Fig & Spelt Sourdough Crackers - Peters Yard - 100g

It's time our kids go back to school! If you are looking for healthy snacks that are perfect for taking to school or after school, then this short list is for you. Eating healthy snacks can benefit your children in many ways. These healthy snacks will help your kids grow, develop and learn. To make your life easier, you can buy healthy snacks online and fill up your pantry with nuts, dried fruits, seeds, popcorn and dark chocolate. This way, you will always have some healthy snacks at hand. Popcorn Popcorn is a whole grain that is low in fat and rich in complex carbohydrates, making it a perfect snack for kids (if you don't add butter and salt). Corn has excellent health benefits for children. It contains a lot of dietary fibre, essential vitamins and minerals. High fibre improves digestion, helps avoid constipation, and stimulates digestive juices' secretion, keeping the bowels healthy. Popcorn also contains a good quantity of iron and calcium, manganese and phosphorous, which are vital for maintaining healthy bones and the functioning of cells. Additionally, corn is loaded with B vitamins, including vitamins B3, B6, pantothenic and folate acid, which are great for the brain and mood. Popcorn contains carotenoid antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein that help protect eye health. Nuts A handful of organic nuts or a serving of as little as 30g daily can benefit your kids in many ways. Nuts like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamias and Brazil nuts are loaded with nutrients, protein and fibre to help children thrive and are an excellent fuel for the brain. In general, all kinds of nuts offer amazing health benefits, but every kind of nuts can also offer something special including preventing depression and anxiety. Walnuts contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and DHA, which help fight inflammation. They contain twice as many antioxidants as other nuts, which improve cognitive functioning. Hazelnuts, almonds, pecans and macadamia nuts are heart-healthy. Almonds help improve your kid's memory. Pistachios are rich in oils that help preserve fatty acids and prevent inflammation. Macadamias also help in normal brain functioning. Dark chocolate Dark chocolate is a very healthy snack when consumed in moderation. It contains powerful antioxidants and flavonoids. Flavonoids improve blood flow to the brain, which can significantly improve memory and brain functioning. Veggies and Fruits Fresh vegetables are an obvious healthy snack. Packed with vitamins, they contain everything your children need to grow and develop in the right way. Dried fruits can be an excellent replacement for fresh fruits due to their longer shelf life. They contain all the nutrients of fruits but can last longer in your pantry. Your kids will love dried fruits like cranberries, dried apricots, cranberries, dates and figs.

Raisins. Those small but tasty fruits that are full of sweet and juicy flavour, in fact, one could describe them as nature’s very own candy! They are featured in many traditional British baking recipes, but can also be used in savoury dishes, along with being a quick and healthy snack. But what even are they and are raisins any good for you? And what’s the difference between raisins and sultanas? Well, we have the answers for you right here in this very article. Read on raisin fans! How Are Raisins Made? Raisins are in fact dried grapes. The grapes can be dried either by the sun or by a mechanical process, which results in what we call, raisins. These dried fruits are produced and eaten all over the world. The drying process affects the shape, sizes, colours, and flavours. You may wonder why it is then that raisins don’t actually taste like grapes, considering most dried fruits still taste like their fresh counterparts. This is possibly because the drying process concentrates the sugar content in the fruit. As grapes ripen there is also a flavour progression. Raisins probably came to exist entirely by accident. It is said they were likely discovered in prehistoric times when some grapes were accidentally left out and dried in the sun. Some curious growers decided to try the wrinkled fruit and enjoyed the sweetness of them - What a tasty mishap! Guess everything happens for a raisin 😉 Different Types of Raisins There are many different varieties of raisins out there, but here are some of the most popular and well known types, and the differences between them - Raisins The most famous guys on this list are the standard raisin. They are a type of grape that has been dried for around three weeks. As the grapes dry the begin to darken in colour, which is what gives raisins their dark brown colour. Raisins are generally made from the Thompson Seedless variety. However, in Australia, raisins are made exclusively from larger grape varieties including Muscat, Lexia, and Waltham Cross. Standard raisins are typically larger than sultanas and currants, they are dark in colour, have a soft texture, a sweet flavour. Sultanas Sultanas are made from green seedless grapes, usually the Thompson Seedless variety. Unlike raisins, sultanas are usually coated in an oil-based solution prior to drying to speed up the process. For this reason, they are often lighter in colour than raisins and currants. Sultanas are typically smaller than raisins and are sweeter, juicer and lighter in colour than both raisins and currants. Currants Currants, also referred to as “Zante currants,” are tiny, dried grapes. Despite their name, currants are actually made by drying a variety of small, seedless grapes called Black Corinth and Carina. Currants, much like raisins, are dried for up to three weeks. Because of their small size, they have a sweet, tangy, and intense flavour and add texture and sweetness to both sweet and savoury dishes. Health Benefits of Raisins So now we know what they are, are raisins actually good for you? Well good news for the raisin lovers, there are actually many health benefits to be had by including them in your diet. Firstly, raisins contain higher levels of antioxidants in comparison to other dried fruits. The process in which they are dried also helps to preserves these antioxidants, more so than in fresh grapes. Raisins contain iron, which may aid in cardiovascular health. They’re also a good source of potassium, copper, manganese, and vitamin b6. Raisins have a good amount of calcium, which benefits bone health, and they contain the mineral, boron. Boron helps in maintaining good bone and joint health, can improve wound healing, and may improve cognitive performance. Raisins are also a rich source of soluble fibre, which helps the digestive system and can reduces stomach problems. They also contain tartaric acid. which may have anti-inflammatory properties, can improve intestinal function, and aid in regulating the balance of bacteria in your gut.

