Healthy snacks are an important part of your 4th grader's day because they give her the fuel she needs to concentrate at school. Elementary school children who eat a nutritious snack are more likely to pay attention and retain the information they learn in the classroom. Snacks will also supplement your 4th grader's meals so she gets all of the nutrients she needs to continue learning and growing.
Cheese
Your 4th grader is still building critical bone mass, and cheese is a healthy source of bone-building calcium. Cheese also supplies protein for energy that will last for hours. Many brands of cheese offer individual serving sizes in string, stick or cube form. Sliced cheese can be cut into interesting shapes to make this snack more fun. Cheese is a portable snack that's perfect for kids on the go. Look for a low-fat variety to keep your your child's saturated fat intake low.
Trail Mix
Trail mix is a combination of several high-energy foods. Include your child in the preparation process so he can choose his favorite ingredients. Use a combination of mixed nuts and dried fruit as the base for your trail mix. Walnuts and almonds supply fiber, protein and magnesium -- raisins provide potassium and fiber. Allow your child to choose a few add-ins, such as dry whole-grain cereal or whole-wheat pretzels, and let her mix her own special blend of trail mix.
Portable Fruit Salad
A diet rich in fresh fruits will help your child consume adequate amounts of important nutrients like vitamin C and fiber. Fruit salad is usually eaten with a fork, but choosing fruits that are easily picked up with fingers allows your youngster to get the benefits of fruit while on the run. Combine easy-to-eat fruits, such as orange segments, grapes and strawberries in a reusable container. Cut apple and melon into fun shapes with a small cookie cutter and add them to the mix.
Vegetables
Send your child to school with several different colors of vegetables to supply him with important nutrients, such as vitamin A and potassium. Many types of vegetables are easy to eat without utensils and make a convenient snack for school or on-the-go. Carrot and celery sticks, broccoli and cauliflower florets, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices and strips of bell pepper are all nutritious choices. To make the snack more interesting, arrange several different colors of vegetables into the shape of a rainbow.
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