Healthy snacks, mini meals: Balanced nutrition for kids

By Bailey Koch, RD, CSP, LD and Kathleen Zelman, RDN

Get ready for school! As parents we know the importance of good nutrition, adequate sleep and regular physical fitness. But packing lunches and providing nutritious snacks can be a conundrum, especially when there are so many processed snacks that sound healthy – parents are confused. Here to help and enlighten us today is Bailey Koch.  

Bailey is a registered dietitian for children with two decades of experience, specializing in pediatric gastroenterology. In this interview, Kathleen and Bailey focus on preparing kids for a successful school day through balanced nutrition, with a particular emphasis on snacks.

Bailey stresses the importance of providing children with snacks that have two things to help sustain energy and maintain focus throughout the school day. She explains that snacks should be thought of as "mini meals" rather than simple treats.

Nutrient-dense snacks to avoid energy crashes

Bailey highlights how common processed snacks, like those high in sugar and low in nutrients, cause energy crashes and affect children's attention. She provides practical suggestions, including examples of nutrient-dense snacks with at least five grams of protein, to help sustain kids' energy throughout the day. Bailey advises parents to focus on snacks that will fuel kids' bodies and minds, particularly during long school days.

Nutrient substitution and picky eaters

Kathleen and Bailey discuss practical tips for improving children's nutrition, focusing on freeze-dried vegetables, fruit substitution, and sugar cravings. Bailey explains what freeze-dried vegetables are, where they are located at certain (not all!) grocery stores, and why they are a great alternative to fresh produce. She explains why substituting fruit for vegetables is not the best idea.

Bailey also addresses concerns about picky eaters, advising parents what to moderate in kids' diets. When asked about multivitamins, Bailey acknowledges their role for very picky eaters but gives some very poignant advice.

Strategies for curbing sugar cravings

Lastly, Bailey offers strategies for curbing sugar cravings, such as what to limit in kids' diets by opting for healthier alternatives. By making gradual changes, parents can reshape their children's eating habits, reducing the demand for sweets over time.

Following Bailey's expert advice, parents can ensure their children maintain balanced nutrition, improve focus, sustain their energy during the long school day, and develop healthier eating habits for the long term.

Key takeaways

Snacks are mini meals and need to be healthy to support energy needs, growth and development.

Stock the home with healthy options, enjoys treats away from home.

Treats are not a part of a balanced diet, they are treats.

Inspire veggie consumption with freeze dried veggies, dips and more.

Curb sweet cravings by reducing the sweets in the diet, use fruit to satisfy sweet tooth.

Avoid highly processed foods instead look for options that contain protein and fiber with limited added sugars.

Read labels to find the best snacks.

Start early in life getting babies and toddlers accustomed to healthy foods. 

Get kids involved in making snack bags that are portable and healthy.  Start in the grocery store selecting items such as popcorn, nuts, make-you-own trail mix and more.

The best snacks contain protein and fiber.  Sometimes it requires combining foods such as an apple with nut butter.

About Bailey Koch, RD, CSP, LD

Bailey is a Registered Dietitian who is board certified as a Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition.  She started her career at Northside Hospital and then at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite with Pediatric Nutrition as her main focus.  While at Northside, she provided support in all areas of the hospital including the high-risk perinatal unit and 100 bed NICU.  At Scottish Rite, she was involved in the care of a wide variety of children working with the AFLAC Cancer Center, Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units, Neonatal follow-up clinic and the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit. 

In 2006 Bailey joined the GI Care for Kids team and founded Atlanta Pediatric Nutrition in 2008.  While at GI Care for Kids, she has developed an interest in helping children with Celiac Disease, food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis, FPIES, failure to thrive and feeding difficulties among other diagnoses. 

Bailey graduated from the University of Mississippi and completed her dietetic internship at Emory University.  She is 1 of only 30 Board Certified Specialists in Pediatric Nutrition in the state of Georgia.  Bailey is a Food Allergy Specialist and holds a certificate of training in childhood and adolescent weight management.  She has also held the specialty credential of Certified Nutrition Support Dietitian. 

Bailey is a founding member and has served on various committees of the Nutrition Council for Pediatric Nutrition Professionals, which is part of the North American Society for Pediatric

Gastroenterology and Nutrition. She is a member of the Medical Advisory Board for both The FPIES Foundation and Nutrition4Kids.com.  Bailey is an expert witness in pediatric nutrition for the State of Georgia and the United States Department of Justice. She has served on the Greater Atlanta Dietetics Association Board as the State Professional Recruitment Coordinator.   

Bailey has been involved with research on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet in Crohn's Disease and served as one of the primary consultants for the book What to Feed Your Baby.  She has authored numerous articles and blogposts for Nutrition4Kids.com and co-authored the book 500 Baby and Toddler Dishes: Nutritious Make-ahead Meals for Baby's First Foods and Beyond.

A sought-after speaker in pediatric nutrition, she has presented to multiple groups of medical professionals, including physicians, therapists, nurses and other dietitians.   Education of future dietitians in pediatrics is important to her, thus she serves as a preceptor to dietetic interns throughout the country who are interested in the specialized area of pediatric nutrition.  She has been a guest speaker for CNN Newsroom in addition to being interviewed for many magazine and news articles on the topic of pediatric nutrition.  

Outside of work, Bailey enjoys spending time with her family (husband, son, daughter, boxer and 2 bunnies), spending time with friends, working out, shopping and traveling.