sunnie Advisor, Jill Castle, MS RDN. Jill’s 30 years of experience and truly getting to the bottom of how to nourish your body for lasting energy is what prompted our collaboration. Jill helped create the ideal framework for energy, nutrients, healthy fats, and sugars.
Say goodbye to packaged, sugar and sodium-filled pantry snacks. With Sunnie, snacks are easy, fast, fresh-from-your-fridge and always made with real, honest-to-goodness ingredients. From backpacks to boardrooms, our snacks feed the pickiest eaters and choosiest adults in your gang.
Snack Brighter.
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