2 Snacks Max
What do we know
2 Snacks Max is to encourage children to develop the habit of having a healthy mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack. We know that children have smaller stomachs than adults and need to eat smaller amounts of food regularly. Having 2 healthy snacks in between 3 healthy ‘me size meals’ will help to ensure that children have enough energy to keep them going throughout the day. It also helps to develop a mealtime routine which is good to establish when young as it is likely to remain throughout adulthood. Children are more likely to eat their healthy snacks and meals if they see you eating them too. Remember to be a good role model around healthy eating.
Eat at similar times each day. Children will quickly learn when to expect their next meal or snack and it will help them function during the day. Sitting together in small groups with a staff member modelling positive behaviour supports children’s learning and social development. Seating children at appropriately sized tables and chairs, with a 90/90/90 posture, also promotes safe and comfortable eating. To reduce the risk of choking, children must always be supervised and never left alone while eating or drinking. They must remain within the sight and hearing of a staff member at all times. At least one member of staff present during mealtimes must hold a valid full Paediatric First Aid certificate.
What are healthy snacks?
Each snack time should include one portion of fruit/vegetables per child. A portion of fruit/vegetables is roughly equivalent to a handful. Plain starchy carbohydrates e.g. breadsticks, rice cakes, crackers should be served at one snack per day. Remember every snack must include at least one portion of fruit vegetables. Fruit and vegetables are our ‘protective foods’ that keep us healthy and starchy carbohydrates, like bread, rice cakes and breadsticks are our ‘energy foods’. It is ok to include milk and dairy foods such as cheese sticks or plain yogurt too which are our ‘strength foods’.
Fruits and vegetables are the best types of snack as this is an easy way to get one of your 5 a day. A handful counts as one portion so try to get one serving at each snack time. Stick to fresh fruit or tinned fruit in juice and avoid serving dried fruit e.g. raisins as a snack as they are sticky and the sugars can contribute to tooth decay.
Extra care should be taken with foods that may present a choking risk. Choking can happen with any foods, but ‘firm foods’, bones and small round foods that can easily get stuck in the throat present a higher risk. When preparing food think about the size, shape and texture of food – cut it into narrow batons and avoid round shapes and firm foods. It is important to avoid round shapes as these are a choking hazard. Cut small fruits lengthways and then halve again (quarters). These fruits include but are not limited to:
– grapes
– raspberries
– strawberries
– cherry tomatoes
Remember that a snack is a small serving of food to fill the gap between your main meals so avoid giving too much. See our hints and tips section below for some snack ideas.
Healthy Snack Ideas:
- Breadsticks with satsuma or strawberry cut into quarters (depending on season)
- Toast with apple slices
- Pitta strips and carrot sticks with dips
- Rice cakes, vegetable sticks and hummus
- Carrot and celery sticks with dips
- Cheese and crackers with grapes (chopped up in to quarters to avoid choking)
- Cucumber sticks with salsa
- Fresh fruit and fromage frais
- Sliced peppers and yoghurt dip
- Fresh or tinned fruit in its own juice
- Sliced peppers/carrot batons (sticks) and yoghurt dip
- Cucumber batons (sticks) and plain rice cakes
- Toast quarters with banana sliced into batons (sticks)
- Pear and breadsticks
Dried fruit should not be offered at snack time, but can be added to meals e.g. as a topping for breakfast cereal.
Drinks
Plain water and plain milk (full fat or semi-skimmed milk from 1 year of age) should be the only drinks served.
2 Snacks Max says
- Having a healthy mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack in-between each of your main meals will keep energy levels up throughout the day and help children grow and develop well.
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