How to Give Your Kids a Healthy Bedtime Snack
Try peanut butter and crackers for a protein-carb combo., Serve Greek yogurt for a healthy sweet snack., Give your child unsalted nuts before bed., Try offering a glass of warm milk., Try to fill gaps in what your child ate that day., Offer snacks...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Try peanut butter and crackers for a protein-carb combo.
A combination of protein and complex carbs at bedtime, like whole grain crackers with nut butter, will help prevent blood sugar spikes.
Sweet snacks cause blood sugar levels to rise and fall, which could cause your child to wake up hungry a couple hours after bedtime.Other protein-carb combo snacks include hummus and crackers, peanut butter toast, and cheese and fruit slices. -
Step 2: Serve Greek yogurt for a healthy sweet snack.
Greek yogurt could be a great option if your child has a sweet tooth.
Instead of serving a sweet snack like ice cream or cookies, you can satisfy their craving with Greek yogurt.Greek yogurt with fruit or veggie slices also fits into the protein-carb category. , Peanuts, cashews, pistachios, and other nuts contain protein and fiber, which both help promote a full night's sleep.
Go for unsalted nuts to avoid adding too much sodium to your child's diet.Cashews contain lots of magnesium, which makes them an even more appealing bedtime snack.
Magnesium deficiency is linked to sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome and muscle cramps., Warm milk before bed isn’t just an old fashioned myth.
Milk contains melatonin, which is a neurochemical that helps regulate the sleep cycle.
Your child might also find warm milk soothing, so it could help them relax before at bedtime.Make sure they brush their teeth before going to sleep, even if they’ve just had a glass of milk.
Going to sleep after drinking anything except water can result in tooth decay. , Think about what your child ate or didn’t eat that day.
Use the bedtime snack to fill any nutritional gaps.For example, if they skipped their serving of fruit at lunch, offer them a banana or apple slices at bedtime. , Teaching your child early how to snack in a healthy way can set the foundation for life-long eating habits.
As they enter into their school-age and preteen years, they’ll learn how to make quick and easy healthy snacks for themselves.Greek yogurt with sliced cucumber, cheese with crackers, sliced fruit or veggies, and toast with fruit and peanut butter are all great snacks to teach your growing child how to make. -
Step 3: Give your child unsalted nuts before bed.
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Step 4: Try offering a glass of warm milk.
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Step 5: Try to fill gaps in what your child ate that day.
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Step 6: Offer snacks that your child can learn to prepare.
Detailed Guide
A combination of protein and complex carbs at bedtime, like whole grain crackers with nut butter, will help prevent blood sugar spikes.
Sweet snacks cause blood sugar levels to rise and fall, which could cause your child to wake up hungry a couple hours after bedtime.Other protein-carb combo snacks include hummus and crackers, peanut butter toast, and cheese and fruit slices.
Greek yogurt could be a great option if your child has a sweet tooth.
Instead of serving a sweet snack like ice cream or cookies, you can satisfy their craving with Greek yogurt.Greek yogurt with fruit or veggie slices also fits into the protein-carb category. , Peanuts, cashews, pistachios, and other nuts contain protein and fiber, which both help promote a full night's sleep.
Go for unsalted nuts to avoid adding too much sodium to your child's diet.Cashews contain lots of magnesium, which makes them an even more appealing bedtime snack.
Magnesium deficiency is linked to sleep disorders like restless leg syndrome and muscle cramps., Warm milk before bed isn’t just an old fashioned myth.
Milk contains melatonin, which is a neurochemical that helps regulate the sleep cycle.
Your child might also find warm milk soothing, so it could help them relax before at bedtime.Make sure they brush their teeth before going to sleep, even if they’ve just had a glass of milk.
Going to sleep after drinking anything except water can result in tooth decay. , Think about what your child ate or didn’t eat that day.
Use the bedtime snack to fill any nutritional gaps.For example, if they skipped their serving of fruit at lunch, offer them a banana or apple slices at bedtime. , Teaching your child early how to snack in a healthy way can set the foundation for life-long eating habits.
As they enter into their school-age and preteen years, they’ll learn how to make quick and easy healthy snacks for themselves.Greek yogurt with sliced cucumber, cheese with crackers, sliced fruit or veggies, and toast with fruit and peanut butter are all great snacks to teach your growing child how to make.
About the Author
Timothy Ortiz
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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