Snack Time! Healthy Options for the Kiddos with Hanna Leikin, RD

Podcast Transcript

John Horton:

Hello, and welcome to another Health Essentials Podcast. I'm John Horton, your host.

Your kids just got home from school and they are hungry. Waiting for dinner? Not an option. They need to eat now. So what can you drag out of the fridge or cupboard for a healthy snack that won't ruin their appetite for later?

It's a tough question, but that's why we have pediatric nutritionist Hanna Leikin on speed dial. She's one of the many experts at Cleveland Clinic who pop into our weekly podcast to share health information your family can put to good use. So let's get to the kitchen fast because we know tummies are starting to rumble.

Welcome to the podcast, Hanna. Thanks for answering our emergency snack call.

Hanna Leikin:

All right. Thanks for having me, John.

John Horton:

I want to start with a little bit of a confession. I am a big-time snackaholic. But for as much as I nibble during the day, my kids just ran laps around me when it came to the munchies. Why can't they ever fill up?

Hanna Leikin:

Sure. So, there's a few things that can contribute to that. One being that kids have a lot higher calorie demand per kilogram in body weight as compared to adults. For example, an adult is, like, 25 to 30 calories per kilogram in body weight. And for a child, younger child, 1 to 3 [years old], is about 80 calories per kilogram.

John Horton:

Wow.

Hanna Leikin:

So as you can see, yeah, it can be double the amount. So they really need that for growth, bones, tissues, muscles, bodily functions. So that's one reason they're probably running laps around you.

Another thing might just be unbalanced meals throughout the day, pretty much. Protein and fiber are really going to help you stay full. So if they're not getting enough of that, they're probably going to want to be snacking.

John Horton:

Well, and that's what we're here to talk about today. So when the kiddos want to snack, when they're going to grab something, I'm guessing that we should try to sneak in a little bit of nutrition. So with that in mind, I guess, what makes a snack healthy or unhealthy in your mind?

Hanna Leikin:

Sure. So, I hate to say, “unhealthy.” I like to say, “less nutrient-dense.”

John Horton:

OK, that's a very nice way to put it.

Hanna Leikin:

So I would say less nutrient-dense foods would be our prepackaged foods, such as you would think, potato chips, fruit snacks, veggie straws. A lot of the things that I'm looking for snacks have two components, primarily being protein and fiber, as Jess mentioned.

So that's always what I'm teaching my families — high-protein fiber snacks, those are really going to be the snacks that are going to keep your kids full, satisfied. It doesn't ever hurt to pair fruit and veggie with some type of protein. That's really what I teach my families.

John Horton:

Well, and we are now going to get into some of those specifics. Because ahead of this, I asked you to come up with eight options, eight snack options. And that was because my kids always ate a ton of snacks, and that satisfies my groan-worthy dad joke requirement for today. So I figure I'm good now.

Hanna Leikin:

Fair.

John Horton:

So let's hit that list of yours. Starting with vegetables with hummus, what's so good about that?

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, that's really getting back to the basics. Protein and fiber — I'm probably going to be talking about that a ton — but obviously, any vegetable, fruit, whole grain — those are all high-fiber. And then, hummus — that's going to be our protein source, but also has a ton of healthy fats in there, like olive oil. So those are two key components that I'm looking for, for snacks.

John Horton:

See, hummus just seems like one of those things that people don't naturally think of. But it sounds like it's really a protein-rich, just a good item to toss out there.

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah. I mean my kid loves it, so I always bring it up. But I could definitely say, within my practice, it is a forgotten food for sure. Maybe adults tend to like it, and then, they don't think their kid's going to like it, so they don't ever offer it. And then, when I bring it up, I pretty much get the response like, "Yeah, that's a good idea. I think I'm going to try that." So I do think it's a forgotten food.

John Horton:

Well, and it is so good. And actually, it's a big part of your second item that you had on there, which was whole-grain crackers with hummus. Is this just throwing a new twist in? But what should we be looking for with whole-grain crackers?

