What’s better than the classic taste of peanut butter? Why, new flavoured peanut butter, of course! With the recent growth of the entire peanut butter category, new peanut butter flavours have been introduced – and their popularity is spreading rapidly. Now, Canadians can enjoy tasty twists on their favourite snack: honey, banana granola, cinnamon granola raisin, cranberry and even chocolate-flavoured peanut butter for those who want to enjoy a treat.
These new peanut butter flavours are great to add to an after-school snack – consider ants on a log, homemade granola bars, frozen banana bites and even smoothies. When the hungry kids get off the school bus, it’s great to give them both a healthy snack, yet something they enjoy.
Don’t forget to include kids in meal preparation. When given the opportunity, kids love to contribute. Not only does it encourage them to help, it provides both parents and children with an opportunity to learn about making healthy food choices. Here are a few simple tips on how to engage children in making healthy food choices:
- • Prepare meals together: Let your children help out in the kitchen so they will learn how to make healthy choices, portion control, units of measurement and the four food groups. Your children may be more likely to eat meals they helped prepare.
- • Review Canada’s Food Guide: Canada’s Food Guide includes a wealth of information on how to follow a balanced diet, along with pictures and graphics that are easy for children to understand.
- • Be creative: Release your inner kid! Create fun shapes with PB&J sandwiches or make funny food faces out of fruits and vegetables.
- • Go shopping together: This is your opportunity to turn grocery shopping into a learning experience. Let them pick out new fruits, vegetables and healthy snacks to try at home. Allowing them to fill the cart, place items on the conveyer belt and unpack items at home (all with supervision of course) will give them a sense of independence when it comes to food.
- • Plan a family taste test: Check out the new peanut butter flavours or the different kinds of peanuts and see what the whole family enjoys most. It’ll be an adventure for the taste buds!
Source: Health Canada