How to Make Children’s Snack Time Healthy and Delicious
Ideas for Making Snack Time Healthy and Delicious
This article is adapted from the Food, Fun & Family resource guide at foodandfun.org.
Snacks are an important part of your child’s daily diet. Children need healthy snacks between meals to give them energy and nutrients. A good snack includes: at least one fruit or vegetable AND one whole grain or protein.
When Your Child Says, “I’m Hungry!”
• Homemade snack packs! Rather than buying more expensive and less healthy prepackaged snacks, assemble snacks at home in small baggies. Mix together nuts and seeds, whole grain cereal, and dried fruit.
• Be prepared. Have a supply of washed, cut up fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. Store them in clear containers at eye level so kids can see them.
• Go for healthy fats. Pair veggies like carrots and celery with all-natural peanut butter. Slice up avocado and serve it plain or with a sprinkling of garlic salt.
• Try naturally sweet. Replace high-sugar options with snacks that don’t have added sugar. Use fresh, frozen, or dried fruit in yogurt or to make smoothies!
• Serve cereal! A cup of whole grain cereal with less than 5 grams of sugar + low fat/skim milk + fruit (like cut up strawberries or bananas) = a great snack!
• Try something new! Bored with the same old thing? Wander the grocery aisles and check nutrition labels.
• Don’t forget the fun. Try recipes that engage your child. See our recipe bank for snack and meal ideas!
When Your Child Says, “I’m Thirsty!”
Serve water or milk. For added fun try:
• Adding fruit or frozen 100% fruit juice ice cubes to water.
• Making juice “spritzers”- Mix a splash of 100% juice with sodium-free seltzer water.
• Making “sun tea” by placing teabags or fresh mint leaves in a pitcher of water and leaving it out in the sun for several hours.
Watch out for added sugars!
• Do not buy drinks with added sugars. Remember that sugar is sometimes listed as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, or dextrose. Don’t be fooled, it’s all just sugar!
• Set limits. Limit soda and other sugary drinks (sweetened ice teas, fruit punch, etc.) to one 8-ounce serving per week.
• Skip the sports drinks. Water is the best drink for active kids.
• Avoid “diet” drinks with sugar substitutes like saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, or Splenda.
• Limit 100% juice to 4 ounces per day (juice box size).
