{"id":3283,"date":"2017-06-07T14:49:05","date_gmt":"2017-06-07T14:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.daniellebinns.com\/stagingsite\/?p=3283"},"modified":"2021-12-09T00:01:24","modified_gmt":"2021-12-09T05:01:24","slug":"healthy-crunchy-foods-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.daniellebinns.com\/stagingsite\/2017\/06\/healthy-crunchy-foods-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"40 Healthy Crunchy Foods for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was just\u00a0working\u00a0on a family’s protocol offering up recommendations for healthier “crunchy” foods, and thought “I need to share this!<\/em>” So here I am with my list of 40 healthy crunchy foods for kids!<\/p>\n

\"Curious<\/a><\/p>\n

Most kids do very well with crunchy foods, especially picky eaters.<\/p>\n

When Sienna went through her earlier phases of extreme picky eating, crunchy foods were a staple. \u00a0If I steered into the territory of mushy foods (like muffins) or slimy foods (like yogurt) it was anxiety-provoking. \u00a0I had to prepare myself for a lot of gagging, and even vomiting. \u00a0Nope…those days were not fun.<\/p>\n

But here we are today, with a little girl who had my homemade pumpkin seed & zucchini crackers for breakfast, with hazelnut butter, and some coconut yogurt. \u00a0No gagging and no tears. \u00a0I NEVER thought things would change, but with some tweaks,\u00a0<\/a>we\u00a0completely turned things around. \u00a0She is a different child at meals and stress is long gone.<\/p>\n

\"crunchy<\/p>\n

Why do children crave crunchy foods?<\/h2>\n

SENSORY PREFERENCES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Picky eaters like my daughter in her earlier years, tend to be selective with food because of their sensory preferences. \u00a0For instance, a child can\u00a0be under-sensitive <\/em>or over-sensitive <\/em>to sensory input like smell, taste, and texture.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

When we are under sensitivity,<\/em> we can’t process sensory input from food properly or feel softer textures in our mouth (think of it as if the sensation in our mouth is numbed). When sensations are numbed, we would avoid foods like yogurt, bread, etc., and instead develop a preference for crunchier foods. \u00a0Sienna would also over-stuffed her mouth to help feel her food and get a sense of the oral boundaries. Intimately known as the “chipmunk effect”.<\/p>\n

ORAL MOTOR DELAYS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Some children (also like my Sienna) have low muscle tone or delayed chewing skills. \u00a0They haven’t quite figured out how to move their tongue around and position food for chewing and swallowing. \u00a0Some crunchy foods are easier to manage because they often dissolve and require limited\u00a0oral motor skills. \u00a0Kids get their energy\/calories much quicker with these calorically-dense foods, versus having to gnaw on\u00a0a lot\u00a0of broccoli.<\/p>\n

TASTE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

And more simply, kids (and adults alike) may crave the crunch because these foods\u00a0tend to taste better. \u00a0So\u00a0I asked the parents who follow me which Crunchy foods their kids go crazy for and here’s what I heard:<\/p>\n