I was talking with colleagues, friends, and co-laborers who strive for better health on a population level and discovered that many of us had the same problem within our faith community. We saw that our children, our beloved future leaders, were being fed high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, such as hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, soda, and sweets.
As a group, we recognized the difficulty in providing affordable but healthy food to a large group. The question was asked, “So how do you find a balance between fun activities for kids with food they will enjoy eating?” In an attempt to answer this question, I came up with some healthy food alternatives that are affordable. If you have tried something different, please let us know. We are a community that can benefit from each other’s knowledge.
Soda Alternatives:
Water with lemon, lime, cucumber, rosemary, mint, or other flavorings
Ginger beer, similar to root beer but with real ginger
Carbonated water mixed with lemon, lime, grape juice or apple juice
Other Drink Options:
Juicing vegetables
Smoothies
Hot Dog Alternatives:
100% uncured beef hot dog
100% chicken hot dog or sausage
Baked beans “hot dog” (use the bun and put baked beans, coleslaw, onions, and the other fixins inside)
Chip Alternatives:
Kale chips
Carrots
Homemade potato wedges
Banana chips
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