Mothers in motion

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Hydration
Snacks
Back

Mothers of Preschoolers

Healthy Eating

Snacks

Great snacks for the whole family!

 

  • You can put yogourt tubes in the freezer to make cool treats in the heat of the summer.

  • Cheese cubes (or if your budget allows, cheese strings) with some whole wheat crackers make a good snack later in the day. Or they can be eaten as part of a quick breakfast. When children eat cheese and whole grain crackers, they are getting both calcium and protein, as well as a tasty snack.

  • Homemade trail mix is an easy snack to carry around. Put some sunflower seeds, almonds or cashews, raisins, dried cranberries or other dried fruit together in a bag or plastic container with a tight lid. Keep it handy, so your children can take a handful in a small bag as they run out the door. It’s much better than a bag of chips!

  • Granola bars can be good choices. But read the label on the box to make sure that the ones you buy have low sugar content and low saturated fat.

  • Visit the Nutrition Labelling Education Centre to learn more about how to read and apply the nutrition information on food labels.

  • Peanut butter (or other nut butters) and 100% whole grain crackers or breads are a good snack.

  • Fresh fruit is always good, especially when served with a yogourt dip.

  • If you have a blender, you can make smoothies with yogurt, fortified soy drinks or milk, and fresh or frozen fruit.  Smoothies help to fill your child with those extra nutrients and calories that they need to get through the day. You can make a smoothie in advance and put it in a thermos so it stays chilled all day.

 

Try this easy recipe for a smoothie:

1 cup of vanilla fortified soy beverage
1½ oz cubed tofu (extra protein)
1 banana
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 tbsp. honey (or sugar)
10 ice cubes

Blend all the ingredients in your blender and enjoy!

 

More snack ideas:

  • Raw vegetables

  • Homemade mini pizzas made with whole wheat bagels, pizza sauce, and shredded cheese

  • Individual cans of fruit salad or mandarin oranges, pears, or peaches; these are easy to pack in a school bag and children love them

  • Peanut butter on sliced apples, crackers, toast, etc.

  • Cheese on apple slices and/or crackers

  • Hummus in mini pitas

  • Peanut butter and banana sandwich

  • Macaroni and cheese served with cherry tomatoes or baby carrots.

  • Fresh fruit cut into bite-sized pieces (small pieces are best for preschool children)

  • Soft-boiled eggs with “soldiers” (whole wheat toast cut into strips); small children love dipping the toast into the egg yolk

  • Tortilla wraps filled with veggies and ham or peanut butter; be sure to cut the wraps up small round pinwheels for preschool children

  • Homemade cookies and treats. 

 

Here are some recipes for cookies and other sweets!

 

Brown-Brown Brownies (Recipe from the Canola Council of Canada)

Makes 12 brownies.

 

2 eggs or 4 egg whites

½ cup canola oil 125 mL

½ tsp vanilla 5 mL

1 1/3 cups sugar 325 mL

½ cup cocoa 125 mL

1 1/4 cups flour 300 mL

1/4 tsp salt 1 mL

½ cup raisins 125 mL

 

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

 

Place eggs in a large bowl. Whip until frothy. Add canola oil and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in the sugar and cocoa. Mix well again. Stir in flour and salt until blended. Add raisins. Batter will be very thick.

 

Pour into well-oiled 9" x 9" (2.5 L) cake pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

 

Per serving:
Energy: 257 calories/1,080 kilojoules

Carbohydrate: 39 g

Potassium: 101 mg
Protein: 3.2 g

Dietary Fibre: 1.9 g

Iron: 1.2 mg
Total Fat: 11 g

Sodium: 86 mg

Calcium: 15 mg

 

Banana Nut Muffins (Recipe taken from Chef in Your BackPack, N. Bassett, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2003)

Makes 12 muffins.              

 

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup honey

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup skim milk or soy milk

1 ½ cups bananas, mashed

½ cup walnuts, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 400°.  Grease muffin pan or line with paper baking cups.

 

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a bowl, combine the honey, oil, eggs, milk and bananas and then mix into flour mixture with a couple of swift strokes. Fold in the nuts.

Pour mixture into muffin pan until about 3/4 full.

 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until brown on top, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.Cool and store in an airtight container.

 

Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies (Recipe taken from Chef in Your BackPack, N. Bassett, Arsenal Pulp Press, 2003)   Makes 24 cookies.

 

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

½ cup white sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°.


In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
In a large bowl, cream the margarine and brown sugar together. Add the white sugar and mix. Then add the vanilla and eggs and mix until smooth. Slowly add the flour and mix until absorbed. Add the chocolate chips.


Spoon mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies are golden brown.


Remove to wire rack and let cool.