Here we go, another school year. Whether you are sending your kids to school or are homeschooling, we can all agree this year will look and feel very different . Although the masks are new, guess what’s not? The dreaded making of lunches and snacks.
Snacks, snacks, and more snacks!
Don’t fret, as usual the Niverville Heritage Dental Gals have got your back. We are all mostly moms so we get it – the frustration of finding healthy snacks that your kids will actually eat, finding time to pack them, and the worst one – loving something one day and then literally not eating it the next. How is that even possible?!
Let’s start off by giving you some ideas for snacks and lunches that are good for both the teeth (obviously) AND for your kiddos overall health!
Cheese – Not only is cheese delicious, but its calcium properties help make teeth strong and some studies have shown that it can neutralize the dental plaque in your mouth!
Mom tip: Buy the portioned cheese from Costco so that you don’t have to spend time cutting it. We all know every second counts!
Fruit, Veggies & Dip – Did you know that antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C and other nutrients from fruits and vegetables help protect the gums? Plus items such as apples, carrots and celery can help clean plaque off of teeth. It’s a win, win.
Mom tip: We like to add a different dip to make it more interesting for kids. Our favorites are hummus (make ahead and freeze) and tzatziki.
Nuts & Seeds – Keeping in mind your child’s age, nuts & seeds are full of benefits for your teeth since they are packed full of important elements such as calcium, phosphorus, and even fiber, potassium and zinc which can help stimulate saliva.
Mom tip: Try adding nuts into a smoothie (sneaky, sneaky) or even nut butters are a great way get your picky eater to try some!
Yogurt – This is usually a pretty easy one for kids to have which is great cause it’s full of calcium and probiotics that can protect teeth from cavities, gum disease, and even bad breath. Perfect!
Mom tip: To up the ante a bit, try sprinkling some granola and a dash of cinnamon.
Water – Yup, just plain and simple water. Water helps wash away bacteria that may be sitting on your teeth, especially after you’ve eaten. Try to avoid juices, pops, and sports drinks as much as possible.
Mom tip: Make them want to drink water by getting a fun water bottle! We find the flashier and uglier it is, the better, hahaha. Just ask Dr. Sunayna who cringes every time at the sight of her daughter’s Paw Patrol glittery water bottle.
Now that we’ve covered some snack ideas, here’s some expert tips to make your life a bit easier from our favourite dietician, momma of 2, Nita Sharda of Carrots & Cake, and teacher, momma of 4, and meal prep extraordinaire, Shawna Lapointe of Too Busy Livin’:
We love registered dietician Nita Sharda of Carrots & Cake’s recipe for Tropical Green Smoothie. Find it here.
As Nita says, “food fatigue” is a real thing when it comes to kids. One day they’re into it, the next they’re acting like it’s the worst thing ever. The key is to have variety. How do we do this? Well, Dr. Sunayna found these snack containers on Amazon that she is using for her kids this year. It’s great for offering a variety of things in a small amount. She packs all of them for the week on Sunday and then you are good to go!
Shawna is a huge fan of, “make more once, save time later.” Take for instance her take on shredded chicken. Make more of it once in the slow cooker, freeze, use for tortilla soup, quesadillas, taquitos, and also on pizzas, or in sandwiches. Bam. Click here to see her ways.
Nita is a huge fan of smoothies and always tells us how it’s a great way to keep your kiddos and yourself fueled. We love her genius tip on making smoothie packs in advance and throwing them in the freezer. This way when you are rushing in the morning no need to get a million ingredients! Just grab that smoothie pack from the freezer, dump contents into the blender, and add your milk of choice! Voila! Our fave is Nita’s tropical green smoothie which you can find here. Happy blending!
As mothers ourselves, we get it. We know we are all feeling so many things. Just know we are all in this together, and we can and will get through it. As always, we are here for all our oral care needs! Happy prepping and packing!
Love,
The Niverville Heritage Dental Gals