If you’re a parent, you know how difficult feeding kids can be. Breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner… so much to do! Especially midday, trying to make healthy snacks for kids while making sure they’re not playing with squirt guns in the house, or using their markers on the dog, can be a superhuman challenge. Ask any parent. The struggle is real.
Unfortunately, the food industry has cashed in on that plight. Every supermarket has aisles of sugary, salty, starchy foods made just to appeal to kids’ palates—and to appeal to parents who just want to fix something simple. We all know it’s easier to serve up a Lunchable and a Coke than it is to figure out how to get kids to eat vegetables. And while these pre-packaged, flavor-optimized foods have made life easier in some ways, their popularity is not without cost: the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the last 35 years, and childhood diabetes rates have risen by over 20% since the year 2000.
That’s pretty scary stuff. Our children may love their Pop Tarts—and so do we, let’s be honest!—but a diet full of unhealthy foods, especially at a young age, drastically increases the risk of future health complications. Providing kids’ growing bodies with the right nutrients, vitamins, and minerals ensures that that their health, and the energy they require in order to build pillow forts and block castles, will not be put in jeopardy.
Healthy Veggie Dip for Healthy Toddler Meals!
As if parenting isn’t hard enough, you also have to contend with finding foods that are not only healthy, but that your kids will love. Most parents can testify that such foods are few and far between… so how can we prepare delicious, healthy snacks for kids?
Fortunately, you can probably guess our answer: hummus snacks! Just take a quick look around Google and you’ll see that by and large, kids love the flavor of hummus. And best of all, it’s healthy and easy to prepare. Just grab some of your kids’ favorite veggies and tell them they get to have hummus if they eat the veggies… and boom! A healthy crudite dip that is also delicious, satisfying, and quick to put together.
Hummus is chock full of protein, heart-healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. Its amazing nutrient density makes it a guilt-free snack for kids and adults alike, and especially these days, there’s always another amazing flavor to enjoy!
Ensure Your Kids Eat the Healthiest Vegan Veggie Dip
Before you traipse off to the grocery store and grab the first hummus tub you can find, make sure that you read the label. These days, you will no doubt find a ton of hummus brands whose ingredients include conventional and GMO ingredients, soybean oil or sunflower oil instead of olive oil, and unnatural additives and preservatives “to maintain freshness.” Yuck! What good is finding a healthy and tasty dip for your kids, if you’re going to feed them all that junk?
That’s why we at HOPE Hummus recommend you only buy brands that are guaranteed 100% USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO, that are preservative-free, and that use organic extra virgin olive oil for optimum wellness benefits. Your health, and your family’s health, are our #1 goal at HOPE… so when you see the bright yellow label, you know you’re in good hands.
Amazing Flavors for Winning Veggie Tray Ideas
As if healthy hummus isn’t great enough already, there are so many great flavors of HOPE to choose from. For every mood, every season, and every picky child’s taste, we have just the right flavor! Don’t believe us? Check out our current hummus lineup and see if there isn’t something there for you:
- Black Garlic
- Spicy Avocado
- Original Recipe
- Thai Coconut Curry
- Kale Pesto
- Lemon Peppercorn
- Jalapeño Cilantro
- Sriracha
- Red Pepper
- Green Chile Guacamole
- Spicy Green Chile Guacamole
If you can’t find something your kids will love in the HOPE family, then maybe you just haven’t tried the right one! Again, it’s important to always provide healthy snacks for kids, and there are few better ways than by giving them something so quick, nutritious, and delicious! Try a tub today and see what we’re talking about.
As always, cheers and happy eating!
