Children between 4 and 6 years old can be picky eaters, but they are also at an age where the look and feel of a snack can make the difference between whether they are willing to try something new or turn up their noses. Creating healthy snacks for this age group is easy when you keep in mind a few basic principles. Make meals colorful to appeal to your young child's visual sense and appeal to his tactile needs by giving him something to grasp and grab before eating it.
Fruit Salsa and Chips
Make your own mild salsa for your 4- to 6-year-old using cherry tomatoes, apple, pear, green and yellow bell peppers, red onion, cantaloupe and a small jalapeno pepper. Chop all ingredients and mix with lime juice and a pinch of sugar, salt and cumin. If your child can't stand anything remotely spicy, you can leave out the jalapeno. Chill in the refrigerator overnight. Serve with store-bought baked tortilla chips or make your own by cutting flour tortillas into triangles and baking in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.
Dips and Sticks
Kids love dipping things, so create a combination of dippable sticks and interest dips for your 4- to 6-year-old to mix and match. For the sticks portion, use any combination of sliced celery, baby carrots, cucumber sticks, raw broccoli florets, salt-free pretzel sticks, apple slices, graham crackers and whole-wheat crackers. Fill small bowls or cups with applesauce, yogurt, cottage cheese, peanut butter, guacamole or cream cheese. Encourage your little explorer to try different combinations and try not to grimace when she starts mixing dips together to create new tastes.
Banana Pop
When your 4- to 6-year-old has been actively playing all afternoon and wants a snack to help cool him down, having homemade banana pops on hand can be a lifesaver. Simply slide a popsicle stick into a peeled banana, roll the banana in yogurt and then dip in crushed dry cereal before placing it in the freezer overnight. Make a few of these cool treats at a time so you always have one on hand when you child is clamoring for something cold.
Ham and Cheese Roll-Ups
Ham and cheese makes a kid-friendly combination for getting protein into your child. Mix soft cream cheese with a handful of chopped walnuts and dried cranberries. Spread the mixture onto thinly sliced cooked ham. Starting at one end, roll the ham slice up to make a long rolled tube. Chill the whole thing for 15 minutes and then slice diagonally into pieces that little hands can hold.
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