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Healthy
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Snack Time!
Getting children to eat full, balanced meals can be a challenge. Young children can easily fill up on empty calories if allowed to eat "junk" food. Snack time in the childcare setting can be an opportunity to provide both fun and nutrition, as well as a time for learning that is easily digestible!
When planning snacks, it is important is to understand the nutrition requirements for children over the age of three, as stated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for your age group and population. Families participating in the WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program also have specific nutrition requirements. Meeting these requirements can be a challenge for persons not trained in dietetics. It is a good idea to check with a registered dietician when planning menus.
It also is helpful to be familiar with the Food Guide Pyramid, which divides foods into six groups: bread, cereal, rice and pasta; vegetables; fruit; milk, yogurt and cheese; meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts; and fats, oils and sweets. Children should consume at least 50 percent of their daily calories from the first group, bread, cereal, rice and pasta. This group provides complex carbohydrates needed for energy and vitamin B complex for red blood cell development. One serving from this group might include 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta, 1/2 cup cold cereal, 1/2 bagel or 1/2 English muffin. Children should consume between 6-11 servings from this group each day. Requirements for each child may vary based on the child's age, size, or activity level.
The second group, vegetables, provides children with many nutrients needed for the utilization of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Without sufficient amounts of vegetables, nutrient utilization from other food groups is compromised since the body needs the nutrients from vegetables to process those provided by other foods. (One serving equals 1/2 cup cooked vegetables or 1 cup raw vegetables.) Children should consume 3-5 servings daily from this group.
The third group, fruit, is vital for vitamins A, B, and C. (One serving equals 1 medium piece of fruit, 1/2 cup cooked or canned fruit, or 1/2 cup fruit juice.) From this group, children (and adults, too) should have 2-4 servings daily. Be careful when using fruit juice at times other than snacks or meals. If children are allowed to drink fruit juice all day it can dull their appetite for the other foods and can lead to excessive weight gain. Caregivers should provide water as an option, or may need to dilute juice with water to insure they get the needed fluid without gorging on one food group. Check with a nutrition consultant or physician before making this decision.
The fourth group, milk, yogurt and cheese, is an important source of vitamins A and D which help with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. Calcium and phosphorus are important for bone and tooth formation as well as neurological and muscular function. (One serving equals 1 cup milk, 1 cup yogurt or 1-1/2 to 2 ounces cheese.) From this group, children should have 2-3 servings daily. Children should have whole milk until they are age two. After that age, parents should check with their child's doctor to determine if they should have reduced-fat milk.
The fifth group, meat, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts, is needed for protein that will build strong bones and muscles as well as hemoglobin production. One serving equals 2-3 ounces of lean meat, poultry or fish, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp. peanut butter, or 1/2 cup cooked dried beans. Children should have 2-3 servings daily from this group.
The sixth group, fats, oils and sweets, should be served with caution. There are some essential nutrients that are found in fats and oils that help the body absorb vitamins A, D, E, K and beta-carotene. However, we tend to get more than enough through our diets so extra servings are not necessary. Maintaining a fat intake of less than 30 percent of total calories is usually recommended, unless otherwise directed by a physician. Fat intake should not be restricted for children under the age of two since fat is necessary for proper brain and neurological development.
How do we get all that food into a picky four-year-old? Provide three small meals, morning, noon and evening, and three snacks. Timing is important, be sure that at least two-three hours have passed between small meals and snacks. Children's stomachs are small and will not hold much at a time. Listen to the child and respond to his or her hunger with wholesome foods. A good rule for most children (and adults) to follow is to eat when hungry, and stop when full.
Pick your battles well; it is not really important if the child only wants peanut butter and no other types of protein. If they are eating "strange" but balanced, let it go. Children often are picking tastes as well as textures that are pleasing to them.
As always, when planning snacks, be aware of children's food allergies, and age-appropriate foods to prevent choking.
By Pam Davini, B.S. Educational Consultant, Auburn University Child Development.
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