Healthy foods that give kids energy should be the desire of all parents. Even though it seems like kids have a limitless supply of energy, sometimes even kids get super tired. There are healthy foods that give kids more energy. You don’t want to give them sugary foods or sugary drinks. That would give them TOO much energy. You certainly don’t want to give them caffeine; then they’ll NEVER go to sleep. So what do you feed your kids when they are sluggish? Read this article to get some ideas of healthy foods that give kids energy when you don’t want them to go to sleep right away.
What are the healthy foods that give kids energy?
- Complex Carbs
Unlike the simple sugars commonly found in candy, complex carbs are actually good for your body and are healthy foods for your kids. Complex carbs are slow burning. Some examples of foods considered to be complex carbs are: Whole grains, potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, and squash. So you could give your kids pumpkin seeds, whole wheat crackers, or whole wheat toast if they are feeling a little sluggish. You can also give your kids energy by offering them some granola and yogurt if they are low on energy.
Fruits are great healthy snacks to give kids when they need more energy. The good news is that most kids like fruit so it’s fairly easy to get them to eat fruit. Some fruits that they can eat for energy include apples, bananas, oranges, blueberries and watermelon. All of these healthy snack options are easy to find and can easily be cut up and stored so that they can be ready when your child’s energy supply gets depleted.
Our bodies are made mostly of water. Sometimes we feel tired because we are dehydrated. A lot of times your kids do not know when they are dehydrated. Heck, a lot of adults don’t know when they are dehydrated. One quick way to get kids more energy is to get them to drink some water with lemon in it. The water will help with the hydration and the lemon will help give the water some taste if your kids don’t like the taste (or lack of taste) of water.
Nuts such as almonds, peanuts, cashews, pecans, and walnuts are excellent sources of protein. These foods are great sources of energy. You could even get more bang for your buck by combining them with other high energy foods. You could take almond butter and slap it on some celery stalks for a delicious snack with veggies. You could also do a good old fashioned trail mix with a combination of these nuts plus some raisins.
Sometimes kids can run low on energy just like adults. Sometimes they run out of energy before it is time for them to go to sleep. There are things you can do to help them get their energy level back up to an optimum level. Remember that the habits you form now will stay with them through adulthood. Make sure you check with your child’s pediatrician before you make drastic diet changes. Concentrate on developing good eating habits that include eating healthy foods now so that your kids won’t have to break bad habits when they become adults. Eating healthy foods, just like adults, will give your kids more energy.