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Understanding Lactose Intolerance

WHAT IS LACTOSE? 

Lactose is is a naturally occurring sugar found in milk and other dairy products (yogurt, cheese and ice cream). When you consume food or drinks containing lactose, an enzyme named lactase in the small bowel will break down lactose into two simple sugars: glucose and galactose. These nutrients are then absorbed in the small intestine.

Image source: http://www.evo-ed.org/Pages/Lactase/cellbio.html

WHAT IS LACTOSE INTOLERANCE? 

However, some people might produce less lactase than the others. If the small bowel has insufficient lactase, the lactose consumed will not be digested properly and will continue through to the large bowel. Lactose in the large bowel will be fermented by the gut bacteria, which produces gases including hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. This gas production not only can lead to unpleasant gastro-intestinal symptoms such as distention, bloating, flatulence and constipation but can also draw water into the large bowel resulting in loose stools or diarrhea.

Some people may have a temporary lactose intolerance due to  viral infection like the stomach bug, while others can experience it when they have a digestive disorder like celiac disease. Still others may experience lactose intolerance their entire lives.

SYMPTOMS  

  • bloating
  • abdominal pain due to gas
  • tummy cramps
  • nausea
  • loose stool or diarrhea

If you are lactose intolerant, the symptoms may vary and are dose-dependent. That is, the more lactose you consume, the worse the symptoms become. Symptoms may occur immediately after drinking milk or eating dairy products, or they may be delayed for hours.

Lactose intolerance is NOT an allergy to milk. 

DIAGNOSIS 

To diagnose lactose intolerance, the hydrogen breath test is a simple, non-invasive and reliable investigation test. Lactose intolerance is indicated when hydrogen and methane levels of breath meet a certain criteria following the oral consumption of standard dose of lactose.

Another simple way to diagnose lactose intolerance is an elimination diet which involves removing lactose in the diet and assessing whether symptoms improve, followed by a re-introduction of lactose in the diet to assess whether symptoms return.

WHAT FOODS CONTAIN LACTOSE? 

Read the ingredient list on product labels to find out if the product contains a lactose-cotaining food. Food items to look out for include: milk, milk solids, malted milk, buttermilk, curds, cheese flavours, non-fat milk powder, non-fat milk solids, sweet or sour cream, lactose, whey and yogurt.

Note: 1) the cultures in yogurt help to digest lactose 2)Products that contain lactic acid, lactalbumin, lactate and casein do not contain lactose. 

IF YOU ARE LACTOSE INTOLERANT, SHOULD ALL DAIRY PRODUCTS BE AVOIDED? 

Yes, you will need to modify the diet in order to alleviate the discomfort and symptoms at the beginning. The first step is to remove all sources of lactose in the diet that can cause problematic symptoms, including milk and dairy products.

The second step is to find nutritious substitutions for those items you’re removing:

Note: 1)”Lactose free” means that there is no detectable lactose in the food. 2)”Lactose-reduced” means that at least 25% of the lactose in the product has been removed.

Recent research has suggested that most people with lactose intolerance can consume up to 12 to 15g of lactose without any symptoms. You can still tolerate some foods that contain lactose like yogurt or cheese, even if you are lactose intolerant.

OTHER TIPS ABOUT INCLUDING LACTOSE IN YOU AND YOUR CHILD’S DIET: 

  • Drink milk in smaller quantities. Most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate 1/2 cup milk at a time.
  • Eat small amounts of lactose-containing foods spaced throughout the day.
  • Eat with other solid foods may delay digestion, offering more time for the lactase enzyme to break down lactose.
  • Yogurt may also be tolerated (plain better than flavoured), because the live bacteria in the yogurt partially digests the lactose before consumption. Yogurt is also a semisolid, which moves slowly through the digestive tract.
  • Aged cheese tend to have lower lactose content.
  • Try lactase enzyme drops or tablets from the pharmacy. Tablets are taken before eating foods that have lactose. Enzyme drops can be added to milk before drinking.
  • Soy products do not contain any lactose and can be a suitable substitute for dairy products, providing they have calcium added.

