Healthy Snacks For Toddlers,
Preschoolers, & Older Children
The purposes of this handout are:
1. To provide a handy reference to some of the healthiest food and beverage choices
for children ages two and older. These choices are boxed and categorized by
MyPyramid food groups. The lists are not comprehensive. And, any mention of
brand name products does not indicate endorsement by Lancaster General.
2. To offer healthy snack ideas using foods from MyPyramid food groups.
3. To stimulate your own creative thinking for “building” healthy snacks.
Breads, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommend that Americans age 2 years
and older choose whole grains or whole grain products for at least half of our grain
foods each day. Whole grain products list one or more whole grains first on a product
ingredient label.
Breads (preferably whole grain): bagels, English muffins, party-size deli bread, pita bread,
rolls
Tortillas (check for those lowest in saturated fat): soft corn tortillas, soft white or whole
wheat flour tortillas, baked chips
Cereals, ready-to-eat, some examples:
Moderate fiber, low sugar: General Mills (GM) Wheaties, GM Cheerios, GM MultiGrain Cheerios, GM Total
High fiber, low sugar: Kashi Heart to Heart, bran flakes, Quaker Crunchy Corn
Bran, shredded wheat, GM Fiber One Honey Clusters, Kellogg’s All-Bran
High fiber, higher sugar: Quaker Oatmeal Squares, GM Multi-Bran Chex,
Wellness Center
2100 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster PA
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(717) 544-3138 Phone
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(717) 544-3139 Fax
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www.LancasterGeneralHealth.org
frosted shredded wheat, Kashi Go LEAN Crunch
Cereals, cooked: oatmeal, wheatena, baby cereal (iron-fortified)
Grains: rice (brown preferred), pasta (whole grain preferred), quinoa, kamut, barley,
buckwheat, millet, etc.
Pancakes: whole grain or multigrain pancake mixes like Arrowhead Mills and Hodgson Mill
Waffles: types made with whole grains like GoLEAN frozen waffles
Quick breads, cornbread, and muffins: best are those that contain at least some whole
grains,
fruits or vegetables, low-fat or fat-free dairy (milk, buttermilk, yogurt) and highly
unsaturated fats or oil (not butter or hydrogenated shortening)
Cereal fruit bars/ granola bars: choose low-fat ones with at least 1 g fiber per serving
Crackers: whole grain, reduced/low-fat types, like Nabisco Reduced-Fat Triscuits, Ry Krisp,
whole wheat matzos, Wasa Light Rye, Finn Crisp, Ryvita, whole grain rice or popcorn
cakes; other low-fat types like saltines, mini oyster crackers, low-fat graham crackers,
animal crackers
Pretzels: oat bran, whole wheat, multigrain types; frozen soft pretzels (limit salt)
Snack ideas for breads, cereal, rice & pasta group
Breads:
1. Serve plain or toasted.
2. Use rolling pin to flatten bread, and then roll up with a healthy filling.
3. Cut bread or bread sandwiches into shapes.
4. Cut mini pita pockets in half; add filling to pockets.
5. Split pita at seams, brush lightly with tub margarine or oil, season if desired with saltfree herb-spice blend or cinnamon-sugar. Toast in a preheated 350 oven for ~15
minutes or under the broiler until crispy. Or, bake melba-thin bread or thin slices of
bagels.
6. Topping & filling ideas: soft margarine, smooth peanut butter or other nut butters (like
soynut butter, almond butter), sliced or grated apple, applesauce, apple butter, sliced or
mashed bananas, raisins, mashed or refried beans, reduced fat cheese, egg salad,
shredded leftover chicken or turkey, lean deli meats or low-fat meat salads, shredded
vegetables (lettuce, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, etc) with low-fat dressing, a combination
of items.
7. Make mini sandwiches using party-size bread. Serve cold or grilled in a skillet.
Soft tortillas:
1. Roll up tortillas with healthy fillings: see ideas under #6 above
2. Spread tortilla with pizza sauce, tomato sauce, or sun-dried tomato pesto; add leftover
cooked chopped vegetables; and shredded reduced-fat cheese. Microwave ~ 10-20
seconds or broil until cheese melts; allow to cool slightly before serving. Cut tortillas
into triangles, or roll up and cut crosswise into slices.
3. Spritz tortillas with cooking spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil; add herbs/spices
(corn tortillas with Mexican blend; flour tortillas with Italian blend, Mexican blend,
cinnamon-sugar, other) if desired. Cut tortillas into triangles, strips, or cookie-cutter
shapes (metal cutters work best). Place on baking sheet and bake in 375  F oven for 612 minutes or until crispy. Cool on wire racks.
Cereals:
1. Mix high-fiber and low-fiber cereals together. Make “marshmallow treats” with whole
wheat flake cereal or a mixture of cereals instead of with the low-fiber crisp rice cereal.
2. Cook hot cereals or cold cereals (like shredded wheat, nugget cereal, etc.) with fat-free
or low-fat milk or soy milk.
3. Add sliced banana, diced or grated apple, diced apricots or other fruit; add ground
cinnamon while cooking hot cereals.
Waffles and pancakes: Make ahead in quantity and freeze; defrost and eat, even as finger
food.
Topping ideas for waffles and pancakes:
1. Syrup mixed with a small amount of plain nonfat yogurt
2. Fat-free fruited yogurt. Be aware that commercial brands usually add sugar; make your
own fruited yogurt with fruit and plain, fat-free yogurt.
3. Fresh or frozen blueberries cooked with a little apple juice and thickened with cornstarch
Leftover cooked grains, e.g., pasta, rice, bulgur, other grains
1. Warm and serve plain or with margarine, shredded low-fat cheese, beans, sauce, salsa,
cooked vegetables, or a combination.
2. Make rice pudding with rice, fat-free or low-fat milk, raisins, vanilla extract, and a small
amount of sugar.
3. Add to soups and serve for a snack on a cold, winter day.
Vegetable Group
Choose a variety of colors of vegetables daily.
Red
Yellow/Orange
White
Green
Blue/Purple
beets
butternut squash
cauliflower
artichokes
eggplant
radicchio
carrots
fennel
arugula
purple asparagus
radishes
orange peppers
jicama
asparagus
purple cabbage
red cabbage
orange tomatoes
kohlrabi
red onions
pumpkin
mushrooms
broccoli
red peppers
rutabagas
onions
Brussels sprouts
rhubarb
spaghetti squash
parsnips
celery
tomatoes
sweet corn
turnips
Chinese cabbage
white corn
cucumbers
yellow peppers
white (fleshed)
endive
yellow potatoes
potatoes
green beans
cherry
tomatoes
sweet potatoes
yellow squash
bok choy
purple peppers
purple (fleshed)
potatoes
green cabbage
green onions
green peppers
leafy greens (kale, collards,
mustard greens, etc.)
leeks
lettuce (Romaine, leaf, etc.)
okra
peas
snow peas
spinach
watercress
zucchini
Shopping notes:

