Fuel Your Mind with
These Brain Food Snacks

Stop your kid’s energy crash in its tracks by nourishing both body and mind with snacks that integrate brain foods, ingredients designed to fuel creative, quick thinking and prevent an energy slump. Although it might be tempting to stock up on packaged snacks, you can easily combine the superior nutrition of whole foods with the convenience of packaged snacks by taking one or two days a week to prep the ingredients and pack them into single-serving containers. Pottery Barn Kids carries a line of products just for that use. Whether you’re looking for the perfect snack to serve once your child shrugs his backpack off at home or a midday snack to take to school, these brain-boosting, energy-packed snacks can help with refocusing to tackle studying, homework and other projects.

Fruit

The natural sugars found in fruit provide a good source of glucose to fuel your brain and provide alertness in a way that cookies, cakes and candy can’t match. While processed sweets cause blood sugar spikes followed by a crash, fresh fruit delivers slower-spiking natural sugars bolstered by fiber and much-needed hydration. Cut the fruit into slices or chunks and use our food storage containers for a quick grab-and-go snack. For best results, pair your favorite fruit with some protein. For example, dip sliced fruit into Greek yogurt, slather banana halves with peanut butter, pair apple slices with bite-sized cheddar cheese or mix berries with some walnuts. The protein helps balance out the sugar for sustained energy.

Whole Grains

Foods with whole grains nourish you with vitamins B12, B6 and folic acid, which can support healthy memory. The soluble fiber found in whole grains helps slow the release of carbohydrates in your system, giving you sustained energy levels. Serve your whole grain snack on a fun, festive plate for added color. Experiment with different grains to find what your child enjoys most. Some options include whole-grain cereal with fresh fruit, popcorn mixed with some nuts and dried fruit or whole-grain tortillas for sandwich pinwheels. Oats are a particularly effective brain food with plenty of fiber, vitamin E, potassium, zinc and B vitamins. Cook a batch of steel-cut oatmeal and pack it in one of our containers with some fruit for a comforting on-the-go snack.

Eggs

Eggs provide many essential nutrients that support healthy brain function, including omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, choline and a full serving of protein. The easiest way to snack on these and still have time to hit the playroom is to boil a batch of hardboiled eggs once a week. When you're ready for a snack, just grab one, peel it and enjoy. Alternatively, scramble an egg and serve it in a whole-grain tortilla with a side of fresh fruit for a mixture of brain foods sure to deliver steady energy.

Veggies and Dip

Vegetables provide stellar nutrition for bodies and brains, but kids can get tired of plain veggies. Jazz up the routine by offering a healthy dip made with full-fat Greek yogurt, protein-packed hummus or antioxidant-rich avocado. Slice the vegetables into strips, spears and coins to dip into your concoction. Pair snack time with game time by setting out educational games, puzzles and toys to feed your child’s brain while developing skills.