In the hours we spend awake in the day, sometimes it can be hard to stick to the basic routine of three meals a day. Whether it’s because you’re off schedule, too busy for routine, simply forget, or just aren’t in the mood, snacking can be seen as a quick and easy solution. That is, if it is done correctly. I’m sure we would all love to snack on the sweet and savoury snacks we know and love, all day every day. Who doesn’t love the taste of a chocolate biscuit? Or a sneaky packet of crisps? The cravings are natural, and it is good to treat yourself. And… in all honesty, sometimes you just need the serotonin boost to prop yourself up on a bad day. On the other hand, snacking on your favourite things can lead to more bad than good. Yes, you get a great serotonin boost, but the come down can make you feel worse than before you even ate. Snacking on sugary and salty foods can causes lots of problems with your hormones, weight, sleep pattern, blood sugar levels, and nutrient/mineral intake. It all comes down to the ultra-processing ingredients and emulsifiers that are hiding in the products. Can Snacks Be Good for You? Now, we are not saying snacking is out of the question. Snacking is not bad for you. There are plenty of sweet and savoury healthy snacks out there, and they have plenty of benefits. Healthy snacks can increase your nutrient intake, sustain and replenish your energy and hunger levels, and even help with muscle recovery. You just have to pick your food wisely. Avoiding foods that has been processed (food that has been altered from its natural state) through additives like preservatives, emulsifiers, and sugar is a good starting point. What Are Healthy Snacks? When doing your research on what ingredients you should be including in your health friendly snacks, you should look out for fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and foods with natural sugars. These foods will provide you with plenty of energy, a fulfilling and hopefully satisfying sense that will curve your cravings, and prevent a sugar crash. But how? What Are Nutrition-Dense Snacks? Foods that are high in nutrients and surprisingly low in calories. That is what nutrient-dense is defined as. Foods that are high in fibre, protein, and minerals; foods that work with your body rather than against it. Adding foods such as boiled eggs, cottage cheese, vegetables + hummus, smoothies, yoghurt bowls, granola, fruits + peanut butter, chia pudding, cheese + crackers, protein balls, mixed nuts/caramelised nuts, popcorn can have a great effect on your diet and lifestyle. These natural ingredients provide lots of essential minerals that help keep your body running as it should. Why Roasted, And Not Fried? Frying your food creates crispy textures and tasty flavours that ultimately adds an exciting layer to your cooking. It adds an element of creativity that is almost always a hit in the kitchen, but it comes with its issues. We fry our food in a range of oils, (nut, vegetable, sunflower, olive, coconut, avocado) and in the moment we do not think about what they contain. Most oils contain trans fats and Linoleic acids, of which our bodies can’t really break down, or digest. This leads to unwanted weight gain and inflammation. Oils that are used for frying also react with foods, in a way that reduces the amount of natural water and nutrients found in them, essentially removing the healthy element of the healthy snack. A more restored option for achieving that crispy texture and tasty flavouring can be through roasting your snacks. Drying your food in an oven is an easy and simple way of roasting. Nut snacks are a perfect test subject: Roasted Almonds, Roasted Honey coated nuts, Roasted Chilli nuts, Baked Smoky Almonds, Baked Peanuts, and Caramelised Cashews are just a few to name. Nuts are a versatile snack that don’t just have to be roasted. You can find all sorts of nuts in whole food shops and supermarkets. For example: seasoned almonds, salted nuts, and spicy nuts.