Age by age, what is the ideal snack for each child?

What is a snack for children made of?

A balanced snack consists of a cereal product, a dairy product and a fruit

In general, according to dietitian Catherine Bourron-Normand, “A balanced snack consists of a cereal product, a dairy product and a fruit”. The proportions vary depending on the age and physical activity of your children. Regarding the portion of starchy foods, always favor cereals or a piece of wholemeal bread, rather than store-bought cookies and cakes that are too high in sugar. The cakes made by you can be offered a few times, for more festive and convivial snacks.

To reduce the risks associated with pesticide residues, choose organic products for your little ones’ snacks.

A dairy

Dairy products provide your children, of course, calcium, essential for its bone growth. But they also contain protein which are at the origin of the feeling of satiety. They are also rich in vitamins B12, B2, B3 or PP, B5, A, C and D.

A portion of fruit

These contain dietary fiber, which promote the functioning of the digestive system. They are also composed of vitamins A, C, B2, B6, K, d ‘folic acid, and of minerals (potassium, magnesium, iron, etc.). The combination of all these nutrients ensures the functioning of the immune system and the brain. It also helps develop muscles and nerves.

A portion of starch

Starchy foods are essential foods for the body, especially for children. They contain carbohydrates, as well as vitamins group B, minerals and fibers. To benefit from a maximum of nutrients, it is necessary favor whole and semi-complete starchy foods. Starchy foods satiate and regulate intestinal transit.

Snack for children, age by age: to each their needs!

From 6 months to 1 year

At the very beginning of food diversification, the afternoon bottle is not considered, strictly speaking, as a “snack”. It is, at this time, ofa real meal consisting of around 210 ml of milk (maternal or 2nd age). If your baby is still hungry, it is possible to offer him a small amount of compote. In the event that he refuses to drink his bottle, you can start to replace it with a yogurt made from infant milk that can be found in the baby department.

12 to 18 months

Around the age of 1, the afternoon meal looks more and more like a traditional snack. Growth milk replaces 2nd age milk. Compote is always a good option, moreover to take your homemade compotes everywhere, there are super reusable gourds! At last, a starch like bread for example can be added. Yoghurt, cottage cheese, plain Swiss snacks can take place in snacks as alternative dairy products. You can also offer a mixture of milk and whole grains (choose cereals such as oatmeal, which soften easily), or a yogurt flavored with strawberry or raspberry coulis (without added sugars), to vary the pleasures.

From 18 months to 3 years old

After 18 months, your little one’s ability to chew food is well developed. Softened cereals can much more easily be replaced by a real toast. To accompany this part of starch, you can now offer a fruit cut into pieces, and cheese. At this age, Catherine Bourron-Normand specifies that energy needs change little, and that the necessary calorie intake stabilizes for a while around 150 calories for the afternoon snack.

From 3 to 6 years

From the age of 3, your little one’s days are getting busier. The basics of a balanced snack remain the same, it is the quantities that increase. Count about 1/8 of a baguette, or its equivalent in cereals, as well as a dairy product and a piece of fruit. With the use of new textures, you can offer more elaborate snacks, such as rice pudding for example. For snacks taken on the go, the traditional toast of bread, and a square of chocolate accompanied by yogurt can do the trick. If your child is difficult at the table, do not hesitate to offer him foods that he has already refused to eat several times, including during the snack. For proper growth, an afternoon snack should provide around 200-250 calories for your 3-6 year old.

From 6 to 8 years old

For children 6 to 8 years old, the calorie intake of the ideal snack is between 250 and 290 calories. Consider adapting it to your child’s physical activity, especially if they start playing sports after school. You need about 1/8, or even 1/4 of a baguette for a suitable portion of starch. Continue to offer essential foods, and don’t give in too often to the temptation to give him store-bought cookies or pastries. You can also start cooking some simple recipes with your child. Allowing him to prepare his snack with you will certainly make him want to eat it.

