I remember the day my son asked me if he could have sushi. My jaw sort of dropped, but since I didn’t want to give him a reason to change his mind, I allowed him to select a cooked variety that we both agreed he might enjoy. That was the beginning of his love for the Japanese delicacy. We tend to be on the crunchier side, so while I’m always looking for healthy snack options, I wasn’t sure how my kids would take to GimMe’s new SeaWeed Snacks, now available at Walmart.
We live in a society where packaged, processed snacks with pictures of characters are constantly being marketed to children, and I honestly find it difficult to sway my own kids towards healthy snacking. Fortunately, with some early guidance from our Pediatrician, we started shaping their palates in those early baby days. Today, my children eat everything from broccoli and blackberries to salmon and seaweed. But that is not to say that if given the choice, they would opt for candy and cookies over fruits and veggies every. single. time.
A couple of weeks ago Walmart sent us a box of GimMe SeaWeed snacks. I couldn’t believe how quickly my son broke into that box to try them out. I actually looked at him sideways as he was munching and crunching. He ate an entire bag and I regularly pack these salty, savory snacks in his lunch.
So what are GimMe Seaweed Snacks?
Simply put, seaweed is a vegetable containing a high density of vitamins and minerals. GimMe Seaweed Snacks are simply roasted seaweed that has been lightly seasoned.
Since I diligently read up on anything new that I present to my kids, I thought it might be interesting to note that GimMe Health Foods is owned and operated by Annie Chun, one of the leading natural Asian food brands in the U.S. These snacks are organic, vegan, gluten-free, and free from GMOs. The only ingredients you’ll find in these snacks are Organic Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, and in some varieties, organic sesame seed oil, cheddar cheese powder, cane sugar, and seasonings.
In addition to the organic seaweed sheets the company is known for, GimMe also introduced Crumbles, which can be sprinkled over rice, soup, salads, and more.
I actually quite enjoy all kinds of fish and eat seaweed regularly in soups, sushi and other Japanese dishes but should mention that seaweed is an acquired taste. And, since the introduction of the new Crumbles, you might start off by sprinkling them over foods to begin developing a taste for roasted seaweed. The nutritional benefits alone are worth it!
One important thing to note: Each snack pack contains a Silica-Gel that cannot be eaten. My older son knows not to eat this but I supervise my daughter at all times since I’m not certain she fully understands that this is meant to keep the snacks fresh.
GimMe Roasted Seaweed Crumbles area available in Honey Dijon and Cheddar Cheese varieties and these 100 calories packs can be found at Walmart for just $1.38.
Since I am regularly asked how it is that my children eat the way they do, I thought I’d share my five best tips to encourage healthy snacking:
- Begin early. There is enough research to support the fact that a baby’s taste buds are mature in utero. Pregnant women can begin shaping their baby’s taste buds by eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Additionally, parents can and should introduce healthy foods early on so that infants and toddlers readily eat them as they grow and develop.
- Be persistent. It may take 10-15 instances of offering a child a new food before they try it (ZeroToThree.org).
- Don’t give in. Too often, I hear parents admit that they would rather feed their children a convenience food that they will eat to avoid a meltdown. Unfortunately, this only seeks to solidify the problem and makes it less likely that a child will eat healthier foods. I personally don’t keep foods in the house that I don’t want my children to eat. If it’s not in the refrigerator or the cupboard, it isn’t an option.
- Encourage independence and offer choices. When children are actively involved in choosing/preparing snacks and meals, they are more likely to eat them.
- Get creative. Whether it’s using cookie cutters to create fun shapes with foods or whipping up a few colorful, flavorful dips, children are more likely to try new foods when visual presentation is appealing.
How do you encourage healthy snacking with your children? I’d love to hear your thoughts and tips!
Images: GimMe Health Foods
Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.
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I’m always looking for snacks for my son. It was really hard for me to trantransition him from formula and baby food to a toddler diet. This is helpful, when he is a little older I will introduce him to this. We’re Caribbean so I’m guessing he too will eat fish and similar items like my family and I do.
I have to admit that I’m really curious about those. I’m guessing I would like them, and that cheddar cheese one is calling to me. I’ll bet my kids would really like them too. I think they’re even healthier than I am!
Such a great idea for keeping it simple!
My boys are pretty open to new foods, so I will have to look for these at my Wal-Mart. Thanks for the info!
I love the idea. Not sure if my kids will eat them. They wont even eat apple chips! 🙁 My oldest does like fresh apples. My youngest is the REAL challenge for healthy eating.
We recently tried Kale chips, so I would love to check these out.