Common Snacks for Children & Healthy Alternatives
Many snacks marketed for children may be high in added sugars, fat & sodium. It is important to identify the more nutritious options to make informed decisions about the foods requested and permitted in the classroom!
Cereals Marketed for Children
- Many cereals on the market for children have been fortified with essential vitamins and minerals; however, they may also be high in added sugars
- The added sugar in many cereals is often more than half the amount of recommended daily added sugar for children in just one serving!
- A healthier cereal choice such as Cheerios is a low sugar and low sodium option which also contains fiber and is generally accepted by children
Chips vs Popcorn
- Potato chips are usually high in fat & sodium, and are not the most nutritious snack option for children
- Although small serving sizes of chips are available, a healthier option for children would be unsalted/unbuttered popcorn
- Many popcorn brands on the market are high in fat and sodium, so it is important to read the nutrition facts label before purchasing
Veggie Snacks vs Real Veggies
- Veggie snacks are similar to chips as they are made from primarily potato starch and potato flour
- Packaged veggie snacks are higher in calories, fat and sodium compared to real vegetables
- Raw veggies with a dip such as hummus provides more nutrients and fiber
Yogurt Marketed for Children
- Low-fat yogurt is an excellent snack for children; however, they are not all made the same
- Many yogurts marketed for children are high in added sugars with sugar being the second item in the ingredient list
- Though plain, low-fat yogurt with fruit would be best, when purchasing/requesting flavored yogurt for the classroom, it is important to choose the one with the least added sugar
Fruit Flavored Gummies Vs Mixed Berries
- Although many fruit gummies indicate "made with real fruit", the first two ingredients are sugar!
- The sweet flavor in gummies is derived solely from added sugars
- Real fruit contains natural sugars and fiber
Food Allergies
Some of your students may have food allergies - it is vital to be aware of their allergies and be able to identify possible allergens in the foods you provide your students!
Food Allergy Facts
- Approximately 32 million people in the US have food allergies
- About 1 in 10 adults & 1 in 13 children have food allergies
- An estimated 40% of children with food allergies are allergic to more than 1 food
- The top 9 food allergens are: milk, soy, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, wheat, sesame & eggs
- Advisory labels are printed on food packaging for the top food allergens
Some food allergens may be listed as a different name in the ingredients.
Here are other ingredient names to avoid based on the allergen:
Eggs
- Albumin
- Apovitellin
- Avidin globulin
- Merengue
- Ovalbumin
- Ovomucin
- Eggnog
- Lysozyme
- Mayonnaise
- Ovovittelin
- Surimi
- Vitellin
*Eggs may also be found in baked goods, breads, pasta, cake decorations, marshmallows, dressings, pretzels, nougat, chips, crackers, Hollandaise, ice cream, lecithin, and marzipan
Peanut
- Arachis oil
- Artificial nuts
- Ground nuts
- Lupin
- Mandelonas
- Mixed nuts
- Monkey nuts
- Nut meat/Nut meal
- Peanut flour
- Nut pieces
- Peanut protein hydrolysate
*Peanuts may also be found in cultural restaurant foods, candy, glazes & marinades, granola, sauces, baked goods, marzipan, nougat and vegetarian food products
Wheat
- Bread crumbs
- Bulgur
- Couscous
- Durum
- Farina
- Farro
- Freekah
- Matzoh
- Semolina
- Triticale
- Wheat germ
- Wheat grass
*Wheat may also be found in soy sauce, plant-based meats, starch, glucose syrup, surimi, marinara sauce, playdough, hot dogs/sausages, & dressings
Milk
- Butter
- Casein
- Custard
- Ghee
- Lactalbumin
- Lactoferrin
- Lactoglobulin
- Lactose/Lactulose
- Rennet casein
- Tagatose
- Whey
- Whey protein
*Milk may also be found in artificial butter, caramel candy, lunch meats/sausages/hotdogs, pasta, sherbert, smoothies, & restaurant food items
Fish
- Fish flavoring
- Fish gelatin
- Fish oil
- Barbecue sauce
- Bouillabaisse
- Cesar dressing
- Caponata
- Imitation fish - surimi
- Worcestershire sauce
*Fish may also be found in certain ethnic dishes including African, Chinese, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese – high risk of cross-contamination with multicultural restaurant food items
Soy
- Edamame
- Miso
- Natto
- Okara
- Shoyu
- Soya
- Soy sauce
- Tamari
- Tempeh
- Textured vegetable protein
- Tofu
*Soy may also be found in vegetable gum/starch/broth, Asian cuisine, processed meats, & canned meats
- Tip: It is important to always read ingredient lists carefully before providing food to a person with a known food allergy!