Smart Snacks

Snacks can make up for an important part of nutrition in early childhood and is a great opportunity to encourage healthy eating.

Children have small stomachs and can only eat a small amount of food at a time, hence why they often need two snacks between their three meals a day.

Smart snacking ensures that snacks include lean protein, fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and dairy. Sweets, chocolates, chips and juice should be avoided as snacks as they can lead to weight gain, tooth decay and discourages healthy eating behaviors.

Focus on Food Groups

Choose an a food group from the 4 options below and vary the food groups throughout the week to ensure that your child gets a variety of nutrients from their snacks.

1. Fruits and Vegetables
2. Carbohydrates e.g. bread, wholegrain crackers, rice, cereal
3. Protein e.g. chicken, fish, meat or beans
4. Dairy products

1.Fruits and Vegetables

Cut fruit or veggies into slices, cubes or sticks. You can serve veggies with a dip such as hummus or plain yoghurt. You can freeze fruits such as grapes or pineapple for a fun snack. Another fun treat is to blend frozen bananas to make ‘ ice cream’.

2. Carbohydrates

Try to opt for wholegrain carbohydrates such as brown bread, whole wheat crackers, brown rice and whole wheat pasta. Try to serve the carbohydrate with a protein or a starch as combining the two helps to stabilize blood glucose levels, giving your child long-lasting energy and fewer sugar crashes. Some ideas would be:

• Provita crackers and cottage cheese
• Rice cakes with peanut butter
• Boiled egg on brown bread
• Yoghurt with a wholegrain cereal

3. Protein

Your child needs protein in their diet to assist with normal growth and development. Some good protein sources include:

• Eggs
• Peanut butter
• Sliced chicken breast
• Nuts and seeds
• Fish

4. Dairy Products

Dairy products are rich in calcium, which is needed for strong bones and growth of your child. Good protein sources include:

• Low fat, plain yoghurt
• Low fat milk
• Cheeses such as cottage cheese and mozzarella

What about sweets and chocolates?

It is completely normal for your child to want sweets and chocolates and these treats can be included into a healthy diet, in moderation. One way to include sweet treats into your child’s diet would be to serve these treats in conjunction with a healthier snack, such as sliced veggies or fruit. Try to limit sweets to only on occasion.

Purchase our Simple Eating guide to find out more on how to include all food groups into your child’s diet.