“Staying at home doesn't necessarily mean spending whole days sitting on the couch and eating whatever comes our way. You can do a minimum of physical activity with equipment or online through apps and video courses. Just like you can carry on following a healthy diet, perhaps revised and adjusted in accordance with our new lifestyle, which is certainly more inactive. The aim is to take advantage of this time of isolation to take care of ourselves, educating ourselves and our children also from a dietary point of view.”
At least that’s what Davide Minisci, doctor and nutritionist suggests and invites us to reflect on the half-forgotten meal that we are all rediscovering at this time: the snack. Yes, that afternoon snack that many of us haven't had since high school, or that’s been replaced by a quick snack in front of the office vending machine. "Snacks have always been an integral part of the Mediterranean diet," continues Dr. Minisci. "It takes a little forethought not to turn it into a counterproductive calorie binge".
A balanced snack
"For our children, a snack may mean bread and Nutella, but we must remember that we are of different ages and have another metabolism." The nutritionist's advice is clear: keep sugars and fats at bay is essential, especially now that the opportunity of movement and exercise is very limited. "Generally speaking, the afternoon snack should provide us with around 5% of our daily calories. Around 150-180 kcal overall". Fruit or fruit salad is, therefore, an ideal solution, perhaps with the addition of low-fat yogurt, 0% fat. Other possible alternatives include Greek yogurt with a teaspoon of honey and a few seeds or dried fruit to increase the protein intake. "A turkey or cooked ham toast can also be good, especially for those who are used to going to the gym," explains Minisci. "Or a cereal bar, which can also become a routine habit when we return to the office”.
A snack for the little ones
An extra touch of sweet tooth is certainly not a problem for children, who can happily treat themselves to a traditional snack made of bread, chocolate and so on. "Staying at home with mum and dad, however, can become a valuable opportunity to try out new foods," suggests the expert. "We have to remember that the little ones look to us as an example: let's try to make them get passionate about fruit, or to make them rediscover the wonder of simple bread with jam". The green light also goes for homemade cakes, as long as they don’t contain excesses of cream and butter, or to pancakes, to be enjoyed with customary maple syrup. "Let’s also try to offer some fruit juices, or perhaps a fruit smoothie prepared with semi-skimmed milk. Leave room for the imagination. And yes, if from time to time we want to join in on our children's snack we don't have to feel guilty: going crazy from time to time is not a problem on the contrary, it’s good for our mood".