As much as I hate to be the one to point this out, the
kids will be heading back to school soon. A big part of my job as an ND is
teaching parents how to go about keeping their kids immune systems strong as
they head back into the viral melting pots we know as classrooms, playgrounds,
and the school bus.
Many factors that strengthen or weaken our immunity to
these ubiquitous bugs are influenced by the nutritional choices we make with
our kids. Think of snack time. Most packaged snacks, even those that are “natural”
and artificial color or flavor “free” are high in refined corn syrup or other
sugars, preservatives, or seasoning salt (MSG). The basic rule I also use for nutritional advice is
to choose foods closest to their whole, original state; think of how the
ingredients came out of the ground or animal it grew on, and try to keep your
little one’s snacks as close to that form as possible. Another key to ensuring our meals and snacks are
supportive rather than deleterious to our immunity is to choose foods rich in a
rainbow of natural colors. A full spectrum of colors represent flavenoids. Flavonoids
are molecules in our fruits, vegetables, herbs, tea and coffee that confer
beneficial effects on our health. They have antiviral, anti-allergic,
anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and antioxidant activities. Flavenoid rich, local, in season crops that you
could spend an afternoon harvesting in the wild with your children include;
blueberries, apples, elder berries, and rose hips for tea.One color in particular that I like to
emphasize for kids snacks is green, especially in the form of leafy green
vegetables. Most parents struggle to get leafy greens raw or cooked into the
mouths of their school ages kids. If you have not gotten on the green smoothie
band wagon, now is the time. Smoothies are a healthy, yummy way to get your
kids to eat greens, offer with breakfast, afterschool or frozen into popsicles.
Here is one recipe I found online; there are many more great suggestions at rawfamily.com/recipes.
Green Smoothie
2 mangoes
1 cup parsley
3-4 kale leaves
1-2 cups water or coconut juice
1 frozen banana
3-5 ice cubes
1/2 lime juiced
Pinch of sea salt
Place chopped mango, kale and parsley in a blender. Add coconut
juice or water along with ice cubes, lime and banana. Blend until the mixture
is smooth. Also, unless you have a vitamix or another super blender, make sure
the thicker stem/rib parts of the kale are removed before blending.
Another thing to consider at snack time
are food allergies and sensitivities, when packing snacks for school/ day care
it can be hard to come up with ideas that provide nutrition, appeal and less
“hazard”. Visit a naturopath if you are not certain if your child has
sensitivities to certain foods, we can do testing or elimination diets to help
sort out the puzzle of food reactions. Here are some low allergen packable
snacks, modified from nourishingmeals.com’s
article on snacks for travelling.
· Cherries
· Sugar snap
peas
· Puffed dry
cereals; brown rice, quinoa,
· apple
slices with lime juice squeezed on them to prevent browning
· radishes
· cucumber
slices
· carrot
& celery sticks
· smoked
salmon strips
· hummus
· homemade
popcorn popped in coconut oil (packed in a paper bag)
· fruit
leathers
· homemade
high-protein muffins
· Sulfite
free dried mango, figs, apricot, pine apple, raisins, and apple.
· crackers
(I like Mary's, WASA, and NUD food)
· Roasted
soy “nuts” or garbanzo beans.
· Dates (1
for each person as a sweet treat).
I'll offer one last note on packable food. Although it is
extremely hard to avoid, try to limit storing snacks in soft plastic
containers. Find fabric snack bags at craft shows, keep your eyes peeled for
stainless steel, and if age appropriate seek out glass. Hot food and foods high
in natural fats can leech numerous environmental contaminants from soft plastic
bags and containers. Happy Snacking and enjoy the last few weeks of this
amazing summer as you get organized for autumn.
