To my parents in the back — who else experiences the joys of HANGRY children on a daily basis? Minute by minute basis is more like it.
hungry+anger=hangry
In scientific terms, when we’re hungry we cannot function well. We may become angry or moody.
In children this manifests as:
Wahhhhh.
*WHINING*
Can I have another snack?
*WHINING x 1,000*
I’m huuuuunnngreeeyyyy!!!!
*WHINE*
Hangriness (yes, I’m making it a word) can also come to fruition when we have blood sugar spikes. As I mentioned in a previous issues, our body loves carbohydrates. Our body rapidly digests carbohydrates to utilize energy. As a result, our blood sugar skyrockets which can leave us feeling fatigued, hungry (hello cravings), and cranky. In other words - HANGRY.
Now, we must think of the children - they are sitting on the top of the roller coaster and you are waiting to catch the mayhem and madness at the bottom. The whining is the maraschino cherry on top.
Ok, so what do we do about it?
If we know that rapid-digesting carbs induces blood sugar spikes, let’s slow it down.
Insert fat and protein.
Fat and protein are not the body’s preferred source of energy and are digested at a slower pace, resulting in balanced blood sugar levels, increased energy, satiety, and improved moods! Hangriness NO MO! This bring me to the formula.
The Formula
Carbohydrate + Fat = 😀
Carbohydrate + Protein = 😀
Carbohydrate + Carbohydrate = 😡
Is the formula ingrained in your brain?!
Ok good, let’s discuss which foods fall into each category.
Carbohydrates
Fruit
Water-dense vegetables (ex: broccoli)
Starchy vegetables (ex: sweet potato)
Grains
Milk
Fat
Avocado
Olives
Oils
Butter
Nuts
Seeds
Cheese
Protein
Chicken
Fish
Beef
Eggs
Beans
Lentils
Soy
Greek yogurt
Nuts
Seeds
Cheese
*Some foods may fall into two categories because they contain high amounts of both macronutrients.
But I’m not your math teacher who just hands out the formula and skedaddles! Here are some snack examples that utilize the formula, all dietitian approved.
Savory Snacks
Veggies + hummus
Crackers + hummus
Crackers + cottage cheese
Veggies + cottage cheese
Carrots + peanut butter
Celery + peanut butter (ants on a log)
Crackers + almond butter
Avocado toast
Crackers + guacamole
Veggies + olive dip
Crackers + cheese
Veggies + hard boiled egg
Crackers + egg salad
Sweet potato wedges + guacamole
Pretzels + hummus
Pretzels + nut/seed butter
Crackers + turkey slices
Sweet Snacks
Toast with butter and chia jam
Unsweetened dried fruit +Nuts/seeds (trail mix anyone?)
Fruit + greek yogurt
Fruit + cheese
Fruit + nut/seed butter
Smoothie with fruit and nut/seeds and Greek yogurt
Oatmeal + nut butter
Oatmeal + chia/hemp/flax seeds
Fruit + turkey slices
Applesauce + nut/seed butter
Chia pudding
Yogurt parfait with Greek yogurt, fruit, and cereal/granola
Banana sushi - banana + tortilla + nut/seed butter
Cereal + whole milk
Cereal + Greek yogurt
Ok, how we doing? Less whining? What’s are hangry level at?
Let’s discuss some of my favorite store-bought snacks. When choosing a packaged product such as pretzels or crackers, my goal is to choose one with 2-3g of fiber per serving. Fiber also helps slow down the digestion of carbohydrates and helps balance blood sugar levels.
Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers
Unsweetened Three Wishes Cereal
Cheerios (plain)
Lastly, I want to discuss how to make snack time more exciting for kids. Sometimes kids just need the ‘wow’ factor to make mundane, everyday snacks a little more exciting.
Imagine having the same snacks day in and day out, served the same way. Boring.
Imagine serving the same exact foods but in a different shape or with different ‘accessories.’ Exciting.
Reasons why I like to accessorize:
Switching things up for kids piques their interest and curiosity around foods and mealtime.
When kids are curious, they ask questions.
I want us to talk about food and discuss their colors and flavors. This is how we add new language to their mealtime repertoire.
When kids play with food they are using their other senses aside from taste to experience food, a helpful tool to trying new foods.
May I suggest:
Change the shape
Change the presentation
If you usually serve veggies and dip on a plate, consider making a ‘veggie garden.’ Simply place hummus/bean dip on the bottom of a clear cup. Insert thinly sliced veggies vertically into the dip. Ta-da! Veggie garden.
Cucumber snake (see below)
Utilize fun plates/bowls/utensils
Ezpz snack plate
Chop sticks or skewers (not sharp ones)
Silicone muffins liners (been using these ones for 4 years!)
Change the color
I love this natural food coloring
I’m not telling you that you NEED these accessories. You do not need to run and order these products. If you find yourself struggling with snack time (or mealtime), consider these food accessories.
How are we doing with the whine factor? Are we energized? I’d love to hear which snack pairings have worked with your family!
To better snacking! 🥂
Warmly,
Dahlia
*Some links may include an affiliate link.
I’m not the best at math but I can definitely solve these snack equations!
This could not be more timely as I’ve been seriously considering how to up my toddler’s snack game!