Choosing Healthy Snacks for Children

Choosing Healthy
Snacks for Children
by Sonja Koukel, Extension Faculty
Health, Home and Family Development
FNH-00558
For today’s busy families,
choosing healthy snacks is
more important than ever
before. Since foods eaten
as snacks may provide a
large portion of a child’s
daily calorie needs, it is important that food choices
contribute vitamins, minerals and other nutrients
necessary for health, growth
and development.
Since growing children have relatively high energy needs and smaller stomachs
than adults, they may need to eat more often.
The traditional three-meals-a-day pattern is more
suited to adults, so some children may need to
eat small amounts of food throughout the day. An
appropriate eating schedule might include:
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breakfast
midmorning snack
lunch
midafternoon snack
dinner
bedtime snack, if needed
Snacks should not take the place of regular meals.
If you find children are not hungry at mealtimes,
try offering fewer snacks or smaller amounts
throughout the day.
While snacking may help children maintain
their energy between meals, it can lead to
excessive weight gain if the snack food
choices are high in calories from fat
and sugar and low in the nutrients
children need. Many foods advertised as snacks, such as chips,
snack cakes, cookies, candy
bars, fruit drinks and sodas,
are not the best choices.
Eating these “empty calorie” foods may lead to extra
weight, tooth decay and a
lifetime habit of unnecessary snacking.
Help your children learn nutritious snack habits in
their early years. Be sure to add enough foods to
your grocery list each week to take care of all the
nutritious snacks to be eaten at home and away.
Additionally, include nutritious locally grown or
wild foods. Many of the same foods served at
meals can be served as a snack — if the food is
appropriate as part of the child’s regular meal, it’s
a good snack choice.
The Food Guide Pyramid is a good guideline for
planning snacks that serve as part of a nutritionally balanced diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture established the Center for Nutrition Policy
and Promotion in 1994 to improve the nutrition
and well-being of Americans. Toward this goal,
the center developed the MyPyramid Food Guidance System to support its objectives.
Grain Group
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The grain group includes
bread, cereal, rice and
pasta. Many foods in this
group make good snack
choices. When serving
packaged foods, choose
whole grain foods such as flours made with 100
percent whole wheat, brown rice, barley, corn,
buckwheat, rye, oatmeal and wild rice. When
shopping, look for the word “whole” in front of a
grain listed as the first ingredient on the package
food label.
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Spread any whole grain bread or cracker with nut
butters or top with a small piece of cheese, fish
or meat to make a good snack. Keep in mind that
many grain products also contain extra fat, salt
and sugar. Use smaller servings of these products.
Vegetable Group
Children should eat a variety of vegetables every
day. The suggested total
daily amount of 1 to 1½
cups provides valuable
minerals, vitamins and
fiber. Daily choices should include dark greens,
leafy greens and orange-colored foods. Cut up
fresh, raw vegetables and store in the refrigerator
for a quick snack. Drain and rinse canned vegetables before serving to remove excess salt. Serve
with dips, such as low-fat salad dressing, hummus
(see Hummus recipe) or bean dip. Whole wheat
pita bread stuffed with a selection of sliced raw
vegetables is an ideal snack.
Home-baked cookies can be a nutritious snack by
reducing the sugar and adding dried fruit, granola, molasses, peanut butter or whole grain flour.
Best Choices
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Cheerios or toasted oat cereals
Plain popcorn
Rye crisp
Shredded Wheat
Wheat or Bran Chex
Whole grain flat bread
Whole grain rice cakes
Whole grain tortilla
Whole wheat English muffin
Whole wheat pita bread
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Good Choices
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Granola
Low-fat whole grain tortilla chips
Melba toast (bite size)
Muffins (one serving size or approximately
2½-inch diameter muffin)
Oyster crackers
Pilot bread
Pita bread
Pretzels (soft or hard)
Quick breads
Rice cakes
Rye crisp
Soda crackers
Specialty crackers (low-fat and/or baked)
Vanilla Wafers
Animal crackers
Angel food cake
Bagels
Biscuits
Breadsticks
Cornbread
English muffin
Fig bars
Fruit-filled Shredded Wheat
Gingersnaps
Graham crackers
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Alaska or wild rhubarb (eat the raw tips with
peanut butter)
Beach or sea asparagus
Bell peppers (all colors)
Broccoli
Carrots❉
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eskimo potato
Fiddlehead ferns (young growth and tightly
coiled; always cook before serving)
Fireweed (shoots and flowers)
Goosetongue (seaside plantain)
Green beans
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from Cheddar, Swiss or Monterey Jack
cheese. Keep cut fruits and cheese cold.
