Mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks are an essential part of a child’s daily menu. These snacks, which can even be referred to as mini-meals, should be planned, just as breakfast, lunch and dinner are. Snacks help to refuel a child and help to maintain energy levels and mood.
Why Healthy Snacking is Important for Children
Many people have the perception that snacking is mindless eating in between meals. The reality is that energy levels naturally drop several hours after a meal. Snacking should be mindful to help children, and adults alike, to maintain energy levels throughout the day. Healthy snacking can also promote mood, which will help a child to perform to the best of his abilities.
What Nutrients Make a Healthy Snack
When planning healthy snacks for children, there are several nutrients that are essential in helping to maintain and boost energy levels and mood:
- Fiber- acts as an energy stabilizer
- Carbohydrates-are known to raise serotonin levels
- Protein- helps with alertness and focus
- Magnesium- converts sugar into energy
- Selenium- natural mood booster
The right combination of these vitamins and minerals incorporated into a healthy snack will provide a child with the necessary nutrients to feel good all day long.
Common Snack Mistakes
Many common snacks that children “go to” include pretzels, baked cheese crackers, a variety of chips and chewy fruit snacks. While these snacks may be marketed as healthy and low fat, often times they are made from refined grains and are high in sugar and sodium. These components pose a variety of health risks as noted in “The Dangers of Unhealthy Ingredients in Packaged Foods,” dated April 28, 2009 and found on the Wellsphere website:
- Refined grains- cause insulin resistance and high blood pressure.
- Sodium- salt helps to regulate blood pressure and maintains the balance of body fluids. Too much salt can cause blood pressure to go up.
- Sugar- sugars are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream which causes a rise in insulin. Insulin acts to clear sugar and fat from the blood and stores it in tissues for future use. This causes weight gain.
Better “go to” choices for quick and easy snacks are:
- Nuts
- Whole fruits
- Cheese sticks
- Pudding
- Yogurt- avoid products marketed for children, they are laden with sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup.
Healthy Snack and Mini Meal Ideas for Children
For children, the way food looks is almost as important as how it tastes. These ideas are packed with essential nutrients, fun to eat and tasty too!
- Quesadillas- the basic ingredients of this snack are whole grain tortillas (fiber) and cheese (protein).To prepare, simply heat a non stick frying pan over medium to high heat. Note, it is not necessary to grease the pan, which makes this snack more healthful. Add the tortilla and spread evenly with cheese. Place a lid over the pan and allow the cheese to melt. When cheese is melted, place another tortilla on top. Gently press down to adhere to the cheese. Turn with a spatula and brown lightly on the other side. To serve, cut into quarters and plate. This is a highly versatile snack. You can add chicken, tomatoes, corn, etc…into the cheese mix and serve with light sour cream, guacamole, salsa, lettuce and tomato for added vitamins and minerals.
- Mini Pizzas- the basic ingredients in this snack are whole grain carbohydrates (fiber; the carbs help tryptophan get to the brain), cheese (protein) and sauce (lycopene). Another fun finger food for children, this version is served up with a healthy twist. Lightly toast a whole grain English muffin or bagel. Spread with your favorite sauce and cheese. Get creative and add veggies for an even healthier option. Get the kids involved and let them build their own! Heat in a toaster oven or in a conventional oven at 400 degrees until cheese is melted and enjoy!
- Pin Wheels- basic ingredients include whole grain tortillas, lean meat and cheese. Choose your preference of meats, cheeses and lettuce. To assemble, layer the meat, cheese and lettuce. To help the pin wheel stay assembled, spread with a low fat cream cheese or hummus (rich in fiber, protein, B6 and magnesium) if desired. Roll up from end to end. Cut into a half-inch slice and serve with a small bowl of honey mustard for dipping (kids love to dip!). If necessary, skewer with toothpicks to keep together.
- Whole Grain Cereal and Milk- cereal isn’t just for breakfast anymore! Serve a whole grain cereal with low fat milk, banana slices, strawberry slices or raisins. Make sure to avoid cereals that are high in sugar.
- Fruit kebobs- simply skewer your favorites and serve with a small bowl of low fat plain or vanilla yogurt for dipping. It’s fun, pretty and healthy too!
- Crudité- serve carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, or whatever your child's favorites are, with a low fat salad dressing or dip.
Christin Aitchison - Christin is a freelance writer who has targeted the children's market for the past five years. Her publishing credits include Highlights ...
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