Heading to the pool means spending quality time together while doing something active for the day. All the jumping, kicking and swimming can cause your children to work up an appetite. Whether you use a public pool, a friend’s pool or your own, stocking up on healthy and delicious snacks will energize everyone for a fun day. Here are the 7 best pool snacks for kids.
Pool Safety Tips
Before you head to the pool, you should have some things in the back of your head with children around the water. Ensuring you remember safety tips can prevent a loved one from being a part of the 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings each year:
- Never leave a child unattended in or near water: Even if a lifeguard is present, caregivers should still take responsibility for being water watchers. Have a phone close by at all times.
- Teach children proper breathing: Practice bending at the waist, placing your face in the water and forcefully blowing air out of your mouth and nose.
- Install barriers and alarms around the pool: If you have a pool at home, teach children only to go in the area with an adult present. Additionally, install a fence with an alarm that goes off if someone enters the pool area.
Components of Snacks
Whether you’re wondering what to feed kids before swimming lessons or are heading out for a pool day, you’ll need lots of snacks to fuel them. Focus on the three components of the snack quality — protein, salts and hydration:
- Protein: You’ll need your little ones to fuel up on energy, so providing protein-rich snacks will replenish their energy. Options like lunch meat, nut butter and nuts are good choices.
- Salt: Even when in the water, your body is sweating. Sweat causes salt to be lost and can cause you to become dehydrated. Salty snacks like pretzels, crackers and electrolyte drinks will help your body absorb water better.
- Hydration: It’s essential to stay hydrated in the summer sun. Along with handing your kids a cold drink, you can take in water through food, too. Put out watermelon and cucumbers for extra hydration.
Pool Snacks for Kids
Do your children and their friends love a snack after they get out of the water? Check out these delicious pool snacks for kids to nourish their bodies and taste buds.
1. Popcorn Trail Mix
Trail mix is and easy and versatile snack idea. You can customize it to add in foods your children love and it will be a popular snack by the pool. All you need to do is choose raisins, cashews and dried fruit to throw in the mix with popcorn for a delicious treat.
2. Frozen Grapes
Frozen grapes will be your best friend if you need something simple with minimal effort. All you do is choose between your favorite grapes — like green, red or cotton candy — and pop them in the freezer for a few hours. They are sweet and refreshing on a warm summer day. You can also do this with other fruits like blueberries.
3. Apples and Peanut Butter
This is a classic combination for a reason. The apples are sweet and refreshing, while the peanut butter provides protein. It will give your kids energy and keep them feeling full. You can also switch out the apples for celery if you want a different flavor combination.
4. Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Bring out cheesecake-stuffed strawberries when your kids are craving dessert and you want to keep it on the healthier side. They look time-consuming to make but take less than 10 minutes to prepare. Cut out the middle of the strawberries and fill them with cream cheese to make them a sweet delicious treat.
5. Fruit Spring Rolls
If you want to get creative, try making fruit spring rolls. They are a fun snack that requires you to do a little more work. Slice up the fruit you want in the spring rolls and use rice paper to roll them all together. It puts a twist on eating fruit the traditional way.
6. Pigs in a Blanket
After playing hard in the pool, your kids might need something more filling. Pigs in a blanket are a savory treat for your kids when they take a break from swimming. It’ll provide salt to help utilize the water they wash them down with.
7. Fruit Smoothies
Smoothies are delicious and refreshing on a hot summer day. The best part is you can customize them to anyone’s liking. Throw in anything — mangos, peaches, pineapple, avocado and spinach — to pack it full of nutrients. Including some greens can trick your kids into eating them if they aren’t big veggie lovers.
Break Out the Pool Side Snacks
A pool day with the best snacks will surely be a memorable experience. No matter what your little ones like, there are plenty of delicious options, from savory to sweet. Try these options next time you pack your bags for the poolside.
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