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Why Kids Need Healthy Snacks at the Cafeteria

A balanced nutrition plan is important for growing children to develop into healthy adults. Snacking has become a normal part of life for many people, including children, and can either help or hurt overall nutrition. Healthy snacking can keep children from becoming irritable or distracted, but unhealthy snacking can contribute to problems such as obesity, diabetes and poor food management throughout lifetime.

  1. Children's Nutritional Needs

    • Growing children have nutritional needs that include protein, carbohydrates, dairy, fats, and vitamins and minerals. Unhealthy snack choices may fill the child up temporarily, but they do not contribute to meeting these dietary needs throughout the day. Children need snack choices that support healthy and balanced nutrition by providing lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and healthy dairy products. Children who learn about healthy snacking and nutrition early will make better choices as adults, manage weight, and avoid problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

    Effects of Unhealthy Snacking

    • Snacks loaded with sugar, salt, fat and processed ingredients have negative effects on children's learning and behavior throughout the school day. Sugar causes a child to go on a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, leaving the child feeling tired and irritable once it wears off. An excess of fat and processed starches can contribute to weight gain. A child allowed to snack continuously throughout the day will have a difficult time knowing when she is truly hungry, which can lead to poor weight management when older.

    How to Help

    • Talk to your child about the importance of choosing healthy snacks while they are at the cafeteria. While some of the unhealthy options may be tempting, it is important to introduce your child to healthy snacking practices from the start. This will help him to make better choices when choosing snacks on his own at school. If healthy options are not available, contact the school board and talk to them about offering healthier snack options.

    Healthy Snack Choices

    • Snacks that are good for children include fruit, vegetables, popcorn, trail mix, hard boiled eggs, hummus, yogurt, lunch meat and cheese, granola bars, low-sodium pretzels and whole wheat products. Healthy drinks include milk, water, seltzer and juices with 100 percent fruit and low in sugar. Children will often choose unhealthy snacks such as ice cream, cookies, candy, chips or soft drinks if they are available because they taste good and are more fun to eat. Limiting the amount of unhealthy choices in a cafeteria helps children make better decisions when snacking.

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