The safe way to choose snacks for school children, plus practical recipes

Given the large number of snacks for school children, both in the canteen or in front of the school, it is almost impossible for school children not to be tempted to buy them. Yes, the snacks sold by traders at school vary and make children interested in buying them. Unfortunately, not all children's snacks at school are safe and healthy. Parents need to know the risks of unhealthy snacks and teach children how to choose safe and healthy snacks.

The importance of choosing snacks that are safe for school children

Maybe not all children's snacks sold in the school area are unhealthy and dangerous. However, it is difficult to be sure which snacks are safe and healthy, and which are not. As a trader, of course everyone will admit that the snacks they sell are clean and healthy. Unfortunately, the merchant cannot guarantee this, so you shouldn't believe it.

In addition, the snacks that children usually buy at school usually only fill the child's stomach, but do not contain the nutrients that children need in their growth and development process. This can make children lazy to eat again because they already feel full.

If left unchecked, children can lack nutritional intake that is important for their growth and development. That way, it will make it easier for children to feel sick. For example, when a child is deficient in iron, the child may have iron deficiency anemia.

If the child is often sick, there will be more absences from school and this can affect the child's academic achievement. Therefore, the choice of healthy children's snacks is an important thing that you must pay attention to for the process of growth and development.

How to teach children to choose safe school snacks

For parents, forbidding children not to buy snacks at all may not be easy. Especially if your child's friends are used to snacking outside. Therefore, what you can do to prevent children from snacking carelessly is to teach children to avoid dangerous snacks.

How to? Give understanding to children why choosing healthy snacks is important. According to BPOM, appropriate snack food is safe, high quality, and nutritious. You can tell the following tips to your children to choose healthy snacks at school.

1. Choose clean snacks

Like what are healthy snacks or snacks for school children? Healthy snacks are clean and cooked. You can teach children to choose clean snacks by paying attention to the cleanliness of the place of sale and also the traders.

Pay attention to everything related to cleanliness, from water sources for washing, how to store food, how to serve food, places to serve food, and so on.

2. Look at the color, taste, and smell of food

Tell your child that it is best if he or she does not choose foods or drinks that are brightly colored, have a taste that is too salty, sweet, or sour, and or have an unpleasant smell, such as rancid or sour.

In addition, limit the consumption of soft drinks or drinks with flavor enhancers. This is especially true for children who are overweight or obese. As a parent, you should limit your child's daily intake of sugar, salt and fat, such as those found in fast food (fast food).

3. Read food labels

If the child buys packaged food, teach him to always read the food labels on the food packaging. Things that need to be considered are the name of the type of product, expiration date, composition, and nutritional value information (if any).

This is one of the important things in choosing healthy snacks for school children. The reason is, if not accustomed to it, children may just eat food in packaging. In fact, it could be that the food has expired, and this can cause the child to get sick.

4. Pay attention to cleanliness before and during meals

Apart from the cleanliness of the food purchased and the cleanliness of the traders, children of course also have to pay attention to their own hygiene. For example, to eat snacks, a healthy way is for children to get used to washing their hands first.

Children's hands can be a source of germs, especially if children often touch anything using their bare hands and then use their hands to eat. In fact, that's where the source of bacteria that can cause disease, such as diarrhea.

Schools usually provide a place to wash their hands in every corner. Therefore, as parents, it is also important to instill the importance of maintaining cleanliness in children. That way, children will get used to maintaining cleanliness, including washing hands with running water and soap before eating.

What are the risks of unhealthy school children's snacks?

A 2015 report from the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) shows that 9.37% of the 416 samples of school snacks in DKI Jakarta do not meet the requirements for consumption. From the BPOM's search results on snacks in schools in DKI Jakarta, it was found that these school snacks contained formaldehyde, borax, and dyes. Rhodamin B and Methanyl Yellow (textile dye).

Reporting from the Annual Report from the Directorate of Community Empowerment and Business Actors in 2018, there are still many snacks for school children that do not meet the health requirements. For example, the low quality and microbiological quality of ice products, colored drinks and syrups, jelly / agar and meatballs. Not to mention food additives such as excessive additives in snacks for school children.

Therefore, the snacks sold in the school area, especially those that are not managed by the school, cannot be ascertained that they have met the health requirements. Unsafe snack food for school children can cause children to get sick.

Children can experience conditions such as dizziness and nausea, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps, muscle cramps, muscle paralysis, diarrhea, disability, and even death if the child's condition is very serious. So, as a parent, you shouldn't underestimate the snacks consumed by children at school.

How severe the bad impact that can be on children due to unsafe snack foods depends on several factors. Such as the number of consumption factors, factors for handling, and the condition of the child's body.

If there is more consumption of unsafe snacks, the longer the response is given. Meanwhile, the weaker the child's immunity and physical condition, the more serious the adverse effects that can be experienced by the child. It should be noted that children are more susceptible to food poisoning than adults.

Practical recipes for making healthy snacks for school children

Instead of constantly worrying about your children's snack choices at school, you better prepare healthy snacks for your kids from home. So that children are interested, you can prepare healthy lunches from home that are similar to snacks that are sold to children at school. However, use ingredients that are safe as well as healthy.

Here are some recipes for healthy school snacks that you can try at home.

1. Egg rolls satay

One of the snacks sold by school children is egg rolls. Although eggs contain protein and tend to be harmless if consumed as a snack for children, it is not certain that the egg rolls sold outside the school area are healthy.

The reason is, traders usually try to save oil, so they will fry a lot of egg satay without changing the oil. In addition, usually traders will use ketchup which cannot be guaranteed its safety. Instead of worrying you, you better try to make these healthy snacks for children so they can be brought to school.

To make this one snack for school children, there are several ingredients that you need to prepare:

• Chicken eggs
• Garlic that has been mashed
• Salt
• Ground pepper
• Cooking oil
• Skewers

How to make egg rolls is very easy. First, beat the egg and mix it with salt, pepper and garlic. Then, put one or two spoonfuls of beaten egg into the frying pan.

No need to wait too long, after the eggs look cooked, grab them using a skewer by rolling them. Snacks for children who are healthy and safe are also ready to be served. You can use tomato sauce at home which is also guaranteed safe.

2. Chocolate banana

Apart from the egg roll satay, this chocolate covered banana is also a popular snack for school children. Not a few traders sell chocolate bananas outside the school area. However, many traders use the same oil for frying. Even though the oil has turned black, traders have not replaced it.

Instead of letting children eat brown bananas with frying oil that are no longer healthy, you better make yourself a healthier brown banana at home for your child. This child's snack is also not too difficult. All you need is the spring rolls, chopped banana, and chocolate sauce.

First, apply the chocolate sauce to the chopped banana. Then, wrap it with spring rolls and put it in the frying pan. When it is cooked, you can drain the oil first and then transfer it to a plate. These snacks are ready for children to eat or take to school.

3. Fruit ice

Instead of letting your child buy cold drinks that are not necessarily healthy outside the school area, you can prepare fruit ice that is delicious, fresh, and of course healthy. Besides that, the way to make it is also easy.

First of all, prepare pieces of fruit that the child likes, for example watermelon, melon, and other fresh fruits. Then, put it in the syrup that has been mixed with milk as well as ice cubes that you made yourself. Besides being clean and safe, your kids will love it too. Good luck!

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