Teaching our children about climate change with Ape Snacks

** This post is written in partnership with Ape and we have been compensated for our time. ** 

As parents we are always striving to teach our children about taking care of our planet and so when Ape asked to work with us to share their amazing range of snacks, it felt like the perfect fit for our family. Ape have cut the monkey business, making snacks with only the best plant based ingredients and tastiest natural flavours which fits in perfectly with the lessons we are trying to teach our children. 

The older the children get  and the more inquisitive they become, the easier it is to have intellectual conversations about the issues within our world in an age-appropriate manner. Whilst we are very careful that our children should remain children for as long as possible, and whilst I try hard to shield my children from anything which may cause them unnecessary worry or stress, I am still working very hard to teach them about the importance of taking care of our planet, the reality of climate change and the impact we humans have on our environment.

Often in conversations with others I hear them say they aren’t sure how much or how little to share with their children when it comes to the reality of climate change and so I thought it may be helpful to share our top tips on how we teach our children about the importance of taking care of our planet.

1. Introducing more plant based meals

As a family we eat a fully balanced diet, including meat, fish and dairy products, and yet over the last couple of years we have tried to make small changes to introduce more plant based meals. We have been talking to the children about how switching to a plant based diet can help to fight climate change, due to the high consumption of meat and dairy produce fuelling global warming, and it has been interesting how eager the children have been to get on board.

Through introducing three meat free meals a week we’ve been able to massively cut back on our animal produce as well as introducing plant based snacks like these tasty Ape Puffs in Really Cheesy, Lightly Salted and Sweet Chilli Puffs. We love that not only are they plant based, but they’re also baked not fried, gluten free, vegan friendly, and super handy to take with us on days out, travel or for lunch box snacks.

I love how Ape Puffs have a crunchy texture, but without any dryness, and the 25g bags are just perfect for the children. The Really Cheesy flavour has recently been awarded the Mumsnet Rated badge which speaks volumes  and, in a recent Mumsnet product test, out of 135 testers, 83% said they would recommend the Ape Puffs range. That speaks volumes! 

With us trying to spend as much time as possible outdoors this year it’s so important I always have a packet or two in my bag to tide them over on a long walk or give them a little energy boost when they start flagging.

I think it’s interesting that the children have never once noticed the difference about any of our plant based switches, showing that you can easily make these changes without losing any of the flavour.

2. Lead by example

Leading by example is the easiest and most effective way you can teach your children just about any lesson in life and, as parents, we have huge responsibility to get it right. Educating our children to make better choices and live a more eco-friendly,  greener life can be done right from day one and, as they grow, instilling that passion to pioneer for change is something we are all capable of.

We chat with the children every single day about the changes we are making and the changes we could still make. Showing them how we choose plant based snacks is such a simple way to lead by example and Ape is a great snack for children following the same trend. We are by no means perfect but showing our children that we are making steps in the right direction is so important.

3. Plant trees

As a family who loves to travel we have decided that this year we are going to do our best to lower our carbon footprint and, for every flight we take and every long car journey we make, give something back in return. My children love to garden, something they do together with their Grandparents and the little vegetable patch they have created. Planting trees is a really fun and effective way we can teach our children the importance of conserving our planet.

We’ve been taking part in local tree planting projects, supporting the Woodland Trust Organisation to conserve and replenish our wooded areas, as well as planting our own trees in the garden at home. I love seeing the children get involved in these projects and it’s a fantastic way for some hands on learning about these important topics.

It’s great to see brands like Ape are carbon neutral and something the children have loved learning more about during snack time with their Ape puffs after a busy day in the woods. 

4. Supporting good causes 

Supporting good causes is an easy way for all of us to support the people, brands and charities pioneering for change.  Ape are members of 1 Percent for the planet which means they donate 1% of sales revenue to good causes. I love that every time we buy Ape products we are supporting the planet! 

I love that we are raising children who care so much about our planet and it just goes to show that teaching our children about climate change can be part of our every day lives and doesn’t need to be scary or confusing in the slightest. How do you teach your children about climate change?