Kids & Company Blog

Modern Snacking

            The snack industry has exploded in the last couple of decades, making it one of the most profitable sectors in the food industry. With the average North American consuming 50% of their food from snacks, it is no wonder that these industries continue to grow! The snack industry’s foundation rests on the seductive charms of the three amigos, salt, sugar and fat!  It is these three friends that have led to the additional intake of 536 calories a day since 1962 in the average person.  Snack food manufactures have completely changed our food culture!  The boom in eating between meals, snacking instead of meals and bringing snacks anywhere and everywhere has changed what, where and how we eat. With snack companies targeting their ads towards young children, it makes it even more difficult to keep children away from these high fat, high salt foods. The Canadian government is currently working to ban all snack ads that target children under the age of 12. This bi-law currently exists in Quebec and will hopefully make its way across the country sooner rather than later.

Snacking does not have to be all bad! A snack can be a great way to keep energy levels up throughout the day and to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.  The key is to prepare snacks in advance! By cutting up fruits and vegetables at the beginning of the week, you will be much less likely to grab something on the go for you and your little one.

Ensure that you serve snacks well before meal time! A snack should be served at least 2 hours before the next meal to ensure that your little one is hungry. If it is almost dinner time, they can wait! Snacks should not be used as a reward for good behaviour. By ingraining this pattern of positive reinforcement through food early on it will put them on a path of over eating for life. The Kidco Kitchen will be introducing Quinoa Crunchies onto our upcoming fall menu. This snack packs a nutritional punch, while not be overly filling and are easy to bring on the go.  Quinoa crunchies are made of simple ingredients: Quinoa, Rice Flour and Cane sugar and can be ordered online at gogoquinoa.com or found at many health food stores.

 

Cheers,

Chef Lisa Ruscica

Chief Food Ambassador

Posted on: Thursday October 2nd, 2014

Posted by: Lisa Ruscica