8 to 12 years old

We are preparing for the arrival of adolescence! Your child will tend to turn to foods that are fatter and sweeter than they should. Try to keep the three main components of the 4:00 p.m. break, and achieve a caloric intake between 290 and 360 calories, or 1/4 of a baguette, a piece of fruit and 1 yogurt, for example. Dairy farming tends to be shunned by tweens. However, it is an important food, because the calcium requirements will start to increase as the teenage years approach. Try to keep the habit of feeding your child dairy products during their 4:00 p.m. snack.

Until what age is snack essential?

Snack is not really essential, and in some cases, it is better to have the children eat dinner earlier, adapt the calorie intake accordingly and eliminate it.

First of all, it is important to stress that a recent report from ANSES (National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety) indicates that “children from 4 to 17 years old generally have a daily sugar intake higher than the recommendations “. These figures reveal a sugar intake above the thresholds of 25% for 13 to 17 year olds, and 75% for 4 to 7 year olds.

Faced with these very telling data, and the fact that snacks represent the main daily sugar intake, ANSES recommends favoring “homemade” foods in order to better control the amounts of sugar, and to avoid sugary drinks. Water is the only essential drink.

To answer our question, the organization simply adds that “afternoon tea is not really essential “, and that in some cases, it is better to feed the children earlier, adapt the calorie intake accordingly and eliminate it.

However, for all ages, and depending on the distribution of nutrients throughout the day, there is no age limit for this snack. It just needs to remain balanced, and taken at a fixed time.

4 easy recipe ideas to taste it

There are many perfect recipes to brighten up the afternoon tea like chocolate cake and no-bake cookies, for example. You can find them galore on Google and on pinterest. Cooking a cake, a cake or cookies with your child on Wednesday or the weekend, allows share a moment in the kitchen. To accompany this snack in a balanced way, a dairy will do. To vary the traditional soft chocolate cakes, pancakes and waffles, here are some recipe ideas …

Cereal bars

You need :

• 2 tablespoons of caster sugar
• 100 grams of butter
• 70 grams of dates
• 170 grams of honey
• 170 grams of oatmeal
• 85 grams of puffed rice
• 150 grams of a mixture of dried fruits and cereal seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, etc.)

Recipe :
Cut the dates into small pieces.
Gently heat the butter, honey and sugar, and mix until well combined.
Place the dates and all the other dry ingredients in a bowl.
Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl, then stir until everything is combined.
Place the preparation on a baking sheet covered with baking paper, and flatten the preparation well, forming a rectangle.
Bake it in the oven at 180 ° C for about 10 to 15 minutes, then cut into individual portions.
Then leave to rest in the fridge for 8 hours.

Banana muffin

For 6 muffins, you will need:

• 3 bananas
• 75 grams of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 sachet of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 150 grams of flour
• 70 grams of butter

Recipe :
Peel and mash the bananas.
Add the sugar, and the lightly beaten egg. Mix for the first time.
Add the melted butter, and mix again.
Stir in the flour and baking powder.
To vary the recipe a bit, you can also add a few chocolate chips.
Then place in muffin cups.
Bake at 190 ° C for 20 minutes.

Seasonal fruit tarts

For 4 individual tarts, you will need:

• 200 g of shortbread
• Almond cream
• fresh fruit of your choice

Recipe :
Cut your dough to the size of your tart molds. Then place it in the lightly buttered molds.
Garnish the tart shells with almond cream.
Bake at 180 ° C until lightly golden.
Let the pie crusts cool.
Arrange your vitamin filling on the tart. You can add a blond topping on top, or sprinkle a little icing sugar.

Shortbread with jam

You need :

• 1 shortbread (homemade or store-bought)
• Jam of your choice

Recipe :
Roll out the shortbread dough on a lightly floured work surface (if it is a homemade dough, roll it out to obtain a thickness of about 5mm).
With a cookie cutter, cut shapes. Make holes in half of the shapes.
Place the shapes with holes over those without holes.
Arrange your shortbread on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ° C for about 15 minutes.
Let the shortbread cookies cool, then garnish them with jam (you can also garnish them with a chocolate ganache).

Cake and cake recipes are a great way to change up everyday snacks. But these cakes, and other cookies, as well as the famous pain au chocolat or brioche from the bakery must still remain occasional in order to limit the sugar intake. There is nothing better for your health than a simple snack, with fresh and organic products.