Recess and Snack Ideas

Children need regular small snacks to provide them with energy for growth as well as important nutrients. Many snack foods can be energy dense but not nutrient dense.

Children who are provided with these unhealthy snacks often fill up on kilojoules, getting energy for growth but not nutrients. Snacks for children should be considered as an important part of their nutritional intake and not as an extra treat.

Considering the majority of children’s snacks are consumed at school, the canteen has an important role in providing healthy snack choices.

Portion sizes of packaged snack foods and drinks are becoming king-sized. Young children need much smaller serve sizes than adults, so choose the appropriate size of packaged snacks and provide small and half-serve sizes.

Low fat may not always mean healthy. Many manufactured snack foods (such as sweet bars) may be low in fat, but still high in kilojoules and low in fibre and other nutrients. Check that these low-fat products are at least high in fibre or have fruit as their sugar source. Refer to the nutrient criteria for an Occasionally food.

Many sweet snack foods (for example, carob-coated products) will claim to be ‘all natural’ or a ‘health food’. These can sometimes still be high in sugar or saturated fat and still classified as confectionery.

Snacks and drinks based on fruit and vegetables will boost the intake of these important foods.

Bread-based snacks are a filling, nutritious, low-fat, higher-fibre alternative to cakes and biscuits and can be good value for money.

It is easy (and inexpensive) to come up with some appealing nutritious snack foods.

Here are some ideas.

Cereal, grain and nut-based* snacks

• Pinwheel sandwiches
• Mini rolls using dinner rolls
• Low-fat wholemeal fruit muffins
• Individual bags of pretzels, mini rice cakes, flavoured rice crackers or popcorn (available commercially in individual pre-packs)
• Rice crackers served in small bags of 10–12 crackers
• High-fibre breakfast cereals (for example, Mini Wheats, Fruity Bix) divided into smaller bags
• Nibble or energy mixes served in small bags, for example dried fruit, nuts*, plain popcorn and breakfast cereals
• Air-popped popcorn – low fat, plain or flavoured

Fruit-based snacks

• Fresh fruit
• ‘Traffic lights’ – rounds of kiwifruit, banana and watermelon served on a stick or plate
• ‘Green and gold’ – pieces of chilled orange and kiwi fruit in a bag
• Puréed fruit or juice frozen in an ice-cube tray and served in a cup (a great way to use up overripe fruit)
• ‘Banana blizzard’ – frozen banana on a stick
• Bag or cup of frozen grapes, orange quarters and pineapple rings
• Stewed or canned fruits unsweetened and in natural juice – served in a cup topped with low-fat custard or yoghurt
• Fruit salad – fresh or pre-cut and unsweetened
• Dried fruit salad soaked in hot water or juice to make plump and served plain or with custard or yoghurt – great in winter
• Dried fruit, for example apples, apricots, sultanas, prunes and dates mixed with nuts* and seeds
• Fruit kebabs using fresh or frozen fruit
• Chopped canned fruit set in jelly cups
• 100 per cent fruit icy-poles or ice crush slurpees made with puréed fruit or 100 per cent fruit juice mixed with canned fruit – a great way to use up overripe fruit.

Vegetable-based snacks

• Chunky vegetable pieces served in a cup with low-fat, low-sodium dip
• Crunchy peanut dogs – celery sticks filled with reduced-salt peanut butter*, ricotta
• or reduced-fat cream cheese
• Corn on the cob
• Oven-baked chunky potato pieces served in a small cup
• Dairy-based snacks
• Flavoured low-fat milk served as milkshakes or smoothies with fresh fruit
• Low-fat cheese cut into sticks, cubes, slices or triangles
• Low-fat plain or fruit yoghurt (fresh or frozen) served in small tubs with fresh fruit
• Low-fat dips, for example tzatziki (natural yoghurt, grated cucumber and garlic) or corn relish dip (cottage cheese, smooth ricotta or reduced-fat cream cheese with corn relish mixed through)
• Milky icy-poles made with flavoured low-fat milk or Milo or Ovaltine.

Hot snack ideas

• Corn on the cob
• Pinwheels – baked scone dough rolled with a filling such as pizza or tomato and cheese
• Half a jaffle with a fruit filling – a good alternative snack to cakes or doughnuts
• Small cheese roll
• Hot savoury muffins or scones

 

*Food allergies are the most common triggers for anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) in children. Eight foods cause 90 per cent of food allergies: peanuts, cow’s milk, egg, wheat, soybean, tree nuts (for example, cashew), fish and shellfish. Schools should be aware of the risk of hidden allergens. Check your school’s policy regarding students with severe allergies.