Do you have a child with lactose intolerance? How are you managing? Did you know that I provide one-on-one nutrition counselling service for children and families? If you are diagnosed with lactose intolerance, I can help to ensure you are not missing out on important nutrients such as Calcium. This is particularly important for children. If this is something you’d like to learn more about, check out here

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A Parent’s Guide to Physical Activity for Kids

Physical activity has many benefits for children. Being active is important to help kids grow and develop. Did you know? Physical activity can also help children:

  • Lower the risk of childhood overweight and obesity
  • Promote fitness and bone health
  • Increase self esteem and social skills
  • Increase concentration, help improve academic performance in school
  • Improve sleep
  • Promote heart health and lower the risk for heart disease and Type II diabetes

Even though increasing physical activity can seem like a challenge, the benefits are worth it! Read on to learn more about physical activity and get tips on how to encourage your children to get active.

Habits formed early can last a lifetime. 

HOW MUCH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DO CHILDREN NEED? 

Children and youth need a total of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. The 60 minutes doesn’t need to be done all at once to see health benefits. Any activity done for 10 minutes or more can count towards the total of 60 minutes per day.

  • Moderate aerobic activities make you sweat a little and breathe harder.
  • Vigorous aerobic activities make you sweat a lot and be out of breath.
  • Strengthening activities that build muscles and bones.

Three days a week should include activities that strengthen muscles and bones like sit ups, jumping and swinging on playground swings and bars. Vigorous activities such as running, swimming and biking should also be included at least 3 days per week.

HOW CAN I GET MY CHILDREN MORE ACTIVE? 

Here are some budget-friendly ideas to get the kids up and moving:

  • Play outside!

Encourage your kids to play outside before homework time and dinner.

Any activity is better than no activity. But more is even better!

The longer the kids are active the better! Encourage them to play tag, hide and seek, jump in the leaves or build a castle in a sandbox. Arrange an outdoor treasure hunt, search for bugs and rocks. My toddler love going for a family bike ride. Head to different areas to discover new neighbourhoods and trails.

Bike Riding
  • Walk, run or skip!

Go for a walk after dinner or head to the neighbourhood park before starting bedtime routines. This is also a good time for older children and teens to be active before working on homework. A little running around can help them think clearer and be more efficient when doing their homework.

Evening walk
  • Join a program that includes regular physical activity

Check your community or child’s school for programs near you like dance, taekwondo, karate, basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, swimming lessons, yoga, gymnastics, trampoline, or figure skating.

Swimming
  • Let’s Dance!

Dancing is popular for both boys and girls. Turn on your favourite music and dance! There are many different kinds of dancing; find one that is right for you. A few examples are hip hop, belly dancing, tap, jazz and salsa. My favourite is Zumba. Many cultures are famous for their styles of dances. Experience a dance from across the globe!

BOTTOM LINE

Physical activity can be easy and fun. Be a role model and get active with your children so that the whole family will benefit.

If you would like to take advantages of more tips, resources and advice on nutrition for children, check out my service

The Important of Family Meals

The Important of Family Meals

We are busy! It’s challenging to find time to eat meals with friends and family. But, it’s important to share meals, because it opens dialogue, connects people and helps us eat a more balanced diet. It’s an enriching experience for people of all ages to share meals — from children to older adult.

WHY SHARE MEALS WITH OTHERS?

The biggest barriers to eating together are busy schedules like work and evening activities. It takes creativity to balance busy schedules, but it’s worth the effort because everyone benefits when you eat in the company of others!

  • Children who eat with their family have more nutritious diets, better academic performance, a lower risk for being overweight and less risk of eating disorders. Plus, children tend to have increased intake of vegetables and fruit, and a decreased intake of sugar-sweetened beverages.
  • Teens who share family meals get better grades, and are less likely to smoke, use drugs or alcohol, or to participate in serious fights.
  • Adults who eat with friends and family tend to eat more vegetables and fruits, drink less pop, eat fewer meals at fast food restaurants, and have lower body mass indexes.
  • Older adults who eat as part of a group have better diets, improved nutrient intake and lower rates of malnutrition.
  • People who come together in communities can eat together at community kitchens, where they learn to cook, share meals, try new foods, have fun and learn about nutrition.

START A CONVERSATION

For many people, sharing meals is a favourite time of day to interact with family and friends. It allows people to connect share traditions, learn, communicate and listen. If you are new to family meals, here are some Do’s and don’ts:

  1. DO give everyone at the table a chance to speak.
  2. DON’T use it as a time to scold or discipline picky eaters.
  3. DO ask questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer. So, instead of “did you have a good day?” try asking “tell me something interesting that happened today.”

