Healthy snacks are essential for preschoolers.

It is difficult for them to get the nutrients they need from just three meals. Plan snacks as part of the daily menu and use them to help kids meet their nutritional needs.

As a general guideline, make snacks that include at least two food groups. For example, pair apple slices with cheese or a mini bagel with peanut butter.
 

Snack Ideas from the MyPyramid Food Groups
	Grains	dry cereal, whole grain crackers, mini rice cakes, sliced bread, mini bagels, graham crackers, whole wheat tortillas
	Vegetables	veggie “matchsticks” (thin sticks) made from carrots* or zucchini,* bell pepper rings, cherry tomatoes*, steamed broccoli, green beans, sugar peas, avocadoes
	Fruits	apple slices*, tangerine sections, strawberry halves, bananas, pineapple, kiwi, peach, mango, nectarine, or melon, grapes*, berries, dried apricots*
	Milk	low-fat cheese slices or string cheese, mini yogurt cups, fat-free or low-fat milk, low-fat cottage cheese
	Meat and Beans	egg slices or wedges, peanut butter*, bean dip, hummus, slices of lean turkey* or chicken*, shelled pumpkin seeds
* If not prepared correctly, these foods could be choking hazards. For more information on choking hazards, click here.

More snack ideas that combine two or more of the food groups:

Last Modified: March 12, 2009 04:11 PM