ᏰᏰ Dip banana chunks in plain or vanilla yogurt
and crispy rice cereal; freeze.
ᏰᏰ Yogurt “sundaes” — layer flavored yogurt
with fruit pieces and granola; freeze before
serving.
ᏰᏰ Fruit smoothies — blend yogurt with favorite fruits (see Berry Smoothies recipe).
Green peas
Pumpkin
Radishes
Seaweed (kelp, black, ribbon)
Sweet potatoes (see recipe for baked strips)
Turnips
Zucchini
Fruit Group
The fruit group is a major
contributor of fiber and vitamins, especially vitamins
A and C. Canned, frozen
and dried fruits store well
and need little preparation.
Fruit leather is a dried-fruit treat — chewy and
flavorful. When water is removed by drying the
fruit, sugars, acids, fiber and many vitamins and
minerals become concentrated in the remaining
solid part of the fruit. Fruit leathers are lightweight and high in nutritional value, and they
store and pack easily. Directions for making fruit
leather are available in the Cooperative Extension
Service publication Fruit Leather, FNH-00228.
Wash and dry fresh fruit and serve whole, halved
and pitted, wedged or sliced. Some children
prefer to have oranges, grapefruit and tangerines
peeled and divided in half or in sections. Alaska
wild berries are rich in valuable antioxidants, vitamin C and fiber. They make a fun snack, and berry
picking is a great activity for the entire family.
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Dried fruits provide a nutritious way to satisfy
a sweet tooth. Raisins, dates and dried prunes
are good snacks. For a taste surprise, try stuffing
prunes with nut butters or nuts.
Alaska wild berries, such as blueberries,
cloudberries, red huckleberries, raspberries,
salmonberries, wild strawberries and many
more.
Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Grapes❉
Grapefruit
Melons
Nectarines
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Pineapple
Plums
Prunes
Rhubarb
Rosehips
Tangerines
When serving juices, make certain they are 100
percent fruit juice. Avoid fruit drinks and other
juices that have added sugar or high fructose corn
syrup. Although juices contribute important nutrients to a healthy diet, servings should be limited
to ½ cup daily as excess intake can lead to weight
gain and loose stools (diarrhea).
Milk Group
For most children, the
milk group is the primary source of dietary
calcium. Children should
consume a total of 2
cups of milk from this
group daily. Servings may be divided into ½-cup
portions in consideration of children’s smaller appetites and capacity.
Because foods in the milk group tend to be high
in fat and cholesterol, reduced- and low-fat milk
products are preferred choices for children over
2 years of age. Infants and toddlers under the
age of 2 should be served whole milk since they
Snack suggestions
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Serve apple wedges with nut butter.
Create fruit kabobs by alternating cut fruit
with chunks of cheese on a skewer. Choose
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Tips for Choosing Nutritious Snacks
require the additional fats and fat-calories for
energy and healthy nervous system development.
Snack ideas using milk products can be found in
the grain, vegetable and fruit groups in this publication. Foods from the milk group include:
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Milk
Yogurts
Hard cheeses, such as Swiss and Cheddar
Soft cheeses, such as ricotta and cottage
cheese
ᏰᏰ Puddings
ᏰᏰ Frozen yogurts
ᏰᏰ Ice cream or ice milk products
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Meat and Bean
Group
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Beef, veal, pork, lamb,
fish and poultry are
included in the meat
and bean group, along
with wild game, such
as rabbit, caribou, moose and venison. Other
foods in this group include eggs, legumes, such as
dried peas and beans, nuts and seeds,❉ and nut
butters, such as peanut butter. Nuts are a good
source of many vitamins and minerals but they
are high in calories. A serving size of ¼ cup would
be an appropriate snack when served alone.
Smaller portions could be offered along with
other foods such as fruit.
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Want your children to reach for a healthy
snack? Make sure cleaned fruits and vegetables are in reach.
When shopping, let children help pick out
fruits, vegetables and cheeses. They’ll be
more interested in eating them when they
have some control over what is offered.
Plan and prepare extra servings at mealtimes to be saved for snacks: for example,
cold chicken legs, meat for sandwiches,
salads and cups of soup.
Set aside a “snack spot” in the refrigerator
and cupboard. Keep it stocked with nutritious, ready-to-eat snacks. This will also help
save leftovers designed for a second meal.
Snacks are a good way to introduce new
foods. Include a game or an activity to learn
more about it, such as reading a story related to the new food. Then, have the children
help prepare the food.
Develop an interest in nutritious foods by
helping to grow a fruit or vegetable garden.
Recipes
Make a Trail Mix
Children enjoy preparing their own snacks. For
this activity, provide children a snack size plastic
bag and a small bowl or plate and let them mix
and match from a variety of healthy food choices.