Grab your FREE Mealtimes Conversation Starters list  HERE .

BOTTOM LINE

Sharing family meals doesn’t only mean dinner! If your evening schedule is hectic, share breakfast meals or have brunch together on the weekends. Most studies done on the benefits of family meals start with sharing at least four meals together per week. So, they all count!

Let’s enjoy the benefits of bringing families and friends together with food. How often do you have family dinner and how do you make it successful?

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. 

A Dietitian Can Help You Prevent and Heal Your Health Conditions

A Dietitian Can Help You Prevent and Heal Your Health Conditions

Lifestyle factors, including what we eat, can influence our health. A nutritious diet can help prevent illness and can lower the risk of developing chronic diseases.; as well as manage certain conditions, such as celiac disease, swallowing problems (dysphagia), cancer and more.

BUILD A BALANCED DIET

There are many diets or “eating patterns” and some are healthier than others. The best eating pattern is one that you enjoy and can stick with in the long run. The eating patterns that have been the most researched for their health benefits include the Mediterranean, DASH and MIND diets. The foods that are recommended on these patterns can help prevent type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, dementia and some types of cancer.

The eating plans listed above may have different names, but the foods are mostly the same! Here are some foods that are common to all of them:

  • Vegetables and fruit
  • Whole grains
  • Legumes like beans and lentils
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Milk, cheese and yogurt
  • Fish, seafood and poultry
  • Olive oil

These nourishing foods are the basic ingredients that form the diet for disease prevention. You may also notice what’s missing from these eating patterns. They don’t contain a lot of highly processed foods, like cake, chips, cookies and sugary drinks that are high in added sugar, salt and trans fat.

WORK WITH A DIETITIAN

Almost 80 per cent of premature stroke and heart disease can be prevented through healthy lifestyle behaviours. These include eating healthy, being active and living smoke-free.

The journey towards wellbeing begins with how we eat and dietitians have the knowledge, compassion and flexibility to help you achieve your goals.

Dietitians can help you follow a healthy eating pattern that suits your individual needs and health goals.

BOTTOM LINE

Consider working with a dietitian if you have health goals or concerns about your risk of chronic disease. They will work with you to embrace food, understand it and to enjoy it while considering your overall objectives, needs and challenges. We look beyond fads and gimmicks to deliver reliable, life-changing advice.

Book Free Discovery Call

Understand how food can help prevent chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease and learn how food can promote healing, check out my service.

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. 

Teaching Children to Cook

Teaching Children to Cook

Starting from a young age, inspiring children to shop, cook and prepare food can set them up for a lifetime of healthy eating. A great way to teach children about food is to let them SHOP and COOK with you. Yet, a recent Ipsos survey found that 38 per cent of parents rarely or never let their child prepare a meal or snack – it’s a missed opportunity, but it can be easily fixed!

FIVE TIPS FOR COOKING WITH CHILDREN

It’s fun and rewarding to involve children in meal preparation – whether it’s at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Here are five tips for getting your children involved:

  1. Pick a recipe together: Children need to be part of the plan from the beginning, and it helps if they prepare something that they love to eat. Shop for groceries together too!
  2. Incorporate learning: Build on lessons they learn in school, such as math, social studies, media literacy, spelling, science and reading. Younger children can practice fine motor skills.
  3. Keep it fun! Imaginative play helps children get deeply involved. Make a theme night or turn your kitchen into a restaurant or reality cooking show.
  4. Be a role model: If you’re excited, they will be too. Try a new food, describe the flavour and be adventurous to inspire your eaters to do the same. Get other members of the family involved.
  5. Be cool about the mess: Spills and accidental messes happen, and it’s important to remain calm about little mishaps. Keep kitchen towels handy for cleaning up spills.

Children are much more likely to eat what they make, so cooking at home is a great tip! If you have picky eaters. It’s fun for them to eat their art creation!

Cooking with children helps reduce mealtime battles and boost their willingness to try new foods. It’s great for their self-confidence too.

WHAT CAN MY CHILD DO?

Here’s a guideline of kitchen skills based on age:

  • 2-3 year olds can wash vegetables and fruit or tear lettuce and salad greens
  • 3-4 year olds can mash potatoes and bananas or mix together batters
  • 4-6 year olds can measure dry and liquid ingredients or set the table
  • 6-8 year olds can toss salad ingredients together or make a simple breakfast
  • 8-12 year olds can make their own school lunch or help to plan meals
  • Teens can follow more complicated recipes or assemble and mix most ingredients. They can also be in charge of making one meal per week.