Use fresh, plain frozen, or vegetables canned with no added salt, or at least rinse and drain vegetables
canned with salt to reduce the typically high sodium content.
Preparation tips:

Wash fresh vegetables thoroughly under cold running water.

To reduce the likelihood of choking: carefully supervise young children when serving
peas and raw vegetables, especially carrots and celery. Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
Snack ideas for vegetables
1. Blanch, microwave, or steam raw vegetables until tender-crisp (microwave cooking also
kills bacteria that are hard to remove by washing alone) then chill in ice water for an
easier-to-chew alternative to raw vegetables. Cut vegetables into small pieces to avoid
choking. Try snow peas, green beans, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower.
2. Try raw bok choy stems cut into sticks or raw jicama (Mexican potato), peeled and sliced.
3. Offer vegetables, raw or blanched, with a healthy dip:
-
ranch dressing (low-fat ranch or regular) mixed with plain, nonfat yogurt
-
hummus (chick peas mashed with tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, parsley)
-
pureed low-fat cottage cheese seasoned with a salt-free herb blend
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mild or medium salsa mixed with a bit of plain, fat-free yogurt or fat-free sour
cream
4. Use a crock pot, bake, microwave, or use leftover cooked small new potatoes …a perfect
snack size.
Topping ideas: soft tub margarine, plain fat-free yogurt (alone or mixed with spicy
mustard,
salsa, ketchup, 1000 Island or ranch dressing), shredded reduced-fat cheese, lemon juice,
leftover spaghetti sauce or chili, or a splash of vinegar.
5. Make your own baked yam chips: cut well-scrubbed yams into thin slices; place slices
in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly oiled or lined with foil; spritz with cooking oil
spray, and bake in a 400-425F oven until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.
6. Offer low-sodium vegetable juice along with a crunchy snack like rice cake crackers
topped with fat-free cream cheese or yogurt cheese.
7. During colder months, offer small cups of warm vegetable soup (homemade or
commercial brands limited in fat and sodium). During warm months, offer gazpacho
(cold veggie soup).
8. Make a grated vegetable salad. Try any combination of carrots, jicama, radishes,
cabbage, and zucchini. Allow children to top with their choice of salad dressing…offer a
variety, not just ranch.
9. Microwave half ears of corn, fresh or frozen. Serve plain or with spray margarine.
10. Make spinach dip using frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained. Mix with fatfree plain yogurt, ground mustard, chopped green onion, and pinch of sugar. Serve with
assorted fresh vegetables, like sweet pepper strips and cucumber slices, and/or with
whole grain breads/crackers.
Fruit Group
Choose a variety of colors of fruits daily.
Red
Yellow/Orange
White
Green
Blue/Purple
cherries
apricots
bananas
avocados
blackberries
cranberries
cantaloupe
white necta-
green apples
black currants
pomegranates
grapefruit
green grapes
blueberries
raspberries
guava
green pears
dried plums
red apples
kumquats
honey dew
elderberries
red grape
lemons
kiwifruit
plums
red grapefruits
mangoes
limes
purple figs
red pears
nectarines
strawberries
oranges
watermelon
papayas
rines
white peaches
purple grapes
raisins
peaches
persimmons
pineapples
star fruit (carambola)
tangerines
yellow apples
Shopping notes:

