Help Parents Take Action - Healthy Choices at Home
Healthy Eating - Smart Snacking
Healthy Snack Ideas
When to Snack
Healthy Snack Ideas
Growing children need more energy and nutrients than meals alone can supply. Think of snacks as "mini-meals" that include choices from one or more of the four food groups in Canada's Food Guide.
You can find healthy snack options throughout the grocery store. Remember: many of the foods advertised as "snacks" on TV - like chips, crackers and cookies - are often low in nutrients and high in fat and sugar.
- Granola bars with chocolate, marshmallows or frosting are nutritionally more like chocolate bars. Choose granola bars with more fibre and less fat.
- Fruit snacks and fruit rolls are often high in sugar and low in nutrients, with little or no actual fruit. Read the ingredient list. Is the first ingredient real fruit, or sugar?
- Use the Nutrition Facts label to compare two similar products to help you make a decision.
Try these quick and nutritious snack ideas:
School-Age Snacks (36 KB, 2 pages)
Classroom Celebrations
Snack Mix Recipe (39 KB, 1 page)
When to Snack
Snacks offered midway between meals and at bedtime won't spoil your child's appetite. In fact, well-timed snacks help kids arrive at a meal feeling hungry, but not "starving". This is the best way for kids to eat well.
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Revised: Wednesday November 23 2011
