Tangerines: A Tasty, Healthy Snack for Kids

Did you know that giving your kids snacks can actually be a good thing? Kids need even more nutrients than adults in order to grow and develop properly, and achieving their recommended daily allowance can be tough when their diets are limited to a three-meals-a-day schedule.

That said, what and how much kids snack on can also prove very detrimental to their overall and long-term health. The results of one recent study’s look at the contribution of snacks towards the overall dietary intake of 2-to-5-year olds yielded some less-than-encouraging results:

1. 28% of their total daily calories consumed come from snacks
2. 39% of added sugar in their diet comes from snack foods
3. 26% of total fat and fiber comes from snack foods
4. Cookies and pastries won first place for contributing to calories, sugar and fat in young children, followed by sugary beverages

Kids who eat regular meals and one or two healthy snacks at predictable times throughout the day (i.e. mid-morning and mid-afternoon), however, get more of those much-needed nutrients and tend to avoid overeating. This is where fruit – like a fresh tangerine – can be a huge help.

Tangerines: A “Sweet” Parents Can Feel Good About

Tangerines are sweeter than oranges, and their flavor tends to be more intense. Because they are small, the honey tangerine is easier to handle and a perfect sized snack portion for children and seniors. (Little ones require smaller portions and frequent eating, as their tummies don’t hold a lot and become empty earlier than a bigger kid’s.) The favorite varieties of tangerines for kids’ lunches are the seedless tangerines. Parents like to pack more than one into their child’s lunch so they can share a healthy tangerine gift with their friends.

The Florida tangerine orange grows in the rich soil of the Indian River County of the Treasure Coast. Tangerine varieties grown in this area are honey tangerines or murcotts, most popular for their sweetness. Other tangerines fruit includes the Sunburst and Dancy varieties, which are also loved by children. Because the skin of a fresh tangerine is pliable and loose, they are easy to peel with no drippy juices. Children pop the juicy segments into their mouths and there is no messy clean up!

Benefits of Tangerines

The nutritional value of a tangerine has 26.7 mg of vitamin C, which is 32 percent of a child’s daily requirement. Low in fat, just one tangerine fruit provides 223 kJ of energy. The Mandarin tangerine is also packed with other vitamins, folate, beta-carotene, potassium, and magnesium.

Make sure you are providing the best quality Florida tangerines for your family by making a regular tangerine online order. Ordering freshly picked varieties of oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus varieties means you get your deliveries straight from the trees to your door. Our hand packaged fruit selections are far superior to the quality of tangerine fruit you’ll find at Farmer’s Markets or grocery stores.

Tangerines can also be used to create delicious desserts and add a great burst of flavor in salads, tangerine orange sauces, and toppings. Search for many recipes that include the tangerine online for a great way to include citrus fruits in your kids’ diet. Tangerine juice is a fresh, naturally sweet, and satisfying pick-me-up with nutrients to fuel their growing bodies.

Gifting Healthy Snacks

If your children are adults and maybe starting their own families, sending a select package of healthy tangerine snacks like the Spring Basket, is a great way to let them you are thinking of them, and get them in the habit of using fresh tangerines in your grandchildren’s diet. Busy new moms will appreciate the quick treat idea of keeping these delicious treats of nature handy.

Where to Buy Tangerines

Looking for the best Florida citrus? Order online from Hale Groves! While you can buy tangerines in your local grocery stores when they’re in season, ordering citrus online from Hale Groves ensures you get the Hale Groves Guarantee, which promises that, if your Florida orange gifts don’t arrive fresh and perfect, we’ll make it right.

Our repeat customers know that, for the best varieties of tangerine, online ordering from us is the way to go. There’s no middleman when you order from Hale Groves: our mail order oranges and other fruit are still on the tree at the time you submit your order, so your kids are sure to get the best-quality citrus available.