Pack a Healthy School Snack

Use this 3-Step Snacking Guide to help you and your kids snack in a healthy way.

Choose nutritious snacks: To ensure that the snack is nutritious the best strategy is to plan snacks that contain foods and/or beverages from one or two of the four Food Groups from Canada’s Food Guide (Fruits and Vegetables; Grains; Milk and alternatives; Meat and alternatives).
Choose a variety of snacks: Enjoy different snacks everyday. This way your body will get all of the nutrients and energy it needs!
Make it count: Particularly for children, snacks are not just treats but are important foods. Besides three meals a day, children need snacks to give them energy and to help them grow.

Be good to your teeth

Snacks high in sugar or starch can cause cavities, especially if you eat them often and let them stay on your teeth. When you eat snacks, here are some ways to help protect your teeth:

Brush and floss when you can after eating, but especially before you go to bed.

If you can’t brush:

Eat some cheese because it helps protect your teeth from cavities;
Rinse your mouth with water; or
Chew a piece of sugarless gum.

Snacks that are safe for your teeth:

Aged cheese e.g. Cheddar, Mozzarella
Meat, fish, eggs and poultry such as chicken or turkey
Raw vegetables, nuts and seeds*

*foods which are hard to chew; or small, round or oval in shape may cause choking in children under age three. Always supervise young children when they are eating.

Snacking Made Fun

Any fruit… grapes, bananas, cantaloupe. For a special treat dip fruit in yogurt or make a fruit salad.
Vegetable sticks with cottage cheese, tzatziki dip, hummous, or peanut butter
Crackers or bread sticks topped with cheese, peanut butter, hummus, baba ghanouj, etc.
Milk, chocolate milk, strawberry milk
Yogurt, yogurt drink, fresh cheese e.g. Minigo, or milk pudding
Trail mix, nuts or roasted chick peas
Whole grain unsweetened cereal (with or without milk)
Homemade muffins with a slice of cheese or fruit
Cold pizza slices
Bagel with cheese, peanut butter, tuna or salmon salad
Popcorn sprinkled with parmesan cheese
Pita pocket with vegetables, sliced meat, cheese, salsa or hummus
Grilled vegetables such as red peppers or eggplant on crackers or snack breads
Hard-boiled or deviled egg
Cold pancakes with cream cheese or yogurt
Peanut butter and banana rolled in a soft tortilla
Yogurt mixed with plain cereal
Eggroll, samosa, bean burrito
Canned wieners, sardines, herring
Tuna mixed with ricotta cheese used as spread or dip with vegetables or crackers