Afternoon tea the healthy way

Many parents find it a struggle to come up with healthy afternoon snacks for their kids. Sometimes it just seems easier to give them a bag of chips or biscuits.

While these foods seem convenient, they are seriously lacking in the essential vitamins and minerals that your child needs to stay healthy and thrive. A diet high in processed foods also leads to increased  rates of childhood obesity which increases the risk for some cancers.

But what if we told you that afternoon tea can be both healthy and easy?

It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Here are our top tips for afternoon tea that will satisfy even the fussiest eater: 

• Home made hot chips: slice potatoes into thin discs, and arrange on a baking tray sprayed lightly with olive oil. Grill until golden, and serve with tomato sauce.
• Bite sized fruit with yoghurt: It’s a fact- kids are more likely to eat fruit when it is cut up into small pieces. Try serving some diced fruit with some reduced-fat yoghurt. It’s a winner.
• Vegie sticks: These are so easy to prepare and make a super healthy afternoon tea. Try cutting up some carrot or celery sticks and serving them with our hummus dip·        
• Get baking: if you have the time, bake up a bulk lot of our muesli muffins or  date and muesli slice. Both freeze well – meaning you’ll have a bulk lot of ‘treats’ ready!

Kids are hungry after school – but they don’t need much to keep them going until dinner. Clear out the pantry of any unhealthy, processed foods – it will remove temptation – and make sure your fridge and pantry are stocked full of fruit and veg.

Every little bit counts, so make sure your family’s afternoon snacks feature fruit and veg, every day!