Active kids are hungry kids. Providing your children with healthy snacks is a great way to keep them going through the day. More important, you’ll also be helping them to get all the nutrition they need for their growing minds and bodies.

Some parents look down on snacking between meals, but healthy snacking is an important part of a child’s day. Remember, children have much smaller stomachs than adults so they need to eat more often during the day. In fact, some children (especially if they are very active) need to eat five or six times per day. That’s up to three snacks a day — a great opportunity to squeeze in some extra nutrition!

Healthy snack guidelines

So what is a healthy snack? Typically, the more natural the food, the more wholesome it is. That’s because natural foods are minimally processed to conserve those rich nutrients already found in nature. Combine two or more of the five food groups — dairy, vegetables, fruit, grains, and protein — to make nutrient-rich snacks. For example, apple slices and all-natural peanut butter are a good combination of the fruit and protein groups, providing carbohydrates for energy and protein for growth, as well as phytonutrients, fiber, iron, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

Another great snack full of these nutrients is a quesadilla made with a whole wheat tortilla, beans, and low-fat cheese. Plus, snacks can help to make up for food groups or nutrients children missed out on in their meals. Did your child skip vegetables at lunch? Try offering carrot sticks with hummus as a snack.

Healthy snacking tips

• Be creative. Make healthy foods fun by cutting them into shapes and using lots of color.
• Let your kids join in. What is your child’s favorite healthy food? Plan a snack around it.
• Be a good role model. If you snack healthy, your child is more likely to as well.
• Offer snacks no sooner than two hours before mealtime. This way, a child is less likely to be too full for regular meals.

Simple snack ideas

• English muffin pizzas: whole wheat English muffin, tomato sauce, low-fat cheese, and veggies
• Banana roll-ups: whole wheat tortilla, all-natural peanut butter, and banana slices
• Cut-up fruit and yogurt dip
• Yogurt with crushed whole grain crackers or granola mixed in
• Vegetable soup and whole grain crackers
• Whole grain cereal and low-fat milk

References

Duyuff, R.L. American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. 2nd edition. New York: Wiley, 2002.