Susan M. Morgan, CFCS
County Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Education
Bolivia, NC 28422
August 23, 2002

SNACKING YOUR WAY TO GOOD HEALTH

Snacking should be an important part of your daily diet. It is especially important to growing children who need lots of calories and nutrients to help them grow healthy. It's hard for children to get all the nutrients they need in just three meals a day because they have very small stomachs and therefore small appetites. Making sure you choose the right snacks is the key to insuring good health for you and your other family members.

No one food provides all the nutrients needed to stay healthy, so it's best to eat a variety of foods every day. The best way to get started is to use the Food Guide Pyramid. Start with plenty of breads, cereals, other grain foods, fruits and vegetables. Add two to three servings from the dairy food group and two to three servings from the meat, dry beans, eggs and nuts group. Of course you will want to watch your intake of salt and saturated fat to keep your heart healthy. Always remember sweets should be eaten only in moderation. Make sure you stock your kitchen with the right foods to insure you can make fast healthy snacks. Kids are natural grazers, so they tend to eat what is handy. The challenge is keeping snacks on hand that are good tasting, fun-to-eat, and nutritious. Here are some items you may want to keep on hand:

• Grains - lowfat, whole grain crackers, rice cakes (the flavored ones are a lot different from the first rice cakes we jokingly said tasted like eating a Styrofoam cup), whole wheat pita bread, baked tortilla chips
• Vegetables - raw vegetables, salads, potatoes, vegetable juice, vegetable soups
• Fruits - Fresh fruit, dried fruit, canned fruit, fruit juice
• Heart Healthy Protein - nuts, bean dip, bean soup, tofu, canned tuna or salmon
• Heart Healthy Dairy foods - nonfat yogurt, fortified soymilk and skim milk, smoothies, lowfat cheeses. You can even get drinkable yogurt.

Some ideas for healthy snacks to keep on hand for children include: soft & hard pretzels, yogurt, string cheese, apples/bananas with peanut butter, lowfat granola bars, dry cereal, crackers and cheese, grapes, baby carrots and other finger-size servings of crisp, raw veggies. Often children enjoy eating finger-food vegetables with a simple dip. You can even get the kids involved. Kids who help in planning and selecting their snacks are more likely to eat them. Plus allowing children to choose their own snacks from the Five Food groups helps them develop good eating habits. For healthy snacks think about snacks that are not purchased in all those cute packages and bags. Many of these are loaded with sodium, sugar and fat but little to no nutritional value. The healthiest snacks do not include refined carbohydrates such as buttery crackers, cookies and chips, all of which are often high in sodium, sugar and fat and low in fiber.

Let's compare calories in a few snack selections:

• Cereal Parfait - Layer light nonfat yogurt, fruit and whole grain cereal in a plastic cup and you will have a nutritious snack ready to go.
• Sandwiches don't have to be just for lunch; they are great for snacks, too. Stuff a whole wheat pita with lean turkey or beans, lettuce, tomato and a little vinegar and oil for a heart healthy treat.
• Rabbit Bag - Put a few raw veggies and fruits together in a zip lock bag. Use orange wedges, apple slices, raw cauliflower and raw carrots. The orange gives everything a nice flavor and helps keep the apple slices from turning brown.
• Smoothie - Blend skim milk, frozen fruit and wheat germ to make a delicious drink that tastes like a milk shake.

Make sure you have fun and be creative in your snack selections and preparation. Taste, texture and fun are important considerations for children's snacks. Snack time is a wonderful opportunity for you to provide healthy basics. To receive a handout of snack recipes for children or for more information on Nutrition and healthy snack selections contact the Brunswick County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at (910) 253-2610.

Susan Morgan is Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, CFCS, for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Brunswick County. For more information or questions, contact Susan at (910) 253-2610 or P. O. Box 109, Bolivia, NC 28422.

Please e-mail Susan Morgan, Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, CFCS, for further information or assistance.

The information presented is for educational purposes only. References to trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service is implied.

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Date Created 10/3/2002