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Children snack more today than they did 25 years ago. Many kids now eat three snacks a day, which make up almost one third of daily calories. Children also eat more sweet and salty snacks like chips and candy. Too many kids get most of their snack calories from desserts and sweet drinks.

When you mix poor nutrition at snack time with the fact that preschoolers have small stomachs, you can see how easy it is for them to fall short on nutrition.

For some kids, bad snacking habits also mean they are getting more food than their bodies need.

This doesn’t mean you should stop offering snacks to little ones, you just need to do it the S-M-A-R-T way.

S

SIT DOWN AND FOCUS

Have a regular time and place for snacks. This allows children to focus on food and tune in to their feelings of hunger and fullness.

M

MAKE FOOD GROUPS THE STAR

Use the food groups to make snacks into mini-meals for your child. The goal is for snacks to contain 2-3 of the 5 food groups.
Snack Ideas Dairy Fruits Vegetables Proteins Grains
Few pieces of celery topped with peanut butter and raisins Raisins Celery Peanut butter
English muffin topped with marinara sauce and shredded cheese, toasted Shredded cheese Marinara sauce English muffin
Toast topped with peanut butter and sliced bananas Sliced banana Peanut butter Toast
Yogurt with berries and nuts Low fat yogurt Berries Nuts
Half a sandwich with apple slices Cheese Apple Turkey Bread
Cheese, whole grain crackers and raw carrots with ranch dip Cheese Carrots Crackers

A

AIM FOR PROPER PORTIONS

Offer snacks in preschool-sized portions and if your child is still hungry, they can have more.

Typical Starter Portions To Offer Your Preschooler

½ cup milk

½ cup yogurt

1 ounce cheese

Dairy

½ cup milk or ½ cup yogurt or 1 ounce cheese (1 slice or 1 string cheese)

¼ dried

½ chopped

1 small

Fruits

¼ dried or ½ cup chopped or 1 small

¼ cooked

several pieces raw

Vegetables

¼ cooked or several pieces raw

1 ounce of meat

½ ounce nuts

1 egg

1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

¼ cup beans

Protein

1 ounce of meat, 1 egg, ¼ cup beans, ½ ounce nuts, 1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

1 ounce of meat

or

1 egg

or

¼ cup beans

½ ounce nuts

or

1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

Protein

1 ounce of meat,
1 egg,
¼ cup beans,
½ ounce nuts,
1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

1 ounce of meat

several pieces raw

¼ cup beans

½ ounce nuts

1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

Protein

1 ounce of meat,
1 egg,
¼ cup beans,
½ ounce nuts,
1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

1 slice bread or 1 small tortilla

½ English muffin

1 cup ready-to-eat cereal

½ cup cooked cereal

½ cup rice or pasta

5 whole grain crackers

Grains

1 slice bread or 1 small tortilla,
½ English muffin,
1 cup ready-to-eat cereal,
½ cup cooked cereal,
½ rice or pasta,
5 whole grain crackers

1 slice bread or 1 small tortilla

½ cup cooked cereal

½ English muffin

½ cup rice or pasta

1 cup ready-to-eat cereal

5 whole grain crackers

Grains

1 slice bread or 1 small tortilla, ½ English muffin, 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal, ½ cup cooked cereal, ½ rice or pasta, 5 whole grain crackers

R

RETHINK YOUR DRINKS

If children are allowed to sip unlimited amounts of milk, juice or sweetened drinks throughout the day, their nutrition suffers.

Tips for sipping smart:

  • ✓ Help your child choose water between meals by keeping a cup or bottle of water close by.
  • ✓ Instead of sweet drinks like soda or sweet tea, offer your child only water, lowfat or nonfat milk and 100% juice.
  • ✓ Serve milk or 100% juice only with meals or snacks, not by itself.
  • ✓ Limit juice to 4-6 ounces daily and keep milk to 2 cups (16 oz.) daily.

T

TRY TO FILL NUTRITION GAPS

Snacks are the perfect way to fill nutrient gaps in a child’s diet. For example, if a child doesn’t eat many fruits and vegetables, you could offer him or her a fruit smoothie made with yogurt, banana, strawberries and 100% juice or water. Or if they are low on protein foods, offer half a turkey sandwich or a hard boiled egg with fruit.