Busy Moms Helper

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Healthiest Snacks You Can Eat

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Everyone knows that the three main meals are highly important in our diet, but what about snacks? You should have 3 hearty meals starting with your breakfast. We’re not just talking about calories – these meals should be nutritious and cover your daily vitamins/minerals needs. However, a proper diet isn’t focused on main courses only – it involves a lot of snacks.

Are There Healthy Snacks?

When we talk about snacks, we’re not talking about chips or flips. You should stay as far away from this junk food as possible. There are, however, many healthy snacks you can nibble on all day long to keep your energy levels up. Snacks will also fight off hunger until the next meal so you won’t be tempted to reach for chips.

Of course, just like the three meals, snacks should be nutritious and healthy. And, although many believe there are no such snacks, we’ll provide a few below you can have every day.

Vegetables

Broccoli, baby carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, peas, carrot sticks, and peppers are just some snacks you can eat as much as you want. They can be easily prepared and can be consumed fresh or baked. Just try salty baked carrot sticks and you’ll see how great they are.

Popcorn

Craving something to nibble on? Popcorn is the ideal snack. Low in calories and fat, popcorn is almost an ideal snack, especially for those trying to lose weight. Always keep a bag of popcorn in your kitchen. Whenever you crave a salty snack, make some and enjoy. Remember – microwave popcorn is nothing like the real thing.

Dry Fruit

You can find dry (dehydrated) fruit almost anywhere today. Cranberries, apricots, apples, raisins, pineapples, and papaya are all on offer with no added sugar and great taste. Eat as much of these as you want or get a dehydrator and make your own at home.

Trail Mix

Trail mixes have grown very popular these days and can be easily prepared. Simply mix some sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, and some dry fruits and put them in a sealed bag. They taste great, will keep your energy up, and won’t make you gain weight.

Cute and Healthy Bug Snacks that Will Give Your Child All the Nutrients it Needs

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What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you see the word bugs? Nothing pleasant, we’re sure. Bugs are nasty little critters that can make our skin crawl and we’d never associate them with snacks. Well, until you see these lovely pieces of sweet heaven. Healthy snacks are vital for children – according to studies, they contribute to over 20% of their daily energy intake. Of course, we’re talking about proper, homemade healthy snacks – not chocolate bars. The fruit and veggie bug snacks you can see below not only look cute – they will give your child all the nutrients and energy it needs during the day.

Cute Fruit and Veggie Bug Snacks

This is a great way to make your kid eat all the vegetables and fruits it needs. We all know how hard it is to make them eat broccoli or celery, but with these bug snacks, it’s effortless. They’re easy to prepare, taste great, and contains all the nutrients your child needs per day.

Here’s how to prepare them:

Ingredients

Veggie Bugs

  • 5-7 black olives
  • ½ cup cream cheese
  • 10 cucumber slices
  • 2-3 celery stalks
  • 1-2 small cucumbers
  • Chives
  • A cup of cherry tomatoes
  • 10 cashews

Fruity Bugs

  • A few strawberries
  • 2-3 celery stalks
  • 1 apple
  • A cup of green grapes
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • ½ cup blueberries
  • ½ cup cereal
  • ¼ cup dairy-free chocolate chips

Instructions

Veggie Bugs

Use a straw to cut out tiny eyes from the olives. Put small dots of cream cheese on a plate and decorate with the olive ‘pupils’. Leave the ‘eyes’ to chill in a freezer for a while.

Fruit Bugs

It’s the same process for the eyes except this time you’re using the chocolate chips for pupils. The chips should also be glued to the cereal with a bit of cream cheese or peanut butter. The process is the same for the body. Use the pic to do your best and get creative. You don’t have to stick to your bugs – you’re very welcome to create your own bug kingdom.