Snacks for Preschoolers

No one’s busier than the average preschooler. They’re so active and imaginative it’s no wonder they get hungry between meals and need a snack.

Although growth during the preschool years is slower compared with that of the first 2 years of life, preschool kids still need about 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day — calories that should come from a balanced diet that includes whole grains, lean meat, beans, low-fat milk, fruits, and vegetables.

That’s sometimes easier said than done. Some preschoolers don’t eat well at mealtime. Others might be willing to eat, but only certain foods. This can leave nutritional gaps in a child’s diet. Healthy and well-timed snacks can help fill in these gaps. They also can keep kids from getting overly hungry and cranky.

So how do you turn your preschooler into a smart snacker?

1. Let your child choose his or her own snacks from among several nutritious options. It may help to set aside some space in the refrigerator or cabinet for your child’s healthy treats. Then, when it’s time for a snack, give your child supervised access to these special spots.
2. Offer a variety of snacks, not just the ones your child already likes. Offer new choices, but don’t give up on foods that may have been rejected in the past. (This may be hard, especially if your child is a picky eater, but research shows it may take as many as 15 tries before a child accepts a new food.)
3. Have a schedule for meals and snacks. This lets your child manage his or her hunger and learn that it’s OK to skip a meal or snack because there will be another chance to eat at the next scheduled time. Avoid letting your child pick throughout the day. This can dull internal hunger cues and make your child more likely to overeat.
4. Don’t let your child eat in front of the TV. Serve snacks and meals at the table.
5. Keep mostly healthy foods in the house, with those high in calories, fat, and added sugar kept to a minimum. This doesn’t mean your child can never have the “bad” stuff; it just means you shouldn't offer it regularly.
6. Serve skim or low-fat milk or water with snacks instead of sugary juices and soda.
7. Make your preschooler a part of the action! Children this age feel important when adults let them help out. Let them do what they safely can to prepare their own snacks — whether that’s tossing the fruit salad or putting utensils and napkins on the table.
8. Keep an eye on how your child’s moods affect eating patterns. Preschoolers often confuse boredom or fatigue with hunger. If your child just ate and is complaining of hunger again, see if a change of scenery or some active play could do the trick.
9. Share a healthy snack with your child, who will follow your lead and get the message that you’re serving something good.

Action Snacks!

Preschoolers are anything but boring, so why should their snacks be? Being creative when it comes to expanding your child’s snack menu doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. Here are a few action-snack suggestions to get you started:

Cut it! Use a cookie cutter to cut cheese, veggies, and sandwiches into fun, irresistible shapes.

Dip it! Pair slices of fruit, veggies, or whole-wheat crackers with a side of dip. Whether it’s peanut butter, cream cheese, jam, guacamole, salsa, applesauce, or yogurt, everyone loves to dip.

Create it! Make art out of food. Try apple-wedge flower petals around a kiwi slice for some flower art. Or maybe fun food faces with berry eyes and a banana mouth.

Sip it! Who says you have to eat a healthy snack? Fruit smoothies made with low-fat yogurt or milk and fresh fruit are a great way for your child to drink up needed nutrients.

Crunch it! Low-fat granola and lower-sugar breakfast cereals are good choices. Also try toasted whole-wheat pita wedges for a satisfying crunch without the salt and fat of potato chips.

Play it! Turn healthy snacking into a game. For example, try making a “food rainbow” on your child’s plate. Let him or her decide which colors to eat first. Next time, you can do the same with different shapes. Which will it be — squares or triangles?

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University Hospitals Online

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