1. Healthy Snacking Rose McManus, RN

2. snacks  Snacks count for 25% of the total calories for children  Therefore the snacks a child consumes should contribute to the overall diet

3. How Much  Set Specific times for snacks. Snacks should be between meals and not within 1 hour before a meal. (2 hour before a meal snacks should be < 100 calories; 1.5+ hours before a meal a snack should be 150 calories; 2+ hours before a meal snacks should be 200 calories.

4. What kind  Snacks should contribute to the total diet and should consists of food groups lacking at meals.  Try to aim for snacks that have carbohydrates and/or proteins, fat and fiber.  Watch out for snacks that may sound healthy but are not.

5. Healthy Snack Combinations  Medium banana with 1 Tbsp peanut butter (200 kcal, 8g fat, 3g fiber, 3g pro)  Medium apple with skin and 1 oz of string cheese (190 cal, 6.5g fat, 3g fiber, 3g pro)  13 “Synder” tortilla chips & ¼ cup salsa (180 cal, 4.5g fat, 3g fiber, 2g pro)  (toddler portion sizes should be cut in half – peanut butter and popcorn are choking hazards)

6. Health Snacks (continued)  1 cup cereal & ½ cup skim milk (145 cal, 3g fat, 3.5g fiber)  ½ cup low fat cottage cheese/ ½ cup blueberries (110cal, 1.5g fat,12g pro)  ½ whole wheat pita, 2 tsp salsa (45 cal, 1g protein, 2g fiber, 1g fat)

7. Healthy Sounding But Not  Drinkable yogurt (Dan animals, etc.). Watch out for the sugar! Ounce per ounce has more sugar than coke.  Fruit roll ups/fruit flavor gummy candy – most of the calories come from sugar and they offer very little nutritional value. Fruit is Healthier.  Fruit on the bottom yogurt, very high in sugar (@36g) a better choice is fruit flavored yogurt.

8. Health Sounding (Continued)  Gatorade/power aid are intended to be used during activity lasting > 1 hour – contain sugar and no vitamins and minerals.  Multigrain bars/Granola bars are high in carbohydrates, low in protein and fiber. Not nutritionally balanced. Fortified cereal may be a better alternative.