Be creative! Use this list of possible food choices:
Traditional Alaska foods harvested from the
sea that can be eaten raw include abalone
(northern and pinto), chitons (gumboots,
black, bidarkis) and herring eggs, which
are frequently found on kelp or spruce tree
limbs.
Dried fish, such as halibut, pike and chum
salmon, makes a handy snack that is easy to
store and pack.
Meats and poultry left over from previous
meals make excellent snacks in small portions: cold chicken or other meats, meatloaf, salmon or tuna patties, and pizzas.
Boiled eggs
Trail mix (See Make a Trail Mix recipe)
Meat jerky, such as beef, reindeer and turkey
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Nuts: peanuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts,
cashews and other favorite nuts ❉
Shelled sunflower seeds
Dried fruit: raisins, banana chips, pineapple,
cranberries and apple slices
Cereals: Bran or Wheat Chex, Cheerios and
Shredded Wheat
Miniature pretzel sticks or twists, cheeseflavored crackers and Goldfish
❉Snack foods such as nuts, seeds, popcorn,
whole cherries, grapes and raw carrots are not
recommended for children under the age of 4
due to the choking risk.
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Berry Smoothies
(approximately two 8-ounce servings)
½ cup cold water (or ice cubes)✛
½ cup orange juice (prepared from frozen juice concentrate)
4 whole strawberries or ¼ cup favorite berries (fresh or frozen,
whole or cut)✛
½ cup vanilla yogurt✛
½ medium banana, ripe not green
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on medium-high until
smooth.
Note: Fruit smoothies contain naturally occurring sugar (fructose).
However, one smoothie easily provides all the recommended fruit
servings for one day.
✛Options: Ice cubes will make a thicker smoothie with a consistency
similar to milkshakes. Amounts are approximate; use more or less
according to personal preference. Reduce the amount of sugar by
using plain yogurt. Vanilla yogurt makes a sweeter product that may
be more acceptable to youngsters.
Hummus
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo or other white beans✛
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic
Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Serve with
crackers, breads and vegetables.
✛Options: Liquid from the beans can be added to the mix. Draining or
using the liquid will affect the thickness of the paste, so go with your
personal preference.
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Apple Turnovers
(serves 4)
4 whole wheat taco-size tortillas
1 medium apple, peeled and sliced (sweet apple,
such as Red Delicious)
1 tablespoon cinnamon/sugar mix (to taste)
¼ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
Peel, core and thinly slice apple. Lay tortillas flat onto baking sheet.
Place equal amounts of sliced apple onto one side of each tortilla (half
of the tortilla will be used to cover the apple). Sprinkle apple slices
with a dash of the cinnamon/sugar mix. Top with shredded cheddar
cheese. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the apple mixture. Bake
at 350°F for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cool slightly and eat.
Turnovers can be cut in half for easier handling for small hands.
Sweet Potato Oven Fries
3 medium size sweet potatoes, scrubbed (peeling is optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil, for drizzling
1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Cut
the cleaned potatoes into lengthwise quarters. Cut each quarter into
three or four spears to make thick pieces. Place the spears flesh side
up (if unpeeled) on the large baking sheet. Drizzle the spears with olive
oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes for 35 to 40
minutes, or until they are cooked through. Serve.
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Resources
Traditional Food Guide for Alaska Native Cancer
Survivors. 2008. Anchorage, AK: Alaska Native
Tribal Health Consortium.
Fruit Leather, FNH-00228. Fairbanks, AK:
University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative
Extension Service.
Making Jerky, FNH-00262. Fairbanks, AK:
University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative
Extension Service.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, “My Pyramid.
gov,” www.mypyamid.gov.
Hans, C., E. Schafer and N.K. Fradgley. 1995.
Simple Snacks for Kids, PM-1264. Ames, IA:
Iowa State University Extension.
Marotz, L. R. 2009. Health, Safety, and Nutrition
for the Young Child (7th ed.). Clifton, NY:
Delmar Learning.
Stanek, S. and B. Butcher. Collecting and Using
Alaska’s Wild Berries and Other Wild Products,
FNH-00120. Fairbanks, AK: University of
Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension
Service.
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To simplify information, trade names of products have been used. No endorsement of named products by the University of Alaska
Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products that are not mentioned.
www.uaf.edu/ces or 1-877-520-5211
Kari van Delden, Extension Faculty, Health, Home and Family Development. Originally prepared by Sonja Koukel, former
Extension Faculty, Health, Home and Family Development.
Published by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with the United States Department of
Agriculture. The University of Alaska Fairbanks is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution.
©2014 University of Alaska Fairbanks.
1-11/SK/5-14
Reviewed December 2010