Did you teach your children how to shop and cook? Share your fun story. 

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. 

Healthy Snack Ideas to Fuel Your Body

Healthy Snack Ideas to Fuel Your Body

Nutritious snacks, in the right portion sizes, can be part of a healthy eating plan. Eating a balanced diet is challenging because life are busy. Therefore, skipping meals can be very common.

FIVE TIPS FOR HEALTHY SNACKS

Snacks are foods or drinks that are consumed between meals. When you’re on-the run during a busy day, think of snacks as mini-meals that offer some nutritional value and an energy boost. Examples are an apple with peanut butter or cheese with crackers. These are different than treats, such as cookies, chocolate and chips, which are not as nourishing as snacks.

Choosing healthy snacks can be a great way to get all the nutrients your body needs each day.

  1. Plan ahead. Keep a variety of healthy, ready-to-eat snacks on hand for when you get hungry, like cut up veggies, nuts and cubed cheese. Being prepared helps you avoid less-healthy treats.
  2. Be aware of portion sizes. Instead of snacking from a large bag or box, take a portion and put it on a plate or bowl.
  3. Listen to your hunger cues. Ask yourself: am I truly hungry, or am I eating because I am bored, tired or stressed.
  4. Skip distracted snacking! Avoid munching while looking at a screen, driving or working. You may eat more than you need if you’re distracted from your feeling of fullness.
  5. Snack on vegetables! Most people don’t eat enough vegetables or fruit. Snacking on them between meals is a great way to add an extra serving or two to your day.

PROTEIN + FIBRE SNACK IDEAS

  • Trail Mix: Small handful of trail mix made with nuts, seeds and raisins.

  • Veggies & Hummus: Place 2 tbsp of hummus in the bottom of a tall container and stand cut up veggies like carrots, cucumbers and celery for an easy, all-in-one snack. Check out Quick and Easy Chickpea Hummus.

  • Green Shake: This is a great way to up your GREENs! In a blender, put together a handful of spinach, kale, a banana, 1/2 cup greek yogurt and a few berries. Check out 6 Steps to Make a Smarter Smoothie.

  • Cheese Cubes with Fruit: Cube a palm-sized amount of cheese to go along with grapes, strawberries, kiwi or other fruits of your choice.

  • Edamame Beans: These can usually be found in the frozen aisle.

Let’s stay energized by planning nutritious snacks into your day together.

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. 

Unlock The Potential of Food

Unlock the Potential of Food

As you know, in my 6+ years of practice, I do nutrition counselling, but there are so many dietitians who work in other diverse areas of nutrition too! Did you know that you can find dietitians working in many places, including hospitals, grocery stores, community health centres, universities, rehabilitation facilities, seniors’ residences and long-term care settings?

We, all dietitians, have one thing in common: We love food – it unites us all! Whether we are counselling a patient recovering from a heart attack, teaching a cooking class or taking students through a tour of a grocery store, we are all passionate about the potential of food and its connection to health.

In the next few weeks, I will help illustrate that food has the potential to:

  • FUEL: Stay energized by planning nutritious snacks into your day.
  • DISCOVER: Foster healthy eating habits in children by teaching them to shop and cook.
  • PREVENT: Understand how food can help prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
  • HEAL: Learn how food can promote healing and how dietitians work in health care teams to make a difference.
  • BRING US TOGETHER: Enjoy the benefits of bringing families and friends together with food.

You will learn so much this month about the amazing potential of food!

Did you know that I offer personalized one-on-one nutrition counselling for children and families? If this is something you’s like to learn more about, check out my service.

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. 

Top 5 Tips For Staying Cool When Feeding Kids During CNY

Top 5 Tips For Staying Cool When Feeding Kids During Chinese New Year

When I think about Chinese New Year in the past, many of my memories involve food. Cooking with my Mom, buying homemade cookies, preparing deep-fried spring rolls and sipping sugary-sweetened beverages or fake alcoholic drinks.

No matter what your Chinese New Year traditions are, food is always a huge part of the celebration. That’s why I think it’s important to put all weight loss goals on hold, give yourself a break and enjoy holiday foods without feeling guilty. I also think it’s important, as parents, to let our children enjoy holiday foods too — without being a food police and monitored our children’s diet for  24/7.