Avoid or limit coconut, rich in saturated (unhealthy) fat.

Choose fruits canned in natural juice or light syrup, or drain fruit canned in heavy syrup.

Choose unsweetened applesauce and apple butter.

Choose 100% juices rather than “juice drinks,” which often have only 5% juice.

Try calcium-fortified juices for those who are not milk or soy milk drinkers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting juices to:


4-to-6 fluid ounces/day for children 1 through 6 years old and

8-to-12 fluid ounces/day for children 7 through 18 years old.
Juice popsicles – read the label! Minute Maid is one of few brands with 90% fruit juice.
Most contain much less fruit juice. Juice popsicles count towards the recommended daily
juice limit.

Encourage your child to choose a new fruit to try.
Preparation tips:

Wash fresh fruit thoroughly under cool running water before cutting or eating.

To reduce the likelihood of choking, cut whole grapes in half or quarters, pit and
cut whole cherries, and cut large pieces of dried fruit (like apricot and peach
halves) into small pieces for young children.
Snack ideas for fruits
1. Try freezing fruits like navel orange wedges, peeled sliced bananas, berries, seedless
melon pieces, and pineapple tidbits in a single layer on a cookie sheet until firm. Freeze
crushed pineapple in ice cube trays. Transfer frozen fruit to airtight freezer containers or
bags for longer storage. Thaw fruit slightly before eating plain or using to make
smoothies.
2. Make watermelon pops by cutting melon into 1-inch thick rectangular slices, leaving the
rind on; push popsicle sticks through the rind; wrap each piece in plastic wrap; freeze ~3
hours until firm.
3. Make fruit parfaits: layer canned or fresh fruit, fat-free or low-fat yogurt, and crushed
cereal or toasted wheat germ in small, clear (see-through) plastic cups.
4. Make fruit kebobs: skewer small pieces of fruit on straws or popsicle sticks.
5. Peel and cut bananas crosswise in half or thirds. Insert popsicle sticks into cut ends.
Dip bananas in orange or apple juice, then roll in toasted wheat germ or crushed cereal.
6. Puree any combination of fresh peeled peaches, nectarines, banana, and berries with fatfree plain or vanilla yogurt. Enjoy as a snack, topping for pancakes or waffles, dip for
other fresh fruit or spread on top of toasted pita bread or graham crackers. Or, add
some cold skim milk to create a beverage.
Example: “Peachsicle” blend: pureed peaches and fat-free vanilla yogurt.
7. Make frozen fruit smoothies using frozen fruit and one or more of the following: fat free
yogurt, skim or 1% milk (or soy milk), 100% juice, low-fat frozen yogurt, low-fat ice
cream, flavoring extracts (like vanilla, coconut, or almond), chocolate syrup, peanut
butter, or whole grain flake cereal.
8. Add grated apple to tuna salad, chopped grapes to chicken salad, banana slices to
peanut butter crackers and serve in snack-sized portions.
9. Serve a sample of fruits for a sensory exploration snack time. Note similarities and
differences in colors, flavors, textures, and smells.
10. Try dried plums (chopped for young children) in orange, lemon, or cherry essence
flavors.
11. Combine orange juice and sliced strawberries, peaches, or bananas in a snack size ziplock bag. Freeze. Slice open one narrow side of the bag and push up the popsicle!
12. Place a whole ripe banana (peel on) on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for 20
minutes. Carefully, slice open the peel with a knife; cool slightly; sprinkle with cinnamon;
use a spoon to eat.
13. Peel and eat segments of ugli fruit (cross between grapefruit, orange, and tangerine).
Simple as that!
14. Make guacamole. Mash peeled avocado with salsa. Place the avocado pit in the center
of the container to prevent the guacamole from turning brown. Serve with baked corn
tortilla chips or roll up in microwave-softened corn or flour tortillas.
Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese Group
Whole milk (3.5% milkfat) until age 2, then transition to 2% milk, and finally 1%
or skim milk by age 5
1% (low-fat) or skim (fat-free) milk
Low-fat soy milk, fortified with calcium and Vitamins A, D, B-12, and riboflavin
Fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt, sugar-free flavored, or fruited yogurt
Part-skim, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free cheeses, including the aforementioned
varieties of cheddar, cottage, mozzarella, and ricotta
Higher sugar content, so use less often:
Fat-free or low-fat frozen yogurt
Fat-free or low-fat ice cream
Sugar added, flavored milk
Sugar added, flavored or
fruited
Fat-free or low-fat fudgesicles
fat-free or low-fat
yogurt
Ice milk
Pudding made with skim or 1% milk
Snack ideas for dairy products
1. Boost the nutrition of low-fat frozen yogurt/ice cream by mixing in some canned
pumpkin…enough to give a pale orange color. Add a pinch of brown sugar and ground
cinnamon, if desired. Serve alone, with cinnamon animal crackers, or atop low-fat
graham crackers.
2. Make your own mini ice cream sandwiches. Place a slice of low-fat ice cream or frozen
yogurt between low-fat graham cracker squares. Add strawberry or banana slices
between the layers, too.
3. Freeze flavored yogurt or homemade smoothie mixtures (see fruit snacks #6 and #7)
into popsicles or in paper or plastic cups with popsicle stick.
4. Add crushed unsweetened pineapple or other fruit to low-fat cottage cheese or yogurt.
