You don't need to junk them out

It's best to keep away from processed foods and drinks. These are high in calorie, low in long term energy supply, and tend to be expensive. Start staving your children's appetites with a drink, as kids commonly mistake thirst for hunger. Water, diluted juice (to reduce the sugar content) and trim milk are all ideal. If you child won't drink milk, but you want to get their dairy intake up, try using a Sipahh straw to flavour the milk with a low sugar option as they only contain half a teaspoon of sugar per straw.

Let your normal dinner times guide the amount of food you supply your child. A dinner at 5:30pm will call for a small snack after school, whereas a dinner at 7:00pm dinner will need a larger afternoon tea to keep your child going.

Make a list of options

Come up with a list of afternoon snacks with your child. Write the list and put it on the fridge, or somewhere they can refer to it. Include fruit, vegetables (baby carrots and cherry tomatoes are a hit)

Involve your child in your supermarket shopping and get them to select healthy snacking options so they feel involved with the process. Crackers and hummus, raisins and cheese, all sorts of things can he put together for some great tasting options. Fruit smoothies are a healthy option too and can be mixed up using a blend of frozen berries, yoghurt and milk. A stick whizz makes blending relatively simple and mess free.

If some things need a little preparation, do it the night before so you don't have to feel flustered straight after school. If they need a larger snack, a sandwich with a protein filling will keep them going. Or try a bowl of hot soup, a batch of cheese scones, muffins or good old pikelets. Leftovers can go into lunch boxes for the following day.

If children are involved with the food selection they are far more likely to eat healthy food. Encouraging them to plan ahead also takes one more job off you - which has to be a good thing!

Article by Rachel Goodchild

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