How to Make a Healthy Snack

Healthy snacks are packed with nutrition. They give your child the right balance of fiber and protein. You can make an easy, healthy snack by pairing two foods from the 5 food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, dairy).

Follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Start with a food that’s high in fiber.

Fiber helps your child feel full.

Choose one:

• a fruit: any kind your child enjoys
• a vegetable: for example, crunchy sliced cucumber, carrots, bell peppers
• a grain: for example, whole-grain breads, wraps, cereal, crackers

Step 2: Serve it with a food that’s full of protein.

Protein helps build bones and muscles. And it gives your child energy.

Choose one:

• protein: such as peanut butter, eggs, nuts, seeds
• dairy: such as milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese

Easy and Healthy Snacks

Try some of these favorites:

• Whole-grain cereal + low-fat milk: Serve 1 cup of cereal with 8 ounces of milk. Choose a cereal without a lot of sugar, such as Cheerios, Kix, or Wheaties.
• Fruit + yogurt: Serve 8 ounces of yogurt with 1 piece of fruit the size of a tennis ball, or ½ cup chopped fruit.
• Whole-wheat tortilla + peanut butter: Spread a tortilla with 1–2 tablespoons of peanut butter. Roll it up and cut it into pinwheels.
• Vegetables + cheese: Slice cucumbers and bell peppers. Serve with chopped tomatoes and 1 ounce of cheese (a piece the size of your index finger). Older kids can enjoy crunchier veggies, like raw celery and carrots.
• Whole-wheat toast + hard-boiled egg: Toast a piece of bread and boil an egg. That’s it!