5. Serve fat-free or low-fat fruited yogurt in a mini cake cone (typically for ice cream). Top
with 1/4 of a graham cracker that to use as a spoon, if desired.
6. Make “yogurt cheese,” a healthier (because of active yogurt cultures and higher calcium
content) alternative to cream cheese. Place ~2 cups fat-free plain yogurt in a strainer
lined with paper coffee filter or cheesecloth; set atop a bowl to catch the liquid draining
off. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Yields ~2/3 cup of mild, cream cheese-like
spread. Add salt-free seasoning blend and use as a vegetable dip. Or, add drained, cutup fruit and spread on party-size whole grain bread, matzos, or soft low-fat tortillas.
7. Make a mini-meal shake. Blend together skim or 1% milk, cereal flakes (like wheat
flakes), fresh or frozen bananas or berries and some nut butter. Four food groups in
one tasty, nutritious beverage!
8. Mix plain yogurt with ranch dressing; use as a dip for raw or blanched, chilled
vegetables.
Meat & Meat Alternatives Group
Leftover cooked lean beef, pork, ham, skinless poultry
Deli meats labeled “lean” or “extra-lean” and preferably reduced-sodium
Fat-free and low-fat hot dogs or tofu dogs (preferably < 400 mg sodium each)
Tuna, salmon, canned in water; rinsed and drained to reduce sodium
Eggs, fully cooked only
Legumes (canned), like chickpeas, black beans, Great Northern, pinto beans, soybeans,
kidney beans, etc.; rinsed and drained to reduce sodium
Tofu
Nuts low in saturated fat, preferably unsalted: almonds, chestnuts, hazelnuts, hickory
nuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, soynuts, and walnuts; serve with caution (choking
hazard)
Nut butters, like almond butter, peanut butter, soynut butter
Seeds: tahini (sesame seed paste); use seeds with caution because of choking hazard
Convenience products:
Fat-free frozen breaded chicken tenders
Frozen meatless burgers low in saturated fat and not more than 400 mg sodium per
serving, like Morningstar Farms Original Grillers, Boca Burgers Original,
Gardenburger Original
Snack ideas for meats and alternatives
Leftover cooked lean beef, pork, skinless poultry: Chop or shred for mini sandwiches and tortilla
roll-ups, or mix with leftover cooked grains and/or vegetables. Add a dab of salsa, salad dressing, or
other seasoning.
Tuna and salmon: Add mayonnaise or plain yogurt and lemon juice. Serve small spoonfuls on top of
cucumber slices, apple slices, bell pepper scoops, or rice cake crackers.
Eggs: Hard cook. Older children can peel; younger ones can mash and add mayonnaise, if desired.
Canned (or home cooked) legumes:
1.
Serve plain, cold or warmed. Use to practice counting or to design letters and numbers before
eating.
2.
Mix with leftover cooked rice or pasta; add extra vegetables, shredded or Parmesan cheese,
seasonings, tomato sauce or low-fat salad dressing. Serve warm or cold.
3.
Mash or puree, season as desired, then use in mini sandwiches, tortilla roll-ups, on crackers, on
leftover baked potatoes, or as a dip. For a Mexican spread, mash kidney beans, salsa, fat-free
plain yogurt, and squeeze of fresh lime. For hummus, puree a 15-oz. can chick peas, 3
tablespoons tahini, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/8 tsp. garlic powder, ¼ cup chopped fresh
parsley and a little water to thin.
Nut butters: Spread on party-size bread with a dab of jam or on slices of fresh apples, pears, or
bananas.
Meatless burgers:
Microwave and cut into bite size pieces, serve in half a mini pita pocket, or roll
up in half a small flour tortilla.
Fats & Oils Group
Although the Fats & Oils Group is not generally considered a “main” food group, it is
included here because young children need to consume some fats (albeit small amounts) for
good health and well-being. Note: Oils are fats that are liquid at room temperature.
Fats to use:
The healthiest types of fats come mostly from plant foods and fish. They
contain mostly monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (which include
omega-3 fatty acids), and they contain little if any saturated fatty acids. The healthiest oils
and mainly oil products are listed below. Other foods that are rich in healthy fats include
nuts, seeds, and fatty fish…which are under the Meats & Meat Alternatives Group.
Fats to limit: The types of fats to limit are saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids.
Saturated fatty acids come mostly from fatty animal foods (like lard, fatty cuts of meats,
whole fat dairy products, etc.) but also from a few plant foods (like coconut) and plant food
products (like shortening). Trans fatty acids are found mostly in processed baked goods,
animal products, and stick margarine.
Use small amounts of the foods below to add moisture and flavor, as well as essential fatty
acids. MyPyramid guidelines suggest 3 to 4 teaspoons daily of these fats for children 2 to 3
years old, 3 to 6 teaspoons daily for children 4 to 8 years old, and more for older children,
assuming they are eating low-fat choices from the other food groups.
Oils: canola, corn, cottonseed, olive, sesame, soybean, sunflower, walnut
Products that are mainly oil: mayonnaise, certain salad dressings, soft (tub or
squeeze) margarine with no trans fats.
Water
Water is not a “food group,” but is essential for good health. Encourage your child
to drink some water every day.
To jazz it up, add:

