Choosing Healthy Snacks

Nutritious snacks can play an important role when it comes to a child’s healthy daily diet.

A healthy snack can help a child maintain constant energy levels between main meals and meet their daily energy requirements. Most snacks should consist of nutrient-dense whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, reduced fat dairy and nuts or seeds. If choosing packaged snacks, choose the option lowest in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium and high in fibre. Packaged snacks should be included only on occasion.

Quick and Easy Homemade Snack Ideas

• Serve of fresh fruit – in the warmer weather try frozen grapes or mango! You can learn more about serving sizes by visiting eatforhealth.gov.au
• Sticks and dips – serve carrot, celery or cucumber sticks with tzatziki, hummus, cottage cheese or tomato salsa.
• Wholegrain crackers with reduced fat cheese, avocado or nut butter.
• Yoghurt – choose a variety with no added sugar. Add fresh or frozen berries for natural sweetness.
• Nibble mix – a mix of air-popped popcorn, wholegrain cereal, and dried fruit.
• Raisin toast with a thin layer of ricotta or low-fat cream cheese.
• Homemade pizzas using wholemeal pita bread or English muffins as the base and topped with vegetables and cheese.
• Ants on a log – fill celery sticks with low fat cream cheese and place sultanas across the top.
• Mini muffins made with wholemeal flour and fresh or dried fruit.
• Savoury muffins made with wholemeal flour and hidden vegetables.
• Air-popped popcorn.
• Home-made bliss balls.
• Crispy chickpeas.

Packaged Snacks

It is recommended to give children fresh, homemade snacks as packaged snacks are often less nutritious, more expensive and create more waste. However, packaged snacks can be a convenient option and a treat on occasion. Food companies will often use misleading health claims on packaging to entice consumers. This clever marketing can make it difficult to identify which packaged foods are the healthiest option. When selecting packaged foods, it’s important to look past these health claims and instead read the ingredients list and nutrition information panel.

Common misleading health claims