Grain and Dairy Free Snacks for Children

10:18 AM Posted by jo

Coming up with healthy snack foods for children can be hard no matter what diet we are following. We are following the Paleo Diet so we exclude grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods. My children are very active so I need to make sure they get enough food throughout the day. I try not to let my children fill up on things that would spike their blood sugar. We also like the good fats in our family so I make sure that a sufficient amount of healthy fats are included in the children's diet.

Starting off the day with the right food
Our day often starts with leftovers from previous night's dinner, which could include things such as pieces of chicken, steak, or fish. We add a piece of fruit, sliced avocados, some tomatoes or similar things. Sometimes we eat eggs in various ways. This kind of breakfast lasts us quite a long time. It also makes sure that the blood sugar is stabilized so we don't get hungry within an hour again.

High protein snacks are great for satisfying a growing and hungry child so I make sure I include sufficient amount of protein. I try to make it simple, so here are some of the things we use for snacks:

Jerky with or without some fruits. I haven't made my own yet but I am planning on it.
turkey with avocados and some walnuts, almonds and/or cashews.
lean beef slices with a couple of apricots/melon balls
apple with raw almonds
hard boiled eggs with mixed berries
steamed broccoli topped with coconut oil and shredded meat such as turkey or chicken
deviled eggs made with coconut oil, flax seed oil, and ginger instead of mayonnaise and mustard.
veggies dipped in homemade salsa or guacamole
cold meat such as london broil
hard boiled eggs
pureed banana and strawberries with coconut milk/oil - I freeze for a while before serving
a variety of nuts
slices of cantaloupe, some meat, and some nuts
homemade un-sweetened applesauce
unsweetened dried fruits.

I recently made the Spicy Nut Mix from the Paleo Diet Cookbook. I combined nuts such as raw walnut, brazil, and macademia nuts with oil, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. After mixing well I put the blend on a baking sheet in a single layer and roasted in the oven for about 15 minutes. This was a great alternative to our regular Saturday candy. Nuts should be soaked prior to eating, my friend Laurie from Common Sense Homesteading has a great post explaining the importance of soaking nuts. She also has a great recipe for candied walnuts in the same post. She also makes her own apple sauce, dried apples, and fruit leathers.

I make sure that the protein is served with fat, fruit or vegetables. We also do certain smoothies/shakes for the whole family based on our workout and activity level. Baked yams are also included as part of our work out nutrition. More information about the grain/dairy/legume-free Paleo Diet for sports will come shortly.

Thanks for visiting! Please stop by my new blog, The Paleo Lifestyle, where I am adding new information about grain,dairy, legume, and sugar free diet.

Johanna is an aromatherapist she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives. She also runs Naturally Sports & Wellness together with her husband.
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