Slices of lemon, lime, or orange

Small amount of fruit juice

Frozen fruit cubes

Club soda or sugar-free seltzer (for carbonation) and a little 100% juice (or
frozen fruit juice cubes) for flavor
References and Resources:
Breads, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group
1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines
2. MyPyramid. www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/grains
3. Nutrition Action Healthletter (published by Center for Science in the Public Interest).
Brand-Name Rating: Cereal Trends. November 2003.
4. Food labels reviewed March 2005.
5. FamilyFun (magazine). Also see www.familyfun.com
Vegetable and Fruit Group
1. Prevent Childhood Choking. International Food Information Foundation (IFIC).
http://ific.org
2. Dole 5 A Day. Put a Rainbow On Your Plate poster.
http://dole5aday.com/Rainbow/PDFs/C5-Poster.pdf
3. FamilyFun (magazine). June/July 2002.
4. Parents (magazine). July 2000.
5. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Nutrition. The Use and Misuse of
Fruit
Juice in Pediatrics. Pediatrics 2001;107:1210-1213. Available online
www.aappolicy.aapublications.org
6. MyPyramid website. www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables
Milk, Yogurt, & Cheese Group
1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines
2. Why Milk Matters Now For Children and Teens. National Institutes of Health,
National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). NIH Publication
No. 00-4864, January 2001. NICHD/Milk Matters Clearinghouse 1-800-370-2943
3. MyPyramid website. www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/milk
Meat and Meat Alternatives Group
1. MyPyramid website. www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/meat
2. Nutrition Action Healthletter (published by Center for Science in the Public Interest).
Brand-Name Rating: Meatless Marvels. March 2002.
Fats and Oils Group
1. MyPyramid website. www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/oils
2. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines
For information on Color Me Healthy and Shapedown, Lancaster General
programs that provide more information on this topic, call the Wellness Center
at 544-3138.
Updated 6/06