New Year New You: Commit to healthier snacking for kids in 2018 with these 8 tips

No, your kid probably doesn't need another snack. If you fear your kids snack too much, Shelley Wilkins, a pediatric dietitian at WakeMed, has some advice.

Posted 1:42 a.m. Jan 8, 2018 — Updated 1:42 a.m. Jan 8, 2018

Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

Who's bringing snack?

If your kids have been on a sports team or a dance squad, been involved in an afterschool program or participated in just about any other extracurricular activity, it's likely you've been asked this question, participated in countless online snack sign ups and purchased dozens of juice pouches and Goldfish bags.

As a parent, this need to give our kids some kind of snack after a 45-minute game or an hour-long team meeting drives me absolutely insane. These days, when snack sign ups come my way, I think back fondly to my older daughter's former T-ball coach, who would shout after every 5 p.m., weekday, practice, "No snack! Go eat dinner!"

But our T-ball coach, who announced at the start of the season to parents that there would be no snacks, definitely is an anomaly. These days, a snack seems to be just an expected part of the extracurricular experience - especially for preschoolers and grade schoolers.

And all of those snacks are adding up in terms of calories and pounds for our kids. One study from UNC-Chapel Hill found that snacks account for up to 27 percent of the daily caloric intake for kids, an increase that's come at the same time as we've seen an alarming rise in childhood obesity.

Children face health problems that include hypertension, heart disease and diabetes - all conditions that, for the most part, were considered adult issues when today's parents were kids. The study found that children, including very young ones, were eating snacks almost three times a day.

So, as we start 2018, I checked in with Shelley Wilkins, a pediatric dietitian at WakeMed Health and Hospitals, to find out how we all can be healthier when it comes to snacking. Wilkins is a mom herself with two girls - ages 6 and 2 1/2 - so she understands the struggle.

Parents, of course, know their kids best. And if children are underweight or overweight, it's best to check in with their pediatrician to find out the best course of action. But here's what Wilkins recommends for most of us:

Make it no snack, if possible: "A lot of kids actually probably don't need snacks," Wilkins told me. "Especially if they are picky eaters because I think the tendency is to give them so many snacks that they aren't hungry for their meals and then can just can be more picky."

If your child is a picky eater, Wilkins suggests skipping the regular snacks and letting them go two to three hours without eating so they really feel hungry at meals. "That will make them more interested in new foods," Wilkins said.

If a snack is a must, make it just one: Three meals and one snack a day - for most kids, that's all that they need, Wilkins said.

For a toddler, that single snack will likely fall in the morning. If you eat dinner around 5:30 p.m. or 6 p.m., then they shouldn't need to nibble on anything after their afternoon nap.

For a school-aged child, a single afterschool snack is all that's needed. One exception: If they are very athletic and spend a lot of time at practice and games or doing intense workouts, they'll likely need more to refuel, Wilkins said.

"But kids who are just hanging out or playing outside, I don't feel they need a snack," she said. "If they don't ask for a snack, I don't know that I would give them one."

Whatever you do, keep a routine: Meals and snacks should be at about the same time during the day, Wilkins said, when possible. If it's not snack or meal time, then the kitchen should be closed.

When they snack, make it healthy: A piece of fruit or some vegetables are all kids really need to keep hunger at bay between meals. Small mandarin oranges are great for toddlers, she said. If the next meal will be three or more hours away, then pair the fruit or veggies with some protein. A low-sugar yogurt, with 12 grams of sugar or less per six ounces, is a good choice. Ham and cheese roll ups are great for older kids who need to refuel after an intense sports practice or workout.

If they refuse a particular food, don't give in to their demands: If you've offered some apple slices or a banana and the kids insist on only fruit snacks or cheese crackers, don't give in, Wilkins said. "If they say they're hungry, but they only are accepting certain things, then, by definition, [they're] not really hungry," she said. Leave that banana on the table and let them know it's there for them when they need something to eat.

Watch out for mindless eating: This is the kind of eating that happens because a child is simply bored or the parent just needs to keep the child busy for a few more minutes. It also happens when we sit in front of the TV or other screen and eat. In these cases, kids start learning to eat even when they're not hungry - a recipe for bad habits and poor health down the road. Eat meals and snacks at the table.

"The structure is the most important thing," Wilkins said. "You have a snack. You have to sit at the table, the bar or island. There is no iPad. There's no other stuff. You're sitting down to eat."

Let them know it's OK to feel hungry: When my kids tell me they're starving, I let them know that's impossible because they haven't gone a day in their life without three meals. I let them know that it's OK to feel hunger and that, within an hour or two, they'll get another meal. I also let them know water is always an option.

Wilkins said that's the right response. "You don't want them to starve, but you want them to be hungry so they're more in tune with their body that way," she said.

It's OK to have a fun snack: Of course, some Goldfish crackers, a homemade chocolate chip cookie or a trip to the ice cream shop is fine too, Wilkins said. "Every snack doesn't have to be to the letter of health," she said. "If it's going to be a more fun snack, then give them a small portion to start with and then, if they want a little bit more, give them more."

Likewise, if it's a sweet snack, be sure to skip dessert at dinner.

Wilkins recommends the websites Super Healthy Kids and Kids With Food Allergies, which both have snack ideas and strategies and recipes.

Bottom line, Wilkins said, "Kids don't have to snack. You need to be thoughtful of when their next meal is. Do they really need a snack? Are they a kid that gets hangry? Really, the structure is the most important."

Go Ask Mom features local moms every Monday.

Suggest A Correction