Healthy Afterschool Snacks

Green & Yellow Light Snacks: Kid tested, Thea approved

These are favorite snacks created by students in my weight control class:

• Nonfat vanilla or fruit yogurt mixed with krispy rice cereal
• Whole wheat toast or English muffin with unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon
• Whole wheat toast or English muffin with spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese
• Whole wheat toast or English muffin with egg and Canadian bacon
• Whole wheat toast with light cheese
• Baked apples or pears with cinnamon
• Rice cake with light cheese or yogurt on top
• Smoothies (frozen fruit, nonfat vanilla yogurt)
• Yogurt popsicles (make your own)
• Applesauce popsicles (make your own)
• Fruit kebabs (add cheese cubes)
• Banana dipped in yogurt and rolled in krispy rice or crushed graham crackers
• Banana dipped in yogurt, put on top of graham cracker and freeze
• Frozen grapes (try other frozen fruits!)
• Whole wheat tortilla wrapped around a banana
• Cut fruit dipped in nonfat flavored yogurt
• Apple or pear slices with light cheese or turkey
• Cereal trail mix (krispy rice, rice squares, oat o’s, corn flakes etc.)
• Quesadilla: whole wheat tortilla with light melted cheese plain or dipped in salsa
• Whole wheat tortilla chips: tortilla triangles sprayed with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and baked at 350 degrees until crisp; dipped in salsa, hummus etc.

Former Student: Be Inspired!

A few months ago, a former student contacted us to see if she could come back and talk to a current class about her experience in the program (I am going to call her WP and you will know why in a minute). WP took the class when she was 10 years old and is now graduating from high school in June. My colleague Cindy and I were her teachers so we were very excited to see her - needless to say, we remembered her better than she remembered us.

I have a few memories about WP when she was in my class. I remember that she was very athletic, attended academically demanding schools and she had very supportive parents. I also remember that she had a hard time remembering to do her journal and she would post a sign on her ceiling that said, "Do Journal" so she would see it every night before she went to bed.

When WP completed the 6 month program in 2006, she reduced her BMI but I don't think she achieved the success she desired. She came back to see us once after the program ended and she was still struggling and that was the last we heard from her until 2 months ago.

Fast forward to April 2013. WP is an extremely healthy, confident, smart and FIT high school senior who was recruited to play Division I water polo at a highly selective school. She told the class how she struggled as a tween girl and how she finally came to realize that by making healthier choices, she would feel better and she would be a better athlete. She credits her success to her incredibly supportive parents who go on hikes with her and continue to make and buy healthy foods. She also acknowledges how important it is to find an activity you love to do.

She shared with the class some of the tools that work for her. Though she is now incredibly active, she is aware that she still needs to make healthy choices to feel good and do well in her sport.

Here are her tips for kids and families:

1) Plan meals for the week
2) Plan your meals and snacks for the day
3) Budget - if you know you are going to have pizza for dinner, eat a healthier lunch
4) Find your exercise passion or hobby!
5) Set a goal (WP is extremely goal oriented!)
6) Exercise with a friend
7) Exercise with family

Be inspired!