With the last few weeks of schools across the country winding down their school years, parents are busy making plans for summer. From scheduling day camps and vacations to researching healthy and affordable snacks, parents find themselves getting prepared for the times when their children will be home and not in the classroom. And while there are many important tasks that parents are in charge of, one that gets a lot of attention during the summer month is healthy eating.
Left to graze through the refrigerator and the kitchen cupboards, kids, especially teenagers will often eat any thing that is available. For this reason, summer is a time for parents to step up their game when they make purchases at the grocery store or order snacks online. A kitchen full of American walnuts and peanut products, for instance, can lead to a much healthier daytime snacking diet than a kitchen full of chips. Likewise, a refrigerator full of fruits and vegetables is better than shelves full of sugary drinks and high fructose filled pudding and gelatin cups.
Your Teenagers Are What They Eat
Many elementary students and teenagers go through some major growth spurts during the summer. Some parents even joke that the healthy doses of sunshine and swimming provide the kind of nourishment that sends kids on a growth spurts that leave them looking for a whole new wardrobe when school starts again in the fall. If you want to make sure that your children are growing in a healthy manner, though, it is important to make sure that you provide them with the right snacks. Bowls full of macadamia nuts, American walnuts, and raisins will disappear if that is what available. Just as your daughter and a group of her friends will demolish a bowl of candy, they will also eat a much healthier choice if that is what is available.
Given that several studies have indicated that eating nuts may improve brain function, parents would do well to make sure that they are offering these healthy options instead of snacks that are high in calories and sugar. One eight-week study of 64 healthy young adults found, in fact, that eating walnuts improved comprehension. Why not take advantage of the summer to provide a healthy option that might also boost brain power during the weeks the kids are out of school?
Eating peanuts and other snacks that are high in protein also provides the energy that young people need to lead an active life. And while many parents have always known the benefits of a peanut butter sandwich, many more understand the value of providing snacks that include white chia seeds, cashews, and black walnuts. With some dried fruits like apricots, craisins, and raisins, a tasty and nutritious trail mix allows kids to spend their summers snacking on healthy choices.
Creating healthy eating habits in their teenage years can also help your children build a more thoughtful approach to their adult eating. Did you know, for instance, that according to Harvard research just two servings of nuts a day is helpful in fighting against cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer? They might be more expensive than sale candy at the market, but the fact of the matter is that American walnuts, peanuts, and dried fruits are a much better bargain when it come to the health of your children. Especially when school is out for summer and they are under your watch more of the time!