Healthy Snacks for your Child!

Pediatric Dentistry of Garden City

585 Stewart Avenue, Garden City, NY 11530

516-222-5100

www.PediatricDentistryofGardenCity.com

Snacks don’t have to spoil your child’s appetite (or their teeth). Especially for children, healthy snacks should be a staple of their diet!

According to MyPlate, a balanced diet for your child should include:

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• Fruits and vegetables - Combined these should be half of what your child eats every day.
• Grains - Make sure at least half of their grains are whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole wheat bread and brown rice.
• Dairy - Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy foods.
• Lean proteins - Make lean protein choices, such as lean beef, skinless poultry and fish. Try to vary protein choices to include eggs, beans, peas and legumes, too. Eat at least 8 oz. of seafood a week.

Most foods contain some type of sugar, which can contribute to tooth decay. As you know, children need strong, healthy teeth to chew their food, speak, and have bright, shining smiles! So be sure to keep an eye on the amount of sugar your child consumes to avoid future problems.

Need some healthy snack ideas that fit into MyPlate’s guidelines? Try some of these!

• Ants on a log – spread peanut butter on celery sticks and sprinkle them with raisins
• Homemade bagel bites - Whole-grain English muffin with sauce and low fat cheese
• Cottage cheese with cut-up peaches, nectarines, pineapple, or bananas
• Canned salmon mixed with low-fat mayo and spread on baked whole-grain crackers or celery stalks

 And, as the temperature heats up – try dipping a banana in yogurt, rolling in crushed cereal, and freezing it for a tasty frozen treat!

For more nutrition information please visit: http://goo.gl/DiQUh