Being a mom is harrrrrd, now more than ever. Listening to kids whine unpredictably about being hungry at any hour of the day can grate on anyone’s nerves — as can struggling to find the right snacks to keep them happy and healthy.
Snacks are a big frenemy of moms everywhere — and with good reason. But if your kiddos seem to be on a constant soundtrack of "I want a snack," chances are, they’re not getting enough protein. That’s because protein reduces the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and ramps up a hormone that helps you feel satisfied. Adding protein to your kids’ daily diet is a surefire way to keep their bellies full (and their begging to a minimum). Here are a few reasons why snacks get on your nerves (and suggestions on how to stop that very problem):
They don't fill kids up.
Your kid just had a giant bowl of something crunchy and he's still rummaging around in the pantry for something else. Didn't he just eat? A lot of kids' snacks are so heavy on carbohydrates and not much else, that they don’t provide a lot of satiety — and the end result is that your child asks for snack after snack but never seems to be satisfied and full. The best way to fix the issue is to revamp how you think about snacks altogether. Rather than empty calories, provide a combination of healthy carbs, such as fruit, and belly-filling protein, such as two-bite Johnsonville Snackers. They come in four varieties, boast 7 to 8 grams of protein per serving, and are sure to satisfy even the most typically insatiable members of your crew.
They're bad for their teeth.
The last thing you want to do is spend extra time at the dentist, but downing fruit chews and other sticky snacks can leave a lot of sugary residues behind. Getting your kid to brush her teeth at bedtime is hard enough, and you're not wild about chasing your child around with a toothbrush after her afternoon snack. The solution? Avoid sticky fruity chews and dried fruit as well as starchy snacks like crackers and chips, which turn to sugar that sticks to teeth, and you won't have to stress about the state of their chompers.
They're not nutritious.
It's unrealistic to expect that your children are going to enjoy kale and diced chicken at snack time. (Although if your kids love kale and diced chicken, go you!) But you can certainly hold out hope that the snacks they put in their bodies might check some of the boxes on the food pyramid and not just the "candy" or "chips" category. The perfect snack, nutritionists suggest, is one that has a mix of carbohydrates, healthy fats (aloha, avocado!) and protein (like Johnsonville Snackers) to keep kids sated and provide macronutrients. This can keep munchy feelings away longer, bridging the angsty gap between mid-afternoon and dinner.
They seem totally dependent on them.
Many kids ask for snacks all the time — particularly now, with so little structure in their lives. If your children are awake, they want a snack. If they're watching TV, they want a snack — sometimes even after you've just had a meal. It can feel like a constant onslaught of demands, and trying to throttle the flow of snack food in your house is just one more responsibility on your list. The key is, really, keeping them full (see point No. 1) with hearty proteins, because full bellies = less complaining. Once you break the habit of snacking 'round the clock, their bodies will adjust — a happy day, for sure.
Kids are fickle.
You've found it — the perfect snack. Your kid loves it. So you buy an economy box of snack packs — only to have your child eat one bag and declare that they don't like them anymore. It's enough to make any sane parent want to eat the entire box. When you find a delicious, nutritious (and, in a perfect world, protein-packed) snack that your kid digs, keep it fresh by trying different flavors and varieties. In Sweet & Smoky Maple, Smoky Cheddar, Pizza, and Jalapeño, Johnsonville Snackers sausages always feel like a new favorite. Jackpot!
— Kate Ashford Carpenter