The Chinese New Year, in fact, present a great opportunity for our children to learn about moderation and mindfulness, if we give them the chance.

TOP FIVE TIPS FOR HOW TO MANAGE INDULGENT HOLIDAY FOODS WITH YOUR CHILDREN 

1. Have a healthy breakfast 

If there is one meal that should be non-negotiable, it’s breakfast. Children are hungry in the morning, so it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of their rumbly tummies and serve your children a balanced meal. We know that eating breakfast offers a wide range of benefits, but when protein (such as yogurt, milk, nuts, meat, eggs etc.) is included, it can tame the cookie monster later on by helping to control appetite and blood sugar levels. Breakfast is often the only meal that we can rely on timing-wise during the holidays (and even this can be random), so try to maximize nutrition here.

2. Throw your timetable out the window 

Without completely disregarding the time and allowing a food-free-for-all, try to be flexible when it comes to meal and snack timing during the holidays. Although you should ultimately maintain your role as the feeder (deciding what, when and where your child eats), it’s ok to relax a little during the holidays and go with the flow. Meals are often served earlier or later than usual, and snacking tends to be more frequent. When you do have some control over what is served (I focus on breakfast), try to include a nutritious variety of food, with milk or water to drink, and let the rest unfold as it will — holiday eating is random and fun and everyone (including children) should enjoy it.

3. Let your children decide 

At family gatherings, there will be platters of delicious foods that everyone is going to want to try (including your children). If there is a buffet, let your children explore different foods by guiding them through and allowing them to choose what they would like to try (not what you want them to eat). Try not to steer them towards healthy foods, but instead give them control over what goes on their plate. Allowing them to explore different foods that aren’t offered at home on a regular basis will help to widen their palate and give them a sense of independence and confidence when it comes to food.  Children will often choose some nutritious foods and some dessert foods–this is ok (and normal)! If you can, wait to visit the dessert table after your child has filled up on mealtime foods (or if you can’t avoid it the first round, visit it last). Sweet foods like chocolate, candy and cookies will almost always be gobbled up prior to nutritious mealtime foods, so children are more likely to fill up on them if given the chance.

Encourage balanced eating and mindfulness by modelling. Try to include veggies and fruits, lean protein-rich foods and some indulgent delicious foods too. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite. Leave foods that you don’t love (or that you’re too full to eat), behind, and have seconds of foods that you love and are hungry for. Modelling mindful, normal eating (regardless of what time of year), will benefit your child greatly, because they view how you eat as “normal”.

4. Don’t restrict treats and sweets 

The holidays present a great opportunity to teach your children about moderation and handling easy-to-love indulgent foods in a mindful way. After all, there will come a time when they’re exposed to unlimited amounts of these foods, and you want to prepare them for that. The idea is to raise children who are relaxed around indulgent foods; who make mindful, matter-of-fact decisions about when and how much they indulge (long term). Evidence shows that children who are restricted in their indulgent food intake eat more of them when they get the chance and are more overweight than they might be otherwise!

But how do parents teach their children about moderation?

Ellyn Satter, who is a leader in the field of child nutrition and feeding (and the master-mind behind the “Division of Responsibility in Feeding“), suggests including some savoury, high-fat foods like chips or fries at a meal sometimes (along with nutritious foods), and if dessert is offered, including a small serving for everyone who wants it (allowing everyone to decide when to eat it–before, during or after a meal). The reason she suggests limiting desserts to one serving at a meal is because children will take the easy way out and fill up on dessert otherwise. To counteract this scarcity created at mealtime however, Satter suggests periodically letting kids have unlimited access to sweets at a sit-down snack time, where they aren’t competing with other mealtime foods. For example, putting out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk, and letting your children eat as much as they’d like. When children feel that treats are limited or forbidden, they’re more likely to go crazy on them. And snack time presents a good opportunity to let them have unlimited access (periodically), and naturally learn about moderation.

It’s true, children will often go crazy at first (which is normal), but the novelty will wear off and they will tend to eat less and less. Try doing this not only during the holidays, but throughout the rest of the year too. Satter suggests offering nutritious sweets when you can, such as oatmeal cookies or banana bread, which will make it easier for you to trust the process!

