Snacking has become a favorite American pastime. However, many of the foods Americans think of as snack foods are junk foods (empty calories), unfortunately! So we need to pay better attention to snacks we provide our family.
Snacking is a very important part of a child’s everyday diet. During this important growth period in the lifecycle, children expend much more energy in activity and development in relation to their size than adults. However, their tiny tummies are too small to hold very much food at one time. Healthy snacks help round out the daily nutritional requirements of children and provide as much as one fourth of their caloric needs.
Sometimes in our busy lives, we struggle to find time to sit down with our families for even one meal a day, so to maintain a nutritious diet, snacks need to be a planned part of healthy eating. Adults model eating habits for their children and grandchildren and this certainly applies to snacks. If the pantry is filled with empty calorie snacks, the whole family will eat empty calories!
Creating nutritious habits
If adults in the family eat and enjoy nutritious snacks as well as nutritious meals, that example encourages the children to develop healthy eating habits for a lifetime. Children of all ages will be more interested in eating healthy snacks if they help pick them out while shopping (especially fruits and vegetables). Although grocery shopping with children can be a challenge, it can also be a great learning experience. Older children can begin learning simple cooking techniques by helping prepare their own snacks with supervision.
So what makes a good snack? A good snack is nutrient dense (the most nutrients with the least calories). A good snack is a whole food! A good snack has plenty of dietary fiber. A good snack has healthy fats. A good snack is colorful. A good snack provides calcium. A good snack always includes protein. Snacks are a great way to help provide the 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber, five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables, and three to four servings of dairy foods that adults need per day. Here are just a few age-appropriate recommendations:
Toddlers and Preschoolers: When planning snacks for this age, think small. Also avoid foods that are hard or round that might cause choking – like nuts, seeds, popcorn, dried fruits, and raw vegetables. Cut up meat, hotdogs, grapes or cherry tomatoes. Spread peanut butter thin or dilute with applesauce or pureed fruit.
Children: School age children begin choosing and/or preparing their own snacks. Avoid falling for and buying every advertised snack your child begs for. Make sure snacks are simple, tasty, and healthy. Read labels carefully. Designate an area in the refrigerator and pantry for healthy snacks.
Adolescents: On average, teens probably eat more snacks than regular meals daily. That means packing the backpack with healthy snack choices to be munched on throughout the day. That way they won’t have to grab food from a vending machine or fast-food restaurant before or after activities. However, healthy choices can be made no matter where a teen is.
Adults: Just call them dashboard diners. Surveys have shown that over 90% of adults admit eating often or occasionally while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration put together a list of the worst foods to eat while driving. In general, these are foods that are drippy, sticky, greasy, or liquids in an open container.
Older Adults: Older adults who are less active and who burn fewer calories may actually feel more comfortable eating several small meals a day – in other words lots of snacks! Snacks should be carefully planned to make sure every snack is nutrient dense so that no calories are wasted. A bedtime snack of foods with the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan will help some restless seniors get a better night’s sleep. Here is a short list of such snacks:
- Dairy products like ice cream, yogurt or kefir, warm milk, or buttermilk
- Crackers and cheese
- Whole grain cereal with milk
- Oatmeal or oatmeal cookies with milk
- Natural nut butters in a sandwich or with crackers and milk
- Boiled egg, scrambled eggs with cheese
- Pasta, olive oil, butter, and Parmesan cheese with chopped chicken or turkey
Snack ideas for all ages
- Whole grain bread sandwiches with lean meats, poultry, tuna fish, or cheese
- Corn chips (especially blue) with bean dip
- Whole grain cereal, lose or mixed with yogurt
- Homemade whole grain cereal bar or vegetable muffin
- Popcorn plain or topped with grated cheese
- Bean burrito
- Bean or cheese quesadilla or nachos with salsa
- Raw vegetables with olive oil, yogurt or cottage cheese dip
- Grape tomatoes
- Cottage cheese with fresh fruit or vegetables
- Pudding
- Kefir or drinkable yogurt
- Baked sweet potato (whole or sliced)
- Hard-boiled egg
- Apple slices with cheese, nuts, or seeds
- Whole wheat pita and hummus
- Nuts with dried fruit
- Shake or smoothie with milk or yogurt and fresh fruit
- Frozen fruit slices
- Thin-crust or whole wheat crust pizza
- Whole wheat waffle with fresh fruit
- Homemade soup, stew, or chili
- Almost anything with natural peanut butter or other nut butters
For additional calcium and protein, include milk, flavored milk, drinkable yogurt, or kefir with snacks when possible. Remember: Leftovers of any healthy foods are great brown-bag and snack choices.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
