GUEST BLOGGER: HEALTHY SNACK ALTERNATIVES

As much as I love Halloween, I dread all the candy that it brings into the house. My kids are now old enough to remember it's there and exactly what kind of candy they got!  So, I thought this was a good time to get a reminder on some fun, healthy snack choices for kids that might actually help to "woo" your kids away from some of that candy, and that you can use for your next party.  Introducing Tammy Mahan, a writer for Healthline who has some great choices for your kids.  You can even sneak these ideas into your Halloween parties tomorrow.

There are numerous alternatives to candy and sweets as snacks for kids; it just takes some thought. There are a number of ideas that are healthy and enjoyable to children that do not take a lot of money, time or effort to create.

The food is vital to a party but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, dried fruit snacks and mixes of nuts and fruit are healthy alternatives to cupcakes and jellybeans. Hot meals can include cheese pizza, salads or casseroles to give the children an actual meal while they are there. Most of the foods that children eat at parties traditionally include ice cream, cake, cookies and other sugary snacks but you can get them to eat healthy and enjoy it. It simply takes a little planning.

Fruit Cups

Cut up bananas, strawberries, and apples and toss in some grapes for a treat kids will enjoy. Place yogurt on the side as a dip; you can buy low fat yogurt or make your own with vanilla yogurt as a starter. You can also make yogurt with fruit simply by mixing it and putting it in individual serving containers.

Fruity Faces

This delicious, yet healthy snack allows the children to play with their food. Give the kids paper plates and pieces of fruit that has been cut into geometric shapes, some cheese slices and nuts so they can create faces. They will eat the creations they make.

Trail Mix

You can make trail mix in advance as a healthy snack for a kid’s party and put out all the ingredients to let guests customize their own. Use a cereal like cheerios or Chex, nuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, shredded coconut, dried fruit, and pretzels.  Put them all in a mixing bowl, and toss them together. Use individual serving plastic bags or containers and set it out for the kids to enjoy. If you let them create their own, set all the things they will need out on the table for them.

Fruity Salsa

Another healthy snack alternative for your next kid’s party is fruity salsa. You simply blend up fresh strawberries, pineapple slices, bananas, apples and a little bit of lime and lemon juices to a salsa consistency. This works for dipping cinnamon tortilla chips.

It is easy to make cinnamon tortilla chips, simply spray them with cooking spray and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on them. These go in the oven for about ten minutes or until they get crispy enough to dip.

Ants on a Log

This healthy snack is simple requiring only celery sticks and peanut butter or flavored cream cheese in case of an allergy. Cut the celery into sections, fill it with either peanut butter or cream cheese, and sprinkle raisins on it. You can use strawberries or pineapples in place of the celery to give it a little variety.

These healthy snack alternatives will be a hit with kids, and you will not have to worry about their sugar intake.

Tammy Mahan has worked in the healthcare field for over 20 years. When her children were young, she realized how important it was to try feed her children healthy foods and avoid the junk food that has now created a world with several unhealthy and obese children. In her free time she enjoys writing for Healthline.