The snacks your child eats at school are part of his overall diet. Sending him to school with healthy snacks may be required by your child's school, or may be a decision you make as a family. In either case, healthy snacking habits may teach him to make good food choices and avoid weight problems later in life.
Dairy Snacks
Dairy food gives you child much needed calcium. A child between the ages of 4 and 8 needs about 800 mg of calcium, and both boys and girls between 9 and 18 need at least 1,300 mg, according to the Institutes of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes. Small low-sugar yogurt cups or larger cups of Greek yogurt are healthy school snacks. One cup of low-fat, fruit-flavored yogurt has about 345 mg of calcium. Give your child chunks, shapes or sticks of reduced-fat cheese. Vary the type of cheese to introduce your child to more flavorful cheeses such as sharp cheddar or Colby-Jack.
Grain-Based Snacks
Many children enjoy crackers, cookies and cakes. Give your child small, healthy versions of grain-based snacks to increase her fiber intake. Place 1/2 cup of shredded cereal in a small bag as a morning snack, or five to 10 whole grain crackers as an afternoon snack. Spread almond butter on a plain rice cake or whole-wheat English muffin. Read the label on the bread, cracker or cereal to verify that the grains are from whole wheat and there is little refined sugar added to the product. Send her with granola bars that are low in sugar and made from all natural ingredients, air-popped popcorn or a small bag of low-salt pretzels.
Fruit and Vegetable Snacks
Fruits and vegetables are nutritious, healthy school snacks. Whole or cut-up apples, small containers of berries, slices of tangerines or oranges, pieces of watermelon or cantaloupe or 1/2 cup of grapes are healthy fruit snacks. Small individual cups of fruit in its own juice are convenient to transport and have no added sugars. Pack your child a plastic bag with thinly sliced carrots and celery. Include a small container of fat-free ranch or honey mustard dressing to dip the vegetables. Grape tomatoes, cucumber rounds, yellow or green peppers and broccoli are low in calories and filling. A cup of broccoli has about 30 calories, and a cup of cucumber with the skin has just 16 calories.
Prepared Snacks
You may not have time to cut up fruits or vegetables, and so need to send prepared snacks. Read the labels for added sugars, saturated fats or excessive calories. Packages of trail mix made with unsalted nuts, dried fruit and seeds give your child healthy monounsaturated fats in the nuts as well as fiber in both the nuts and raisins. Avoid rolled-up fruit snacks with mainly sugar and color additives. Instead, purchase commercially available fruit leathers that are all natural and contain only natural sugars from the fruit.
References
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Intakes for Individuals, Elements
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17: Calcium
- Texas Department of Agriculture: Suggestions for Nutritious Snacks
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17: Calories
- University of Maryland Extension: Eating Well is Important for Everything You Do
Member Comments