37// Healthy Pool Snacks for Kids
Healthy Pool Snacks for Kids:
How to avoid hangry kids demanding snow cones each time you go swimming
There is something to be said for the laid back, laissez faire attitude of eating an easy afternoon poolside.
That's why in this episode, I outline the five tips every mom should think through when filling their pool bag with healthy snacks for kids. These are tried and true as a mom of three and have my stamp of approval as a dietitian. When used together, these tips will ensure your family has the fuel they need for a fun day at the pool!
Listen to this episode of The Veggies & Virtue Podcast now!
Full Episode Transcription
Please note this a raw transcription. If something doesn’t read correctly, toggle to that timestamp in the show so that you can listen in on what was actually being said!
[00:00:00] Mom. Are you struggling with how to feed your kids? Right? Do you wish that there was a way to help your child try new foods? Do you look at a pantry cluttered with pirate, booty and a fridge full of the same foods every week and wonder how you're gonna get your family's meals off the hot mess express.
[00:00:16] I know what it feels like to scroll through all the feeding accounts on Instagram and to see a bunch of Boje foods that my family would never eat. And I too have pinned all the healthy recipes with good intentions, but zero execution. I understand as a busy mom of three, that it can feel really unattainable, especially on the days when I'm exhausted.
[00:00:34] I have a short fuse and I really just want an easy win to end the day with, well, that's where these meals made easy episode ideas come from with everyday ingredients that you already have on hand. I give. One meal or snack idea a week that's dietician mom approved and is gonna fit in your family's busy life.
[00:00:52] So get ready to press, add to cart and to make meals and snacks easy again. All right. I know our family is not the only one who is diving into summer and enjoying time at the pool. So today I wanted to talk about pool snacks, because I think that there are some considerations that would be helpful for you to go into summer with knowing when it comes to helping.
[00:01:16] Create a fun time at the pool where everyone is not melting down because the increased energy exerted amidst the heat and swimming, and oftentimes kind of a more lackadaisical schedule while we're spent swimming and having no sense of time until often. When our kids start whining or you know, showing that the hanger is setting in.
[00:01:40] So I wanna give you guys five things to think about when it comes to pool snacks for today. So, first of all, I want you to think about, will it fuel if you listen to my kid friendly snack drawer episode, you know that this is something I talked about at length in terms of making sure that we have foods.
[00:01:57] Fat fiber and protein for our snack foods, you might be packing a full picnic or packing bento boxes with lunches for your kids. When you go to the pool, depending on how long you plan to stay, oftentimes we just kind of throw in whatever random prepackaged things we have, and there's nothing wrong with that.
[00:02:15] But you wanna make sure when you're looking at these things that you're picking things that are going to fuel your child. For longer than just a quick burst of energy, particularly when they're doing things like swimming, they're exerting a lot of energy. Some of those foods that are quickly digested, let's say, you know, the, the fruit snacks or the fruit leathers.
[00:02:34] those are fine options to bring because they are going to help supply your child with quick sources of carbohydrates. However, they're not going to fuel your child for very long. So we want to think through combinations, as I shared in the snack drawer episode that create more fueling options. So oftentimes in our family, I will pack a large bag of something or large containers of something rather than individually portion.
[00:02:59] Snack containers. Cause I don't know which kid is going to want, how many snacks and inevitably, if I pack them all the same amount, one kid's gonna want a lot. And one kid's only gonna want a little, so oftentimes I will pack the whole bag of let's say pretzels, and then I might pack a container of peanut butter.
[00:03:15] You need to, to decide if that feels like a safe choice at your pool being considerate of kids with peanut allergies, but you might also pack, you know, several cheese sticks rather than tucking them in a bag with Pret. Per kit. I'll often slice up a lot of apples and put 'em in a Tupperware that everyone in the family can have cutting up a bunch of watermelon or fresh fruit.
[00:03:37] Having a lot of things in a big tub is a great option, but having those big bags also so that the whole family can kind of enjoy them. Or, you know, having some veggies and a whole container of hummus. So I might prep the veggies, put 'em in a Tupperware and put the whole container of hummus in a cooler things like this are going to help fuel our family for longer.
[00:03:59] Another thing is, is my kids love dry Cheerios, but another way that you could like elevate it for making it a more feeling option would be something like making your own DIY trail mix again, putting it in a bigger bag or container. So the whole family can kind of reach in and enjoy. depending on. If nuts are safe in the environment that you're taking them to, whether it be at your home pool or out to a neighborhood pool, you might add things like raisins or free dried fruit, like strawberries.
[00:04:26] You may or may not add nuts or things like seeds. You could also add those things like pretzels that we mentioned before or popcorn. If your children are over the age of four, things like that, to make it a little bit more fueling with a little bit more protein, fat and fiber. So those are some of the things that are our go-tos and I'll share a few more of our favorites in one of the upcoming considerations.
[00:04:48] The next thing I want you to think about though, is will it refresh? I mentioned things like watermelon, which is an excellent choice, because it's going to tr it's going to help hydrate your child, but you wanna make sure that you have plenty of water for everyone, even though your kids are swimming and they might think they're not thirsty.