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, again, pretty much like a crunchy option because I don't think your child's always going to want a vegetable as their snack. So, always good to keep in the variety, just to keep them interested. So a whole-grain cracker is always something I'm looking for. Again, pairing it with that high-protein source — could be hummus, it could be a cheese stick. It could be cottage cheese is coming back — it's having its way back into society. Those types of things.

John Horton:

You mentioned the crunchiness — and is that a big part of what people are looking for when they snack? They want a certain feeling or sensation?

Hanna Leikin:

I think snacks just tend to be crunchy, that's what's craveable to the American palate. So that's what is desirable, I guess, for a child and for an adult. And obviously, all the prepackaged convenience snacks are crunchy. And it's fun for a kid to have something crunchy, so that tends to be the type of snack that we offer to them.

John Horton:

Well, it's definitely something I lean towards a lot, too, so it's good to know I'm still embracing maybe my inner child here.

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah.

John Horton:

Moving on, the next one you had on the list was fruit with a nut butter spread or a handful of nuts. So what are we getting there?

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, so the nut butter spread has a ton of healthy fats, as well as a handful of nuts, but just be careful for choking hazards less than 5 years of age. So I gave kind of both of the options.

But high-fat has some protein in it, but fat also tends to lead to some fullness. Also, some sweetness with the fruit. So just, again, getting that variety in. Something that's more savory like a hummus, and kind of pairing it with something that's more sweet. Always good to change up the palette for your kid.

John Horton:

And I think a lot of times, people think about nuts, and they do think that it's a pretty fatty food. But nuts tend to be in that good fat category, right?

Hanna Leikin:

Correct. Yeah, I get that question all the time. This is where I would say healthy fats versus more unhealthy fats. I do feel more comfortable categorizing that. Something like a saturated fat I tend to stay away from, but unsaturated fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oils, those type of things I strongly encourage. Those things are good for brain growth, hormones, growth development.

John Horton:

Well, and nuts are actually a big part of another item on your list, which was kind of just a homemade trail mix. And I think you've had in that we could throw in nuts, seeds, dried fruit, whole-grain cereal. What kind of suggestions would you give as far as building your own trail mix?

Hanna Leikin:

It's going to be repetitive: protein, fiber. So the reason why, though, I tend to say a homemade trail mix versus a prepackaged is because the prepackaged tend to add a lot of sugar. So by making your own, you're kind of controlling what goes into it.

So by getting an unsweetened nut, a no-sugar-added dried fruit, adding in an additional crunchy, healthy whole-grain cereal, maybe a few chocolate chips to kind of monitor the sugar intake. But also, it can be a fun activity for the child to kind of pick and choose. What do you want to go into your homemade trail mix? I think it's always a more inventive idea, and the kid and the parent tend to be more excited about it.

John Horton:

I love that idea, of having them help put it together. And then, you kind of have that as a snack for the week, when maybe they get home from school or they have the nibbles.

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah.

John Horton:

You had mentioned the dried fruit, and I know that's kind of come up on the podcast before. I take it people really … you do need to be careful. Because those can be absolute sugar bombs, right?

Hanna Leikin:

Right. So we'll probably get into label-reading at some point, but I always look at the added sugar, that's where you kind of get in trouble. But something less than 10 grams of added sugar for a dried fruit, or a no-sugar-added. So it's just the fruit that's dried is something that I'm looking for.

But portion control is also important. Because I always explain it to families, it's like taking 20 to 30 grapes and putting it into one teeny, small package. So you could eat a few packages, and you could kind of feel fine about it, but it ends up being a lot more carbohydrates, which can turn into sugars or fats. So just portion control with the dried fruits and looking for the no-sugar-added, I always look for.

John Horton:

Well, and speaking of fruits, the next two items on the list are both very fruit-heavy. And they seem to emphasize whole fruits, so just … they haven't gone through any processing or drying or things like that. But you have them mixed with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. I mean, obviously, it's very tasty. I eat that all the time. But what nutritional benefits are coming out of that?

Hanna Leikin:

So you know the protein — definitely I'm going to say — but also from a dairy standpoint from kids, the high calcium and vitamin D content help with bone growth. And since they're growing so much in their height, they do need about three to four servings of dairy per day. So it's always good.

