Smart Snacking for Kids

• Pack a portable snack on days that you and your toddler or preschooler are busy with friends and activities. When it’s time for a break, sit down with your child to help them relax and focus on their snack. Choose foods that are easy to bring along (breakfast cereal, animal crackers, fruit, cheese slices) and cut them into bite-size pieces for easy eating.

• Use snack time to fill in food groups they may have missed at mealtime. For example, if your child didn’t drink milk at lunch, serve yogurt or cheese slices for a snack.

• To boost good nutrition, include foods from at least two food groups at snack time. Here are some great ideas when you’re snacking at home:
  
  
  1. Cereal (Grains Group) with lowfat milk (Milk Group),
  2. A smoothie with yogurt (Milk Group) and strawberries or a banana (Fruits Group),
  3. Vegetable soup (Vegetables Group) and whole grain crackers (Grains Group).

• Time between-meal snacks so they satisfy kids’ hunger and keep them fueled up for activities, but not too close to their next meal. Serving snacks about two to three hours before mealtime is a good guideline.

• Make it easy for kids to grab nutritious snacks by designating a snack shelf in the pantry and refrigerator.

• Older kids often feel hungry when they get home from school. Stock up on fixings for quick-to-make snacks, like fruit, FIG NEWTONS, bagels, bread, tortillas, cheese, peanut butter and ready-to-eat raw veggies.

• Keep portion sizes sensible. When snack time calls for a treat like cookies or snack crackers, 100 calories is about right. Stock your shelves with pre-portioned snack foods, such as NABISCO 100-Calorie Packs. Pair up treats with a glass of lowfat milk or 100% fruit juice. Learn about right-sizing portions for kids.

• Put a serving of non-perishable snack foods in your child’s backpack if he or she has sports or other activities immediately after school. Here are some ideas to get you started: FIG NEWTONS, TEDDY GRAHAMS, PLANTERS trail mix, fresh or dried fruit, cut-up vegetables, a peanut butter sandwich, a chilled juice or milk box.

• When you and your kids are on the go, keep perishable snacks chilled with a freezer pack in a clean, insulated container or cooler.

• Remember snack safety. Seat and supervise young children during snack time. Cut foods such as hot dogs, meat, grapes, raw fruits and vegetables, and cheese cubes, into small, bite-size pieces and encourage children to chew foods well. Avoid serving small, hard foods, such as nuts (that may cause choking if swallowed whole) to children under 6 years of age.

Related Link:

Feeding Young Children