Online school means more time in front of screens. It’s necessary for learning but not so great for our kids’ metabolism.
For reference—here are the latest obesity statistics for children from the CDC:
😢 14% of US preschool children are obese
😢 18% of US elementary-aged children are obese
😢 20% of US teenagers are obese
Here’s the thing. Obesity is preventable AND reversible. Keeping our kids active gives them a huge advantage.
Here’s what experts recommend:
🏃♀️Kids should accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise per day
🏃♀️Exercising more than 60 minutes gives even more benefit
🏃♀️Most exercise should be aerobic
Playing games, running, jumping, and even doing chores can count as exercise! The point is that our bodies were made to MOVE.
So…if you have the kids at home, schedule breaks for movement. Get outside. Ride bikes. Jump rope. Do whatever the kids find fun. Plus—if you participate, you’ll reap the benefits as well!
Tips for keeping your kids active:
- Keep it fun
- Break the hour up into smaller chunks
- Stay hydrated
- Give a healthy snack to fuel their fun
- Exercise with your kids
Some fun ideas include:
- Hula hoops
- Toss across games
- Hopscotch
- Obstacle course
- Follow the leader
Some healthy snack ideas:
- Apples and peanut butter
- Avocados
- Crackers and nut butter
- Energy bites
- Vegetables and almond cheese dip
-Kids should accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise per day
-Exercising more than 60 minutes gives even more benefit
-Most exercise should be aerobic
NO BAKE ENERGY BITES INGREDIENTS:
To make this no bake energy bites recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Old-fashioned oats: Also called rolled oats — these will serve as the base ingredient for our energy bites.
- Shredded coconut: Which I highly recommend toasting — either briefly in the oven or in a sauté pan — before adding to the energy bites. (Just be sure that they have cooled before adding in the chocolate chips, or the chocolate may heat and turn a bit melty.)
- Creamy peanut butter: I have used both traditional creamy peanut butter and natural creamy peanut butter in this recipe, and both work!
- Ground flaxseed: To add some extra protein, fiber and omega-3s to our energy bites.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: I photographed this recipe with standard-sized semisweet chips, but mini semisweet chips mix in easier.
- Honey: To add some natural sweetness and also help to bind the energy balls together.
- Vanilla extract: For a touch of extra flavor.
- Chia seeds (optional): Feel free to skip the chia seeds, if you do not have any on hand. But I love adding in a tablespoon or so when I do!
INSTRUCTIONS
- Stir everything together. Stir all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Chill. Cover the mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until the mixture is chilled. (This will help the mixture stick together more easily.)
- Roll into balls. Roll into mixture into 1-inch balls.
- Serve. Then enjoy immediately! Or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reference
Obesity Statistics: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html
Exercise Recommendations: https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_young_people/en/
No Bake Energy Balls:
https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/