It could even be a cup of milk with an apple. It doesn't even have to be, necessarily, the cottage cheese or the Greek yogurt, which might be a little bit more fun for the kid. But those are the additional benefits that you would get from a dairy serving with a fiber serving coming from the fruit.

John Horton:

Now the last two, we kind of get in a little bit of a different area. Although we're still, like you said, protein and fiber, and things like that. Number seven was apple and a cheese slice. That seems so simple, but I guess it can be that easy if you have the right food.

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, I mean, I guess it comes second nature to me with my 2-year-old because he eats all of these things. I think when you start to incorporate these regularly in your diet it, again, becomes second nature. But when you tend to give the pre-packaged crunchy snacks that you think of on the market, that's what you're used to giving. So just kind of changing up what you think about snacks. But it doesn't have to be anything complicated, just whole fruits, vegetables, cheese — just stuff that you would have in your everyday pantry.

John Horton:

And that is one of the things that strikes me with the list that you sent is, these all are … they're pretty common items. But they're not necessarily the first thing that you reach for when you're looking for a snack. But these all seem like foods that'll fill you up a little bit. And actually, I mean, they're real food.

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, exactly. I think people just think a snack is something that comes in a bag. But a snack can be anything that ... you can be super creative, anything you put your mind to you can pretty much make into a snack. But yeah, it's everyday household items. You don't need anything that's pre-packaged, really, for snacks.

John Horton:

Well, I promised people eight. So I want to make sure we get to the last one, so I satisfy my whole dad jokes here.

Hanna Leikin:

Sure. And this one you tend to get a good response, too.

John Horton:

Well, and the last one was very similar, kind of a turkey cheese stick roll up and cut up vegetables. So there's a whole lot getting thrown in there.

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, a little charcuterie board-type situation.

John Horton:

Yeah, a kiddie charcuterie, I like that.

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, that's another good one. Protein-fiber combination, just making it a little bit different for them. I think when I mentioned that roll-up, that also kind strikes families like, hey, that's kind of an inventive, creative idea for the kid, would be a little bit more fun. I feel like the kids get excited about that one.

John Horton:

As you were mentioning, a little bit ago, the pre-packaged snacks, just are often not the best choice. But as you know, they also are incredibly easy. So are there any options that might work, if you're looking for something really quick?

Hanna Leikin:

I get this question all the time. These are the general guidelines I give to every single family that I see, and also myself I follow. Always look at the label. So I shoot for less than 3 grams of saturated fat per serving. Trans fat should be 0 — the FDA has banned it the last several years. So it should no longer be in any foods, but I always still kind of mention it because it's on the label, so it gets a little confusing.

I look for 3 to 5 grams of fiber per serving. And then, as mentioned, less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving. So the label was updated a few years ago, and it takes into consideration total sugar and added sugar. The total sugar is the natural sugar plus the added sugar, and then the added sugar is the white sugar, all those things that we kind of want to keep on the lower end. So again, less than 10 grams added sugar.

John Horton:

OK, those seem like very key points. So just to go over it again, when you're looking at that nutrition label on the side, you want less than 3 grams of saturated fat, no trans fat, 3 to 5 grams of fiber, and less than 10 grams of added sugar.

Hanna Leikin:

Correct.

John Horton:

That seems really easy, and a simple way to narrow down your snack choices.

Hanna Leikin:

Yep.

John Horton:

Now the one thing, as any parent knows, it's often really difficult for healthy snacks to compete against candy, and donuts, and chips, and so many other things. Do you have any tips on selling this good food to the kiddos?

Hanna Leikin:

It's human nature for an adult or a kid to gravitate toward high-fat, high-salt, high-sugar because that's what your palate craves. I really like to tell families to try to keep those out of the house, and make it an event to go out and get something like an ice cream or a bag of chips. Because, again, we don't want to make anything forbidden to the child.

So it's really key, try not to keep the unhealthy snacks or less nutrient-dense snacks in the house. And again, make it an event like one or two times a week, or the weekend, the family goes out to get those types of treats for the child. So again, it doesn't feel like it's a restricted food for them. That's the biggest takeaway.

