Andrea Garen, Registered Dietitian
Andrea Garen
About me:
Andrea Garen is a registered dietitian and project manager for Dairy Council of California. She manages the marketing and editorial strategies for Meals Matter.org, which includes social media efforts and online tool development. She is a contributing writer to the Meals Matter.org blog and has also written and edited numerous nutrition education materials for parents and children.
As a spokesperson for Dairy Council, she speaks widely on consumer health and nutrition issues for radio, television, print and online outlets. With a Master's degree in dietetics from San Francisco State University, Garen has been invited to speak at University of California, Berkeley; University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco State University and California State University, Hayward.
As a mother of two young children, she is passionate about nutritious food and reality-based eating, which means choosing nutritious foods and preparing them in a way that makes them taste great. Sometimes that means minimal preparation and other times it means following a more detailed recipe. She believes that no foods are off limits!
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Snacks amount to a large percentage of our daily calories. For adults, snacks contribute as much as 48% of our daily caloric intake.
Kids may consume as many as three snacks a day, which could potentially add up to nearly a quarter of their daily nutrient needs. Unfortunately, research shows that for many kids, snacks are desserts or sweetened beverages, such as soda, fruit drinks and sports drinks, that don’t provide many nutrients.
Take advantage of the summer vacation by preparing delicious (and nutritious) treats with your kids. They’ll enjoy spending time with you in the kitchen learning valuable cooking skills and they’ll be eating healthy foods that add nutrients to their diets.
1. Cheese and crackers –Cut up some pieces of cheese and serve with whole-grain crackers.
2. Veggies and dip –Cut up some broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery, or cucumber and serve with a side of yogurt dip or hummus. Try our Tangy Yogurt Vegetable Dip Recipe.
3. Fruit and dip –Cut your fruit such as apples or pears into moon-shaped slices and serve with a small bowl of yogurt or cottage cheese. Try Fruit Kebobs with Yogurt Dip recipe.
4. Milk – Chocolate or regular, milk makes a great snack because it provides protein and nutrients that nourish children and provide sustained energy. Serve it by itself, along with a snack or even with cereal at snack time.
5. Smoothies – Easy to make by placing fresh or frozen fruit in a blender with yogurt or milk and a little ice. Try one of our favorites - Strawberry Banana Blast.
6. Popcorn –You pour the oil and let the kids pour the kernels into the pan. Heat on medium high heat, cover and shake until all of the kernels pop.
7. Frozen Go-Gurts (yogurt in a tube) – Pop them into the freezer and they are ready to go!
8. Homemade Popsicles –Pour 100% juice into an ice cube tray, cover with plastic wrap, insert Popsicle sticks and freeze. Delicious!
9. Trail mix – Let your kids make their own by mixing nuts, cereal and dried fruit.
10. Ice cream – Whether you serve a scoop with fresh berries or enjoy it on a cone, nothing says summertime like good old fashioned ice cream!
Remember, serve snacks at the table and space them far enough from mealtimes so that kids’ appetites aren’t spoiled!
Read Summertime Snacking for more snack recipes and find more about ways to make every sip count.
Andrea Garen, Registered Dietitian