How To Overhaul Your Pantry!
I often get asked about snacks and practical ways that parents can ensure that their pantry is healthy and nourishing. Children come home from school absolutely ravenous, and because we’re often busy; we don’t always have something prepared and have to resort to convenience foods.
In many cases, these packaged convenience snacks can contain little nutritional value, low fibre, and high sugar and can often can come loaded with artificial colours and preservatives.
Trying to juggle the nutrition element with the convenience factor can feel like an ongoing challenge for many families – especially for those with picky or fussy eaters. With a few simple swaps and some strategies in place, there are most definitely ways to overcome this issue and create a healthy pantry.
One of the first things I mention to families in my clinic and at workshops is the importance of being able to understand and read product ingredient labels. This is a great way to arm ourselves with purchasing power and nutritional knowledge when at the shops or even browsing online.
It's the food that's in the home that we have the most control and influence over - so ensuring that the pantry options on offer are as nutritious as possible goes a long way towards healthy food choices. Here are some practical tips for a healthy pantry:
Simple swaps
Focus on your staples and try to swap anything white for a wholemeal version. For example, if your child likes to have a sandwich or a handful of crackers when they come home from school, simply swapping out white bread or wheat crackers for a high-quality whole grain option will immediately boost their nutritional intake.
Replacing processed, high-sugar spreads such as chocolate or jam spread with nutritious nut butters and homemade options such as homemade chia jam and healthier chocolate spreads made from nut butter blended with cacao and maple syrup. Also, checking things like peanut butter to ensure there are no added sugars or vegetable oils, and swap natural or low-sugar yoghurts for sweetened ones filled with sugar.
Swapping out milk chocolate for dark chocolate (which has more nutritional benefit and is less likely to be demolished as quickly) or substituting standard lollies with options that are free from preservatives and nasties are other gradual changes that you can implement.
These small changes can make a massive difference to your family’s overall sugar and ‘nasties’ intake.
Think like your child
Assess what’s at eye level for your child and what they would see first. In many cases, what the eye sees, the tummy wants (which is true for most adults, too!). A simple and helpful strategy could be to move less nutritious options to higher shelves, or packed into plastic containers and to keep healthier snack options at lower, more accessible levels.
Resist the temptation to stock “single-serve” convenience snacks
Try and avoid the temptation to stock up on single-serve portions of flavoured crackers, biscuits, popcorn and chocolate. These types of snacks, which are aimed at kids, are often loaded with sugar, salt, flavourings, preservatives and other hidden nasties and mostly arrive in bright and sparkly packaging - leaving natural whole foods appearing and tasting bland in comparison. They are also harmful to the environment and expensive in comparison. Opt for fresh, homemade options whenever possible or buy in bulk and decant into single serves– you get to control the portion size.
Opt for fresh wherever possible
As much as possible, direct your child to the fridge to find a nutrient-dense option to eat along with their chosen pantry snack. If your child enjoys their after-school crackers, encourage them to eat them with a nutritious dip such as avocado guacamole, hummus, almond butter and honey, tzatziki or some leftover shredded chicken. Having herbs and spices on offer (rather than just salt) could help to add some variety and flavour to their dips.
Including veggie sticks such as carrots, cherry tomatoes, and baby cucumbers can also make a quick and easy snack. Many parents are often pleasantly surprised by what their children will choose to eat when they’re hungry and exposed to healthy options.
Get kids involved
Both in the shopping and food preparation, involving your children can be very helpful in arming them with ideas around fresh, healthy ingredients that go well together and that they enjoy. Getting them involved with food preparation helps to create a positive association with nutritious food and teaches them fundamental principles that will make them more independent. This will give them confidence and the ability to create their own healthy snack options without demanding the simplicity of convenience snacks.
Easy does it
As with everything children and nutrition related, I always encourage a gradual and slow approach. It’s not necessary to bin all your children’s favourite snacks in one go. I’d suggest following the above tips at a pace that best suits you and your family. Many children adapt to change slowly, so it’s important to celebrate any positive change - however small. Consistency and perseverance are key.
My favourite pantry items to have on hand
Popcorn
This is nutritious, easily made at home and stores well in an airtight container. Homemade popcorn means that you have more control over the amount of salt used.
Wholegrain bread or crackers
Choosing a good quality bread such as wholemeal bread or wholemeal sourdough bread and wholegrain crackers over white refined versions can help to keep your child feeling fuller for longer, increase fibre in the diet and ensure they are not consuming things like vegetable oils, added gluten, added sugar and too much sodium on a daily basis.
Muesli bars
These are ideal nutritious options that are easily and inexpensively made at home. Great for lunch boxes too; these can be stored in an airtight container for after-school snacks. Unfortunately, there are not many store-bought options that tick all the boxes and are low in sugar and free from additives.
Homemade trail mix
This is a good one to get the kids involved with. I recommend using a selection of unsalted nuts and seeds (like almonds, cashew nuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds), including a handful of raisins or goji berries; some puffed quinoa and even some lightly salted popcorn. My children love to make this and snack on it in the afternoons. It keeps for weeks in an airtight container. For the school lunchbox, I simply leave out the nuts.
Canned fish in springwater
My favourite options include skipjack tuna, sardines and wild salmon – they can be included in a sandwich, enjoyed with crackers or mixed with pasta for a quick and healthy pasta salad.
Canned chickpeas
Legumes and beans are a brilliant way to boost protein, and they count as a veggie serve too. Offer them as is, or drizzle with olive oil and bake for a roasted crunchy treat.
Nori sheets
My kids love munching on plain seaweed or using them to create their own nori wraps. They can be purchased in single-serve packs. However, it’s just as easy to buy the full-sized sheets and cut them into small squares – a far more economical option!
Homemade cereals and granola
Many children like to have cereal as an after-school snack. Choosing a low-sugar homemade option can greatly reduce their sugar intake, especially if this is something they eat on a regular basis.
Dried fruit
If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can easily slow-cook fruit in the oven to achieve a similar effect. Thinly sliced apple slices take two hours or less in the oven to transform into crisp, sweet chips, free from additives you often find in store-bought options. If this is not an option, look for products that say ‘ 100% ‘name of fruit’. If you see sulphur dioxide or added vegetable oil or sugar, put it back on the shelf.