Also, when providing snacks, I like to tell families to give the child two options. Because it lets the parent have control of the nutrient-dense item that they're going to choose, but then it also gives the child control in choosing what one out of the two do they want to pick.

So again, it gives the child control, it gives the parent control, and ultimately, they end up with the nutrient-dense snacks, which is the ultimate goal.

John Horton:

Another thing I would imagine might work, too — and my wife uses this on me still — it seems like if you have fruits and vegetables that are cut up and kind of sitting out there on the counter, you just naturally will grab them and snack on them. I mean, is that a good way to kind of push them out there?

Hanna Leikin:

Totally. You don't even know how many times I hear, "Well, we don't have any fruits and vegetables in the house."

"Oh, well, honey, they're right in the drawer."

John Horton:

You got to do a little more prep with them, it's hard.

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, exactly. It takes a few extra minutes, but I definitely feel, even for my husband, I kind of use that trick. But pre-washing, cutting, preparing, front-of-the-fridge, that's always a good idea. For the older kids who have more control over their snack choices and stuff like that … but for the younger kids, of course, presenting it to them would be the option for the younger kids.

John Horton:

Well, I'm glad to hear your husband's in the same boat that I am. Because I feel like every single time, and my wife laughs, because she's like, "I know you'll eat it if I have it sitting out there."

And it's like, I'll go through a whole plate of celery and carrot sticks, which I would just never pull out of the fridge on my own.

Hanna Leikin:

Oh yeah, you guys are exactly the same.

John Horton:

Now, one of the big issues with snacking is when kids just snack too much, and then they don't eat a good meal later. How do you find that right balance?

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah, so it's really important as a parent to have scheduled meal and snack times. Because if you kind of allow the child to graze throughout the day, they're naturally not going to have an instinct to have a big appetite for a meal.

If you're feeling like snack time's occurring 30 to 60 minutes before your meal and they're just completely avoiding their meal, that's a time to revamp your schedule and say, “Hey, let's move your snack two hours before a meal.” So, therefore, you're not going to have such a low appetite for the main meal. And also, protein and fiber.

So when you eat a high-protein fiber snack, the child's going to portion control naturally. Versus when they fill up on the less nutrient-dense snacks like the low-fiber, low-protein, they can eat a lot of that snack, like a lot of chips, a lot of fruit snacks, a lot of veggie straws.

And then, by the time the carb gets ingested, then they're starting to feel their feelings of fullness. And then it's dinnertime, and then they don't want to eat. So the natural instinct to portion control with the high-fiber and protein is really key.

John Horton:

Well, that's where we get back to, we were talking about eating real food as snacks and not just, I was going to say, “garbage food,” but what's the phrase you had? Less nutrient-dense.

Hanna Leikin:

Less nutrient-dense, yes.

John Horton:

Well, this conversation, I have to be honest, has made me really hungry. But before we part ways and I head to the kitchen, do you have any other advice or guidance when it comes to kids and snacking?

Hanna Leikin:

Yeah. I would say that snacking is just a natural process for both children and adults. It's very common and healthy — I want to emphasize healthy — for kids to snack. I would just say as a parent, I know you always just want to make sure you're doing right by your child. You're just giving them the best of everything. So by providing nutrient-dense snacks, by giving them a few options to choose from, being a good role model — those kinds of things will support optimal growth, development and help with their hunger.

John Horton:

Hanna, thank you so much for such a wonderful conversation, and I think I have a banana waiting for me upstairs. So thanks for joining us.

Hanna Leikin:

All right. Thanks, John.

John Horton:

It's OK if your kids want to snack. They all do. But use the opportunity to squeeze some nutrition into their diet with the healthy snacks that Hanna recommended. With any luck, they'll fill your kids up, and maybe even give you a few minutes of peace and quiet.

If you liked what you heard today, please hit the subscribe button, and leave a comment to share your thoughts. Until next time, be well.

Speaker 3:

Thank you for listening to Health Essentials, brought to you by Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Children's. To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or visit clevelandclinic.org/hepodcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own physician.