I remember when Big A started kindergarten and it seemed like she was offered food at every turn. Then she joined soccer and seemed more interested in the snack than the game. Like a lot of parents, I wanted to positively influence the food environment without being “that mom.” You know, the one everyone (including kids) think of as big DUDs.
If you want to take positive action at home, school, sports, and even your work place, there’s a resource you need to know about. It’s an e-book from dietitian Sally Kuzemchak called The Snacktivist Handbook: How to Change the Junk Food Snack Culture at Schools, in Sports, and at Camp — and Raise Healthier Snackers at Home . And it’s got everything you need to big or small steps to a healthier food environment.
On her blog Real Mom Nutrition, Sally’s been writing about what she calls “snacktivism” for some time now. According to her book, she defines it this way:
Snactivism is a grassroots effort to improve the current culture of snacking. The way we do snacks today creates an unhealthy pattern that can ultimately affect the health of our kids….Snacktivism is NOT about giving up cookies and cupcakes. Instead, it’s about putting them back in their place as special occasion foods, not everyday choices.
Here’s what’s included in The Snacktivist’s Handbook:
Personal Stories
There are personal stories of other parents who have had success changing the snack culture at school, sports, and local events. Whether it’s successfully getting healthy food offerings or changing the snack at soccer games to fruit and water, you’ll read about how other parents have made positive changes. It’s not only inspiring, but provides creative ideas on how to change things.
Snack Ideas & Recipes
The book is full of snack ideas and recipes that are easy, tasty, and pleasing to kids. Think Apple Nachos, Apricot Energy Bites, and Turkey Wraps. If you are running out of ideas or just need some inspiration, it’s all here.
Letter Templates & Tips
If you want to reach out to a teacher, coach, or camp director about snacks but aren’t sure what to say, The Snactivist’s Handbook has plenty of tips on how to foster good communication. Especially helpful are the letter templates you can tailor to meet your needs. All the sample communication pieces are respectful and help you get your point across without upsetting anyone.
Printables
If you work in education or just want to help get the word out about healthy snacking, there’s a list of printables that can help. From Myths About Sports Drinks to 20 Healthy Team Snacks to Food-Free Ways to Celebrate Birthdays at School, Sally has it covered.
You will not find a more comprehensive resource about positively influencing the environment (at home too) for healthy snacking than The Snacktivist’s Handbook. Even if you’re not quite sure you want to take action, the helpful ideas, information, and recipes alone make the book worth it.
Sally has The Snacktivist’s Handbook available for sale on her site, and she’s also offered to give one away to one of my readers. If you want the chance to win a copy leave a message saying why. The giveaway will end next Thursday the 10th. Good luck!
Disclosure: I received a complementary copy of The Snacktivist’s Handbook
Would love this book to learn how to navigate my daughters’ future snack conundrums as they get older!
I would love to win a copy of this book.
It is a daily struggle, figuring healthy snacks and meals to feed my son.
Thanks for the opportunity!
Thanks for this post – I would love some help with healthy snack ideas! My daughter is in first grade, and she’s still very picky. I’m trying to stay positive, and set good examples for her 2.5-year-old brother, too. Thanks!
Thanks! We just finished renovating our house and as a result of not having a kitchen for 5 months we have slipped into some bad snacking habits and have turned to a lot of convenience foods. I’d like this book to share with my kids and work together on revamping our school lunches and after school snacks now that we are able to get the kitchen (and our habits) back in order.
Thank you always for your insight and advice about food and children (and adults too!) My daughter is turning three soon and I’ve been trying to implement your perspective into the way I feed our family. Snacks in the outside world is now becoming more of an influence to us so this handbook would be so helpful!
i would love to see this – we struggle with snacks all the time in our household!
This book sounds perfect for our adjustment to kindergarten this year! My oldest started kinder and we are bombarded with food at what seems like every turn. Between the candy rewards used in class, the snacks handed out daily in class, and the birthday celebrations, my daughter gets more sugar and processed food than we know what to do with! This book looks like a great resource.
I love everything Sally does!
We are always looking for new snack ideas. I’m excited to see what this holds
Hi I am involved with an Early Childhood education program, I am a soccer mom with two, and have a passion to provide useful information to strive for better health and growth and development for our little ones. I would love a copy of this book!!! I have been asked before about soccer snacks and have struggled when providing food, snacks for birthdays parties or classroom parties.
I really would appreciate it.
Thank you.
Looks like a fantastic resource! Would love one for my office to promote to clients.
I have 3 very small kids (4 years old and twin 22 month olds) and am overwhelmed when it comes to their snacking. I would love simple and quick ideas for busy small kids!
I love the premise of this book! I’m all about getting my kids to eat healthier than I did, and it’s tough! I think this book would be really helpful in providing new ideas for snacks and being able to spread the word to other parents!
I would love to win this book because after raising 5 daughters, 36, 34, 32, 26, & 16, we’re starting over due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control with our 4 & 5 year old grandchildren. We always were “those” parents because healthy eating was not even on anyone else’s radar however having a multi-generational household, we had a few challenges that many other families didn’t. Plus we had a single income most of the time.
I would really like to be a fantastically awesome grandma while still making sure our grandkids are eating healthy food.
Thank you for the opportunity to win.
I’d love to get a copy of this book. Even though, or especially because, my daughter is entering the teen years, this has been an issue for us. Also, I am now working at an afterschool program with about 10 elementary kids. We struggle to provide healthy snacks each day on a budget.
This looks like such a great resource! I’ve already had to deal with this issue at my daughter’s nursery class at church where 18 month olds were being cupcakes and popcorn on a regular basis. It would be great to have this book to use as I continue to navigate situations like this.
It would be so wonderful to receive a copy of this book. I have 2 boys, one is a senior in high school and year-round swimmer (formerly a picky eater), and the other is a 1st grader, who is beyond picky eating ( I am beside myself with worry re nutrition, and high frustration; too many years of picky eating between the both of them). I would love some fresh ideas for my swimmer, as well as new ideas/suggestions for the extreme picky eater.
Love this concept of positive change. Would love this book to learn the effective and polite communication skills to convince grandma to stop giving my child candy as rewards, especially since we see them 2-3 times a week (whats other people’s definition of sometimes foods?!), not to mention every other social scenario we come across (church snacks, babysitters, parties etc)
I am a public health nurse and momma of two so this is of interest to me personally and professionally.
Wow! I popped over to The Snacktivist’s Handbook website to read through her introduction to the book, and it seems like she’s done her research and is going to provide sound advice! I would love to win a copy… I’ve started making real food changes/choices at home, and it is discouraging when the other places your kids are influenced don’t feel the same way. Pick me, pick me! 🙂
The giveaway already ended. Sorry!