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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.

Children eating fruit slices at a green table.

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.

Child eating fruit salad with a fork, smiling.

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.
Celery sticks topped with peanut butter and raisins.
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.
Child eating an orange from a small cup.

Typical Starter Portions To Offer Your Preschooler

½ cup milk

Cup of milk viewed from above on white background.

½ cup yogurt

Bowl of yogurt with a yellow spoon inside.

1 ounce cheese

Shredded cheddar cheese pile on white background.

Dairy

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

¼ dried

Dried fruit and banana chips piled together.

½ chopped

Chopped blueberries scattered on a white background.

1 small

Single orange fruit resting on white surface.

Fruits

¼ dried or ½ cup chopped or 1 small

¼ cooked

Diced carrots piled on white background.

several pieces raw

Sliced green bell peppers on white background.

Vegetables

¼ cooked or several pieces raw

1 ounce of meat

Diced chicken pieces on a white background.

½ ounce nuts

Roasted cashew nuts piled on a white background.

1 egg

Scrambled eggs on white background, centered view.

1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

Spoonful of creamy peanut butter against white background.

¼ cup beans

Pile of roasted coffee beans on white background.

Protein

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

1 ounce of meat

Diced chicken pieces on a white background.

or

1 egg

Scrambled eggs on white background, centered view.

or

¼ cup beans

Pile of roasted coffee beans on white background.

½ ounce nuts

Roasted cashew nuts piled on a white background.

or

1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

Spoonful of creamy peanut butter against white background.

Protein

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

Protein portion options: meat, egg, beans, nuts, peanut butter.

1 ounce of meat

Diced chicken pieces on a white background.

several pieces raw

Scrambled eggs on white background, centered view.

¼ cup beans

Pile of roasted coffee beans on white background.

½ ounce nuts

Roasted cashew nuts piled on a white background.

1 Tbsp nut/peanut butter

Spoonful of creamy peanut butter against white background.

Protein

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

Bread, cereal, and crackers illustrating serving sizes.

1 slice bread or 1 small tortilla

Whole grain toast slices arranged on white background.

½ English muffin

Toasted crumpet with butter melting on top.

1 cup ready-to-eat cereal

Cereal pieces scattered on a white surface.

½ cup cooked cereal

Bowl of oatmeal with spoon on white background.

½ cup rice or pasta

Cooked brown rice against plain white background.

5 whole grain crackers

Round crackers in a neat, overlapping row.

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

Whole grain toast slices arranged on white background.

½ cup cooked cereal

Bowl of oatmeal with spoon on white background.

½ English muffin

Toasted crumpet with butter melting on top.

½ cup rice or pasta

Cooked brown rice against plain white background.

1 cup ready-to-eat cereal

Cereal pieces scattered on a white surface.

5 whole grain crackers

Round crackers in a neat, overlapping row.

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.
Child drinking from pink cup in park setting.

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.
Child sipping green juice through a straw.