[00:05:04] You need to make sure that you have things that will refresh. In terms of hydration. So packing more water than you think you need. And you might also pack things like juice boxes, or you know, chocolate milk is another thing that we often will pack. I will U often freeze those little horizon milk boxes, use them as a cooler or as an ice.
[00:05:23] Pack in the cooler. And then as they thaw out, the kids can have that, that will help hydrate them and give them some liquid, but also give them some nutrition and chocolate milk is a great rehydration option. When kids are playing sports, I would encourage you to balance out the amount of, let's say, juice to water.
[00:05:41] I don't limit. Or excuse me, I don't typically encourage sports drinks unless you notice that your child is having excessive amounts of sweat and the heat is really, really high, but you know, making sure that you're offering them a variety of fluids is a really great option, but also being sure to not just default to juice boxes so that your kids aren't exceeding the amount of juice that they should have in a day.
[00:06:03] Additionally, I want you to think about, will it. It is so easy for our kids to wanna bring a chocolate chip granola bar to the pool, or put M and Ms in that DIY trail mix that I talked about. And as we all know, this will melt. I live in Houston. Very few things are forgiving here. So this is where I was gonna mention some of my other favorite options.
[00:06:23] I mentioned the nonperishable milk boxes. They will not melt, but they also offer an awesome option as an ice pack. If you freeze it beforehand. Same with things like yogurt tubes. We will often bring these. If they eat it pretty quickly, it might still be kind of frozen or it might thaw out, but it won't melt or it won't get overheated.
[00:06:42] Standpoint where it's going to not be safe anymore for them to consume also things like string cheese, you can freeze and it will help bring down the temperature of your cooler, but it won't get gross and hot as it sits in your cooler. Instead, it will just thaw down and then can be eaten after serving as an ice pack.
[00:07:00] So if you're packing the cooler for a long day at the pool, these can be really great options because you know that there's going to be a longer period of time that these. Are sitting in the cooler. Additionally, something I want you to think about is will it compete? The reality is, is that if your pool is anything like our community pool, they have snow cones and, you know, sour straws and tons of bags of chips and all sorts of things.
[00:07:26] Ring pops. Those are fine. Those are fine on occasion. Those are not. fine for my family. Every single time we go to the pool, that's not something that we're going to buy. One from an economic perspective. I don't wanna spend money every time I go to the pool, when it's something that's already included in our community dues, but I know that these things are very fun and very novel.
[00:07:46] And the reality is, is my kids see other kids at the pool eating 'em. And so if I'm serving them carrots and hummus, as one of the things in our cooler of pool snacks, compared to a snow cone, Even as a dietician, I am aware that it is a little competitive that my snack options are not necessarily standing up to what my kids would rather have that other kids are eating.
[00:08:09] So I wanna think through where is some novelty to these snack foods? Is there something fun about it? Am I saving some of those snacks that I know my kids really enjoy and think are really fun? You know, I mentioned even like fruit snacks before really quick source of carbohydrates, we rarely ever have fruit snacks here.
[00:08:25] But this might be a great time to bring them because it's one of the things that I'm bringing as pool stacks. It's one of the things in the cooler that adds a little excitement, a little novelty, something that they don't see every day, but that we'll get them a little bit more excited, then say the yogurt container that they're used to eating every day at home.
[00:08:44] So just kind of think about that when you're in tune into what your kids are asking for too. So you can find ways that it. All foods can fit that you can find ways for your family to allow for things like snow cones or, you know, special snacks that you're buying from. Say a pool snack shop, but also ways that you can bring things from home to save money and promote nutrition.
[00:09:07] Lastly, I want you to think about, will it fit. I mentioned that I often pack large size containers as much as possible for the standard size cooler that we have. And this is because we have a family of five that tends to work better for feeding everyone. But when you're looking at the towels, the sunscreen, the floaties, the diapers, all the random clothes and the snacks, we are a human Sherpa to make it from the car or the golf cart or the bike, or however you get to the pool.
[00:09:35] Into the pool deck. And so, you know, thinking through how you can make your snacks fit effectively. That's one of the reasons why I share, you know, how snacks can dual as an ice pack and as a snack to help save you some space. But I would encourage you to make sure that you're thinking through your S spatial constraints.
[00:09:55] If you have a given bag that works for your family, especially depending on how many kids you have and how many hands you need to hold and how helpful those hands are at helping carry. You may want to either delegate to your kids, that they each carry their own water. Maybe they each carry their own snacks and they have their own little snack cooler.
[00:10:12] That's like their lunch box that they would take to school. Or you maybe have a family size cooler. So play around with the things that might work for your family, the containers that suit your family best for these pool days. And remember to go back through when you're packing pool snacks, does this fuel, will it refresh?
[00:10:30] Will it melt? Will it compete? And will it fit? I hope you and your littles have an awesome summer and lots of fun splashing around in the pool. If these meals made easy, ideas are helping you in any way, or this show is encouraging you in the messes. In the meal times of motherhood, I would love to hear about it.
[00:10:49] All you need to do is scroll down on our apple podcast and tap, write a review. I checked each and every one of these and they truly bless. To read and to know how this show is helping shape your family's relationship with food so that I can continue to create content that serves you best. Thank you in advance for taking the time to leave me a review.
[00:11:08] And I look forward to seeing you back here next time.
