✓ How the right snack for children should be

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The snack for children is a fundamental moment of the day, useful for restoring energy to the body, perhaps after physical activity, and to the mind, before and after studying.

Furthermore, having a snack allows you to resume your charge in the morning or afternoon and to arrive not too hungry for lunch or the evening meal.

According to what the experts of the Bambin Gesù Hospital claim, in order to facilitate digestive processes and avoid high blood sugar drops, for example, at least 3-4 hours should pass between snack and dinner. Therefore, it is better never to skip the snack and it is advisable to prepare it before going out and taking it with you.

It is recommended by doctors, then, drink throughout the day. In particular, mineral or natural water, smoothies, centrifuged and fruit and vegetable infusions are perfect with the afternoon snack. Instead, carbonated drinks containing sugar and synthetic sweeteners, Energy drinks and exciting drinks should be avoided.

READ ALSO: Feeding children, the food that makes them intelligent

The ideal snack: how should it be?

Also according to the doctors of the Bambin Gesù Hospital, the right snack must have three important qualities, which are listed below.

It must be moderate: you must limit yourself to a single portion, you must never do an encore!
It must be proportionate: for example, to avoid a load of calories, you should not drink a carbonated and sweetened drink together with the chosen snack.
It must be varied: a healthy diet is always based on variety. It is good to accustom children and young people to different flavors, alternating sweet and savory snacks.

READ MORE: 10 quick and healthy breakfasts to have before going to school

Morning snack

The morning snack has the task of breaking fast and is useful because it represents a small break that allows you to recover strength. Green light therefore to:

a fruit,
one lean yogurt,
a small sandwich (30/50 grams) (bread and tomato, etc.).

Don't overdo it with portions and fatty foods. Instead, they should be avoided:

Yogurt and puddings filled with cream and sugar.
Carbonated drinks or fruit juices rich in sugar and dyes.
French fries (or industrial fried).

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Afternoon snack

The afternoon snack is important and must include energy sources that are quick to use, good in taste and suitable from a nutritional point of view. Here, proposed by the Bambin Gesù Hospital, seven different snacks for seven days.

MONDAY: fresh and dried fruit in season.
TUESDAY: a glass of yogurt or milk with the addition of fresh seasonal fruit.
WEDNESDAY: a rustic pie with vegetables.
THURSDAY: a slice of bread (preferably 30 grams wholemeal and naturally leavened) with oil and tomato.
FRIDAY: a slice of cake or some light home-made biscuits or a snack.
SATURDAY: a slice of bread (30 grams, wholemeal) with a slice of raw ham, bresaola or fresh cheese.
SUNDAY: an ice cream.

Pay attention to product labels

Often, as a snack, snacks and snacks are offered to children. According to the Del Paesena Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics (SIPPS) it is important to always remember to carefully read the labels of what is proposed to the child, avoiding packaged products with a high calorie content.

It is important to keep in mind that the snack must be a snack and not a full meal.

READ ALSO: The ideal menu for lunch and dinner

The latest data in Del Paese on the consumption of mid-morning snacks

Surveillance data for 2022 OKkio to Health, showed that 38,8% of the children of the Asp of Crotone have excess weight.

An adequate breakfast is eaten by only 53,5% of children and as many as 75,1% consume one inadequate mid-morning snack.

As regards physical activity, 21,7% of children were inactive the day before the survey.

Finally, 51,9% of mothers of overweight children and 8% of mothers of obese children underestimate their child's weight. These are some of the data contained in the report "OKkio alla Salute. Results of the 2022 survey. Asp Crotone".

Sources for this article: Bambin Gesù Hospital, OKkio alla Salute, Del Paesena Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics, www.salute.gov.com