Let’s face it, kids can be picky eaters. While their palate may be limited and their negotiating skills beyond their years, it’s still important that as an adult in their life, you try your best to help them develop healthy eating habits. These healthy eating habits are important when it comes to snacks as well.

The average child is hungry for a snack every three to four hours, so letting your little one eat chips or chocolate for their snacks will take them down a very unhealthy lifestyle early on.

How Can You Help Your Kid Eat Healthy Snacks?

To help your kids have a healthy lifestyle and snack habit, follow these tips. And remember, just like any lesson in parenting, these tips may take some time for your kids to adhere to; be consistent, patient, and kind along the way.

Get Your Kids Involved

From meal planning, to grocery shopping, and even cooking in the kitchen, invite and allow your kids to help. Kids want to be engaged in your life, so educate them on why you’re cooking with more veggies, or choosing to eat fibrous fruit over salty chips. The more they are involved and invested in your food choices and preparation, the more interested they will become in those healthy foods.

Give Them Choices

Don’t assume that just because you like snacking on carrots that your kids will, too. They love you and look up to you, but that’s not always enough when it comes to healthy snacking. Give them choices such as: carrots or cucumbers; cooked carrots or raw carrots; celery with ranch or celery and peanut butter. While too many choices is counterproductive, allowing them to choose between ‘A’ or ‘B’ gives them a sense of control while still trying something new or following your rules.

Set an Example

Why should your kids eat healthy snacks if you don’t? When it comes to enforcing a healthy lifestyle, “because I said so,” doesn’t cut it. If you eat your fruits and veggies, your kids will be more likely to do so. Provide your kids healthy snacks and healthy sides at every meal. The more your kids are exposed to staple fruits and veggies (or seasonal favorites) the more they will try these healthy foods.

Be Prepared or Know Your Options

When you’re a busy parent, you need to be prepared with snacks. It’s all too easy to grab sodium-packed snack bags or sugary food bars at a gas station. Avoid that trap and cut up veggies and fruits ahead of time so you can just grab your bags of healthy snacks as you head out the door. If you don’t bring your own healthy snacks, you can always do a search for healthy vending machines that hand out much better options than a bag of chocolate candies.

Find Healthy Vending Options Near You

To find healthy vending machines, perfect for helping your kids eat good-for-you snacks, contact Naturals2Go.