du b l i n d i s h es by Ell ie Rober to
Kids, Meet Fiber Dublin mom finds snack solution
At the end of every Little League baseball game, exhausted children line up to shake hands and congratulate their opponents. Then, it’s time for a team snack. The players run to the parent who brought post-game snack. Usually, snacks include chips or cookies and Capri Sun. If it’s fruit, however, the kids make disappointed faces. Addie Flood knows sometimes kids can’t help this reaction to whole, healthy food. Some children are unaware of the
Cereal Bars • High fiber cereal or whole oats • ½ cup honey • ¼ cup nut butter OPTIONAL • Dried cranberries • Dried mango • Chopped almonds • Pumpkin seeds • Sunflower seeds • Dark chocolate chips Mix 2-3 cups of any high fiber cereal or oats. Over the stovetop, melt ½ cup of honey and ¼ cup of any nut butter. Add in any extras you want (dried fruit, nuts, seeds, chocolate, etc.). Combine the wet and dry ingredients and pour into a baking pan. Freeze to harden. 38 • August/September 2021
amazing benefits a healthy snack provides. As a registered dietitian nutritionist, Flood used to cringe at the sugary snacks passed out at her children’s sporting events. This motivated the mom of two to get into the kitchen and bake a healthy snack her kids wouldn’t sneer at. “Children need to refuel their body with good nutrition, not empty calories,” Flood says. “When it was my turn to provide a snack at sports games, kids didn’t want to eat my healthy snack. This is a problem and we need to find a way to get good nutrition into these kids.” With lots of trial and error, Flood baked up nutrient-packed bars and muffins with tons of nutritious fiber in them. Fiber is one of the most important nutrients for kids, Flood says, as it keeps them full and helps the digestive tract. When her kids responded so well to the snacks, Flood dubbed the baked goods Fiber Kids and began spreading the word about these healthy but tasty snacks. Flood has some other tricks to help set growing children on a path to better health. She emphasizes the importance of parents encouraging children to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Not consuming enough fiber can lead to heart disease, diabetes and cancer later in life. “As parents, it is our responsibility to help set our kids up for a healthy lifestyle,” Flood says. Most parents are familiar with the infamous grimace kids make when eating vegetables. To conquer these picky eaters, Flood advises parents to continuously ex-
pose their child to colorful foods in all kinds of ways. “It may take 20 to 30 times before your child will taste it,” Flood says. “Your child may spit it out, but that’s OK. Praise your child for tasting it and do not focus on the fact that your child spat it out.” When it comes to meal times, Flood recommends incorporating your child’s favorite foods into meals instead of making them a separate meal, which will expand a child’s palate instead of reinforcing picky eating behavior. She also advises parents to have scheduled meal and snack times rather than snacking all day long to teach their child to recognize hunger cues. Every child is different and behavior change takes time and patience. It www.dublinlifemagazine.com
