After school snack ideas!

Posted on September 13, 2021

Looking for some snacks to feed the hungry kids?

Pair PROTEIN with PRODUCE for a healthy and nutritious snack! Protein gives us sustained energy and helps us feel full. Produce (fruits and veggies) provide essential nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin C, folate and fibre. And let’s face it, most kids (and adults) just aren’t getting enough fruits, vegetables or fibre.

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Here are my 4 go-to after school snacks that combine protein and produce.

Cheese biscuits with fresh fruit

Make a big batch of these garlicky Cheese Biscuits and pop them in the freezer. They take less than 25 minutes to make. Grab one whenever you need a snack and pair with fresh fruit.

Energy balls

These no-bake snacks taste like a treat! Packed with protein from peanut butter, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, these little gems are made with oats, cocoa, chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Find the recipe here.

Chicken Wrap

Start with a tortilla. Make a slit about halfway up the tortilla to create 4 quadrants or sections. Fill the first section with Tzatziki sauce (or hummus or mashed avocado); the second section with your choice of protein; and the last two sections with produce. Fold each section onto itself to make a triangular shaped wrap. Enjoy as is or grill it on a sandwich press.

Naan Pizza

I used to make pizza on bagels but didn’t like how the cheese would ooze out of the hole. Naan fits perfectly in the toaster oven. Kids can make their own pizza and customize with protein (cheese, chicken, ham, etc,) and their favourite produce toppings (red peppers, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, olives, tomatoes, pineapple).

Is it OK to eat processed foods?

Posted on September 13, 2021

In short, the answer is YES! As a Registered Dietitian, I believe that all foods can be part of a healthy diet, in sensible amounts. But there are actually different categories of processed foods, and some are better choices than others. Let’s break it down.

When you hear the term “processed foods”, you may automatically think of foods that come in a box or package. There’s more to the term “processed foods” though. Scientists at the School of Public Health at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil developed a classification system called NOVA (it’s not an acronym) that groups foods into 4 different categories depending on the extent of the processing:

Unprocessed or Minimally Processed Foods:

Unprocessed foods have not undergone any changes whatsoever. Some examples are fresh fruit and veggies as well as plain unseasoned fish and meats. Minimally processed foods are essentially unprocessed foods that have been cleaned, dried, ground, pasteurized, fermented or frozen. No oils, fats, sugars, salt or other substances have been added to the original food. Dried fruit, frozen veggies, dried beans, dried herbs and ground spices are just a few examples of minimally processed foods. Both unprocessed and minimally processed foods should from the foundation of a healthy, balanced diet.

Processed Culinary Ingredients:

These are oils, fats, salt and sugars. These ingredients have been extracted from whole foods using processes such as pressing, grinding, refining and crushing. Vegetable oils for example are made from crushed seeds, nuts and fruit. Table sugar and molasses are obtained from sugarcane or sugar beet. Maple syrup is extracted from maple trees, and sea salt is mined from sea water.

Processed Foods:

These are unprocessed foods with added oils, fats, salt or sugars. Most processed foods have just 2 or 3 ingredients. Some examples are salted nuts, smoked fish, fruit packed in syrup, pickled veggies, and homemade / bakery-made bread. These foods can still be enjoyed as part of an overall healthy diet.

Ultra-processed Foods:

Most ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat products would be considered as ultra-processed foods. These are foods that are made by a series of processes and have extra ingredients such as additives, colours, flavours, emulsifiers, thickeners. Some examples are cake mixes, packaged pasta dishes, frozen entrées, reconstituted meat products and seasoned packaged snacks. While these foods can be convenient, enjoy them occasionally and in sensible amounts.

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