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Healthy Kids Snacks That Aren't

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The added food dyes and high fructose corn syrups cancel out the benefits of the milk. Plus, many of the yogurts for kids are created with a lot of preservatives so that they can weather the trip from home to the lunch room without spoiling. To avoid preservatives, serve yogurt at home. To avoid sugary, additive-filled snacks, sweeten plain yogurt with berries and their juices.

Instant Oatmeal

A high fiber cereal paired with skim (or light soy) milk will keep your kids full straight through the morning until lunch time. But if you reach for the pre-sweetened oatmeal that comes packaged in individual bags, you'll be setting your kids up for a sugar high and subsequent crash as if you had served them a breakfast pastry instead. There is far too much sugar included in each serving of instant oatmeal packets (up to 3 teaspoons each) to justify its fiber content.

Instead, use the unsweetened instant oatmeal and add your own spices or ingredients to make it tastier. You can still cook it in the microwave in 2 minutes or less and you can still offer the same flavors - try sprinkling real cinnamon on top or add a handful of blueberries - but now you'll include important nutrients and minerals, which were previously absent.