Should you snack?
Snacking is an important way for children to get enough calories and nutrients. Children’s stomachs are too small to easily be able to wait for long periods without food. Often children will also eat less during meals, and snacks can be a way to make sure they are eating well.
Why do we need snacks?
- Give energy
- Curb overeating
- Provide nutrients
Weight gain occurs when we snack too often and choose higher fat and higher calorie snacks. Research shows that children feel fuller eating healthier snacks such as cheese and vegetables and eat fewer calories than when they eat potato chips or other less healthy snack foods.
Most calories from snacks today come from dessert snacks and sweetened drinks. Sodas, juices, sweetened or artificially sweetened drinks add extra calories, have little nutrition and fill us up before meals.
Snacks for Babies
Babies under 6 months don’t need snacks. Give breast milk or formula, and when they are full don’t force them to finish a bottle.
Babies older than 6 months need healthy snacks…no salt, sugar, or large amounts of fat.
Infants and toddlers do not need juice but if given:
- No more than 1/2 cup daily.
- Never in a bottle as a child is going to sleep. Juice can cause tooth decay if sipped while going to sleep.
Snacks for Toddlers
- Unsweetened cereals
- Baby teething biscuits
- Chopped fruits, cooked vegetables
- No large pieces such as cut up hotdogs, popcorn, whole apples
Did you know?
Children need two low-calorie, nutritious snacks a day. (Younger children may need more!)
Did you know that one large cup (32 oz.) of cola has 621 calories? It is easy to add extra calories from things we drink!