Just as a race car needs lots of regular pit stops to keep in the race, so, too, do little people on the go. If children go without food too long, their blood sugar levels and energy levels may drop and they’re more likely to become lethargic, irritable and grumpy.
Young children have small tummies and they need to eat little and often. Their fast metabolisms burn food quickly so snacks are important to keep the fuel tank from running on empty.
Stick to foods that are low in fat, salt and sugar (important for young developing teeth to remain cavity free), such as vegetable sticks, fresh and/or frozen fruit, sandwiches or bread rolls, crackers, muffins, fruit bread, fruit buns, cereals, popcorn, yoghurt, cheese, etc.
Presentation can make the difference between whether or not is tried, let alone eaten, especially for those not-so-exciting foods.
Try cutting food into fun shapes – use biscuit cutters for sandwiches or use a knife to cut into squares, circles and triangles. Make fruit kebabs using straws with sliced banana, kiwifruit, pineapple and/or orange pieces. Chop up carrots and celery sticks and provide small ‘dipping’ bowls of hummus, cream cheese. Roll a wedge of cheese in a slice of ham.
Serving snack foods in bright-coloured containers of different shapes and sizes may also encourage consumption – little fingers love to open and close small objects, and it’s excellent for fine motor development too!
To stay healthy and grow, it’s important young children eat a variety of different foods. For snacks, food should be chosen from the four food groups, they should be nutritious, and low in fat, salt and sugar.
We have compiled, with the help of the experts, fun, healthy and easy-to-eat snack ideas for 2-5 year olds that you can also include in lunch boxes. Attach our snack food chart to your fridge for easy reference each day.
Remember, be a good role model for your children. Teaching them to make healthy snack choices today puts them on the fast track to a lifetime of benefits for the entire family.
| grapes (seed of halved) |
rice crackers |
| pita bread and hummus |
kiwifruit |
| strawberries |
mousetraps |
| scone |
cherry tomatoes |
| cooked pasta |
corn fritters |
| creamed rice |
raspberries |
| mini sandwiches |
cheese |
| cucumber |
mandarins / oranges |
| raisin bread |
plain biscuits |
| celery |
apple |
| beetroot |
avocado |
| peaches |
peas |
| pikelets |
crumpets |
| blueberries |
boiled egg |
| sliced meat |
mini corn cobs |
| weetbix with spread |
plums |
| cooked carrot |
crispbread with spread |
| pineapple |
banana |
| yoghurt |
dried fruit |
| corn thin |
plain popcorn |
| pear |
watermelon |
| mini muffin |
crackers |
Click on this link to print out a our chart, or, click here to view 
