How To Become A Snacktivist

Snacktivisits UNITE! Wait, you don’t know what a snacktivist is? Oh, well sit tight, because you’re going to love the positive messaging Sally Kuzemchak of Real Mom Nutrition is spreading about kids and snacking!

Snack Time, Crazy Time 

If you’re a mom, you know that snack-time is sometimes a time when all you can do is cringe. Snacks have become “treats” or foods that we sometimes use to “quiet” the crazy. Even well-meaning parents (ahem, me included), will toss a few graham crackers in the back seat just to prevent a screaming toddler melt-down. Heck, we’ve even taken our lackluster snack offerings to our kid’s school’s and sporting practices and events. While the occasional snack “treat” is ok, it seems that occasional has become every time. And that’s concerning because what are we saying with these actions as parents? Isn’t this message confusing? It is, especially when you’re young and you rely on and desire consistency with everything in your life. Enter the snacktivist movement!

Sally Says, Become A “Snactivist!”

Enter Sally of Real Mom Nutrition. She knows the snack struggle is REAL (she’s a mom too!) and she created a book to help parents tackle snack time in a practical, helpful way. A snacktivist, as defined by Sally, is someone who helps “to improve the snack culture for our children, give kids healthier choices instead of defaulting to packaged junk – and most importantly, to change the status quo.” Amen Sally! Her book is loaded with great tips on mastering snack time (at home and away) and even includes letters to schools, lists of snacks and recipes! Oh man, you’re life just got easier, right? Let’s all say it together, “Thanks Sally!” 

Getting “Real” with Snacktivist Author, Sally Kuzemchak:

What’s your favorite piece of advice to give busy moms who try to do EVERYTHING?
Don’t aim for perfection because it doesn’t exist. We all have a notion of what perfect is supposed to look like, influenced heavily by social media (especially Pinterest)! But real life doesn’t look like Pinterest, and the moms we see on our favorite blogs don’t have their stuff together either. That’s one of the missions of my own blog, to pull back the curtain and say, “See look, my kids get finicky and my house is a mess too!”
 
What’s your favorite cookbook? 
Is it tacky to say Dinnertime Survival Guide, which I collaborated on with Cooking Light? It’s actually the one I use the most, and the pages are covered in spatters and spills. When I was tasked with putting it together, I kept thinking “What kinds of recipes would I want in my dream cookbook?” so I ended up with, well, my dream cookbook! The other cookbooks that are right alongside it in my kitchen are Dinner: A Love Story100 Days of Real Food, and of course the old favorite, The Betty Crocker Cookbook. I also love my friend Katie Morford’s books Best Lunch Box Ever and Rise & Shine.
 
Who inspires you the most?
I have categories of people who inspire me. My RD blogger colleagues inspire me when I see the beautiful and healthy recipes they create, my mom friends inspire me when I see them parenting with compassion and patience, and my kids inspire me to try to be a better person, with qualities like generosity and kindness that I want them to have too.
 
Name three food staples you always have in your kitchen.
Peanut butter, eggs, and salad greens.
 
Something fun about you! 🙂
I am happiest when I am baking a pie for someone I love. I recently started taking some classes at the community college to learn about baking because I want to get better at it. There’s just something about pie that makes everyone happy, and it feels like a special gift you’re giving someone. 
 

OMG, I Love Her, Don’t You!?

See why I just love Sally!? True to her website, she is such a real person and I admire her so much for that. She’s a true snacktivist, a rock star dietitian and such an amazing advocate for kids and nutrition. I love her practical approach to life, in general and I adore this book aimed at empowering you to help your kids when it comes to healthy snacking! Sally gave me a free copy of her e-book, but even if she hadn’t, I would certainly buy it as it’s an amazingly valuable resource for any parent. Be sure to head over to her site to pick up a copy for yourself, loved ones and friends, because the snack struggle is real people! Get The Snacktivisit’s Handbook and don’t forget to follow Sally on social media to get other great tips on nutrition and parenthood!

Giveaway!

Head on over to my Instagram account to enter to win a copy of The Snactivist’s Handbook! Follow me and follow Sally and then enter your name in the comments section to enter for a chance to WIN!