It’s very easy to underestimate just how much nutrition kids need as they grow and develop. Often snacks are necessary in a child’s diet to ensure they consume enough energy (kilojoules) to fuel their growing, active bodies.
When it comes to snacks, questions I often hear from parents are “What is a snack?”, “When should I offer snacks?” and most often, “What makes a good snack?”. I’ve written this blog to help answer these burning questions and offer my winning snack combo that will keep your kids happy, nourished, and full!
What is a snack?
We can think of snacks as mini meals that we eat in between larger meals to help keep us full throughout the day. Typically, snacks contain 1-2 food groups, whereas main meals usually include 3-4 groups to keep us more satisfied. A lot of the time, snacks are eaten on the go, so it’s helpful to make them convenient and easy to eat.
When should I offer snacks?
The secret to snacks, as with any meal, is routine and predictability. While your kids may frequently ask for snacks during the day, what we want to do is try to offer snacks at designated times instead. A good rule of thumb is to offer three meals and two to three snacks in between each meal, per day.
By providing a predictable structure around your child’s eating times, they can begin to recognise their own hunger and fullness cues. It is hard for children to learn and listen to these cues if they are always grazing.
Another bonus to offering designated snack times is that it can help children potentially explore and try new foods! When children come to the table full (from just eating snacks or grazing all day), they are unlikely to be open enough to explore a new food, therefore missing a great opportunity to increase their food variety at mealtimes.
Disclaimer: Each child is unique, and it is important to assess your own child and determine what works best for them and your family.
What makes a good snack?
Now that we have the timing nailed, what do we actually serve? I find the best snacks include a combination of the following:
Protein + Fibre + Colour
Protein foods: eggs, meats, poultry, fish, nuts & seeds, legumes
Fibre: fruits, vegetables, crackers, wholegrains
Colour: fruits & veggies, avocado
When planning snacks you want to aim to include at least two of three of the above components so that the snack is balanced. This combination helps keep your kids feeling full until the next mealtime.
Winning Snack Combinations (that your kids will love):
- Yoghurt (protein) + piece of fruit (fibre & colour).
Yoghurt options: Chobani, Tamar Valley, Petit Miam, Farmer’s Union, Vitasoy, Rafferty’s Garden. - English muffins pizzas (muffin base – fibre) with cheese (protein) + vegetable toppings (colour)
- Fruit smoothie (fruit – colour) + chia seeds (fibre) + yoghurt (protein)
- Veggie sticks (veggies – colour + fibre) + cracker (fibre) + hummus dip (protein)
- Hard boiled eggs (protein) + toast soldiers (fibre)
- Peanut butter (protein) on toast (fibre) with bananas (colour)
- Cheese (protein) & crackers (fibre) + piece of fruit (colour)