5. Focus on family time, not food

Instead of fighting with your children to sit down to the table to eat dinner, let them know that they don’t have to eat if they don’t want to (after all, they have likely filled up on yummy snacks all afternoon with their siblings, friends or cousins) but that they do need to sit down at the table with everyone to visit, laugh and catch up. When you take the pressure off of children to eat, they are often more open to trying foods and being less “picky” with their choices. You may be surprised at how much your children end up eating, and even if they don’t, it’s OK. You will enjoy yourself so much more if you resist telling them to have “three more bites” and focus instead on creating happy holiday memories.

Happy holidays from my family to yours!

If you enjoy this post, you might also interested in reading about how to get your kids back into routine after Chinese New Year

Quick And Easy Chickpea Hummus

Quick and Easy Chickpea Hummus

Who isn’t always on the search for a great snack food? Something versatile that can be used for both meals and special occasions? One of my favorite solutions for this problem is hummus!

Hummus isn’t just a great snack food it also works well as a spread in addition to being perfect for lunch boxes, parties, or special occasions such as birthday parties, baby showers, holidays, and so much more.

Chickpeas are sometimes known as garbanzo beans. They are a good source of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.

Nutritionally, hummus is a great source of protein and fiber and as my recipe incorporates extra virgin olive oil it is also a good source of heart healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. And why would this be important? Because these nutrients promote satiety and stave off hunger. Powerful antioxidants are provided by the fresh garlic, lemon, and peppers as well as cumin. Hummus is a nutrient powerhouse and these nutritive values are boosted when fresh ingredients are used.

Enjoy your hummus with pita chips, veggies such as carrots, celery, or cucumbers, and hummus is much more nutritious as a spread on your sandwich or wrap than mayonnaise.

Enjoy !!

For easy, family-friendly recipes, check out my Facebook Page and follow me on Instagram

Quick And Easy Chickpea Hummus

Hummus is a tasty and healthy option to have any day of the week as a nutritious snack, spread, or dressing for a side dish. You might want to try and serve it at your next party.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 6 minutes
Course Snack
Cuisine Gluten Free, Vegan
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

  • 1-19oz can Chickpeas, rinsed & drained (or 2 cups cooked chickpeas)
  • 1/3 cup Tahini paste
  • 1 Garlic Glove, minced
  • 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
  • 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin, ground
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup water

Instructions
 

  • Place chickpeas in a blender or food processor with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, oil, cumin and salt.
  • Puree, adding just enough water to make the mixture creamy and smooth. Use more than 1/3 cup water if needed.
  • Serve in a bowl with pita cut into wedges.
  • Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

Tahini is sesame seed paste sold in the Middle Eastern food section of your grocery store.

 

Family Friendly On-The-Go Granola Bar

Family Friendly On-the-Go Granola Bar

Finding healthy snacks I feel good about serving, and that my kid love to eat, is not easy. These easy, homemade granola bars are packed with oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, As a bonus, these bars are held together by only one nutritious ingredients: mashed bananas ! There is absolutely no added sugar needed. The various seeds that are included offer both protein and fibre – two ingredients that keep tummies full and energy levels steady and stable.

Mix all the ingredients together. Stir to combine.

Spread banana-oat mixture in an even layer on the parchment covered baking sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before cutting into bars.

If you are not a breakfast person or if you need something to eat every few hours, or if you need something on-the-go, this is the perfect recipe for you and your family. Not only are these chewy bars a sweet portable snack, but they also lend themselves to endless flavour options – feel free to sub in other nuts and dried fruits for a different bar.

Enjoy !

 

For more tips and tricks when it comes to feeding your family, head over to my Facebook Page and Instagram Feed !

Family Friendly On-The-Go Granola Bar

This snack will nourish you and your kids without the added sugar
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Snack
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Large Flake Oats
  • 1/4 cup Unsalted Pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chia seeds (or Hemp Seeds)
  • 1/4 cup cranberries, dried
  • 3/4 cup prunes, chopped (or apricots/medjool dates)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, mash the banana until smooth. Add cinnamon, vanilla, oats and stir will.
  • Add the seeds, nuts, cranberries and prunes to the banana-oat mixture and stir until thoroughly combined.
  • Spoon mixture into a baking dish. Press down until compact and even.
  • Bake 25-30 minutes until firm and lightly golden along the edge.
  • Let cool about 10 minutes. Slice into 20 bars.