Toddlers, preschoolers and adolescents--when hungry--all enjoy a delicious snack. These can provide nutrients and food energy that are missing during regular meals. Fulfilling all the necessary nutrients on just three meals a day might not be feasible. Young children have small stomachs and snacks can be a healthful part of a child's diet.
After school snacks should be planned events, just as regular meals. By serving snacks no less than two hours before meals, youngsters are hungry at dinner. Varying snacks encourages children to try new foods before shaking their heads emphatically or asking for their favorite dessert. Using decorative cutting boards to make an apple train will stimulate youngsters to play, touch and eat. Because food can be a "hands-on" experience, involving children during snack time can promote positive attitudes about eating healthy.
If a child's lunch is missing vegetables, use after school snacks to include baby carrots with low-fat dressing or peanut butter. Dips, lightly salted or temptingly sweet, are favorites to complement a celery stick or sliced pear. Even a tightly sealed bag with crunchy cereal and raisins makes a quick energy booster before baseball practice.
Teenagers, due to their growth spurts, often need snacks to refuel. Snacks provide at least a fourth of the average teenager's daily food energy intake. For more nutritious snacks, teens can select juice or milk at a vending machine, a small burger with milk at a fast food restaurant or cereal with low-fat milk and a fruit at the kitchen table.
What to Look for
Gather the family together over the weekend to prepare a list of possible snack items. Asking children to participate in the decision process regarding meals encourages them to try new foods. While walking the aisles of the produce section, think fresh, low-sodium options. Allow youngsters to reach for different, bright colored vegetables that catch their attention. Talk about color, shape, texture, size and recipes to prepare different types of snacks. At home, allow children to help in the kitchen, even simple tasks like washing fruit or placing ready-to-eat cereal in bowls.
Focus on finger foods for child-friendly snacks. For calcium dense bones, try string cheese, pudding, plain yogurt, yogurt mixed with fresh fruit or cranberries, or cottage cheese on freshly sliced peaches. If grains are missing from the diet, serve dried cereal or cereal mixed with milk, rice cakes or sliced bread with cheese, margarine or peanut butter, air-popped popcorn or lightly-salted pretzels.
Kids like to chew and be creative; a 100 percent fruit leather finger food, dried fruit or playing with raisins as eyes for a snowman made of whole wheat crackers and carrot legs might do the trick.
A nutrient-dense protein snack can consist of a hard-boiled egg, turkey cubes or some tuna salad on whole-grain pita bread.
Common Pitfalls
Be aware that most favorite snacks are high in fat and sodium, while low in calcium, iron, vitamins A and C and fiber. Quick fixes, such as ready-made pre-packaged deli meats with crackers, while convenient while in a rush, are high in sodium and fat. High sugared drinks and sweets, while tasty, can provide for cavities.
Fast food, though popular as an after school social gathering, can cause weight concerns and chronic illness throughout the teen years, if nutrient-dense foods are not chosen appropriately.
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