University of Wisconsin - Extension

MADISON, Wis.—“Never underestimate the power of a snack,” says Amy Rettammel, University of Wisconsin-Extension nutrition outreach specialist. “Snacks have a significant influence on a child’s diet.”

Nutrition research supporting the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans has made it clear -- many Americans are eating more calories than they need, without getting the nutrients they need. How does this happen? By eating too many foods that are high in calories and low in nutrients. The new Dietary Guidelines urge Americans to tip the balance back the other way -- by eating more foods that are higher in nutrients and lower in calories.

Why are snacks important? The Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS), a dietary survey of over 3,000 infants and toddlers up to two years old, found that snacks provided 25 percent of the total calories consumed by one- and two-year-olds. Typical snack foods included milk, crackers, cookies, chips and fruit drinks. Other research has shown a similar contribution of snacks to total calories for older children and adolescents, with snacks contributing more to overall calories today than they did 30 years ago.

“Like most Americans, children and adolescents are advised to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains on a daily basis,” says Rettammel. “Snacks are a great opportunity for kids -- and adults -- to get more of the nutrients they need for good health, without getting more calories than they need.”

Today’s families face many demands on their time that can make it difficult to prioritize healthy eating. With one-quarter of children’s calories coming from snacks, improving the foods children eat for snacks can help improve their overall eating patterns. Here are some ideas to take advantage of snacks and find your way to a healthier family:

- When fruits and vegetables are easy to grab, children and adults eat more of them. So, keep fruits and vegetables visible. Put a bowl of fruit on the table and keep cut-up carrot and celery sticks in a clear container in the refrigerator.

- Set a good example by eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains yourself. You are a role model for your kids in so many ways. Eating is no exception. When your kids see you eating and enjoying fruits, vegetables and whole grains, they will too.

- Fruits and vegetables that travel well for snacks on the go include apples, oranges, raisins and other dried fruits, grapes, carrots, slices of green or red pepper, and cauliflower and broccoli florets. Include a small container of vegetable dip made with low-fat yogurt if your kids like vegetables better with dip.

- Stock your kitchen with whole grain snacks -- whole wheat bread, whole grain crackers, whole grain cereal and popcorn. Spread the bread with peanut butter, top the crackers with cheese, or mix the cereal with nuts or raisins for a nutritious snack.

- Take a look at your family’s convenience foods. Do they tend to choose chips, candy, cookies and soda? As a family, you can turn that around by having less of these foods available. Make it convenient to choose healthier snack foods like berries, yogurt, bananas, carrots, broccoli, graham crackers, or a whole wheat bagel.

- How easy is it for your child to grab a healthy snack at school? Check into your child’s school nutrition environment. What kinds of snacks are sold in vending machines and for fundraisers? Are the teachers, administrators, and other school staff modeling healthy eating? If you see a need for change, let your school administration, Parent Teacher Organization, or school board know you’re willing to help develop or revise their nutrition policies.

According to Rettammel, “Prioritizing your family’s health can be a challenge in the midst of all that families have going on today. Being aware of what your family is snacking on is an important step toward improved nutritional health.”

If you want to improve your family’s eating pattern but need more information, your county UW-Extension office can help. There are also online resources, including the following:

-- Finding Your Way to a Healthier You outlines an eating pattern that is based in the most recent nutrition research about the role of nutrition in health: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/brochure.pdf .

-- Why Snacks?, a fact sheet on healthy snacks for young children from the Team Nutrition initiative at the U.S. Department of Agriculture: http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/Nibbles/why_snacks.pdf .

-- How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label and Quiz Yourself! Test Your Food Label Knowledge, resources designed to help consumers learn how to use food labels: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/lab-gen.html .