Encouraging Your Students To Eat Healthy Snacks At School

Most students rely on unhealthy snacks to get them through the day. This can lead to problems with weight, focus, and energy levels. 

My students are allowed to bring a daily, small healthy snack that is not messy to eat. I ask that the parents not send in soda, candy, chips, or other snacks with little nutritional value and high sugar/fat content. I let them know that if these items are sent to school, they will be sent back home.

What is a healthy snack?

In order to qualify as a healthy snack, the snack should…

• Contain 200 calories or less per serving
• Include less than 2 grams of saturated fat
• Include zero (0) grams of trans fat
• Contain less than 200mg of sodium per serving
• Include zero (0) grams of added sugars
• Have a whole grain, fruit, or vegetable listed first in the ingredient list

Snack Ideas

Here is a list of some healthy snacks that they are suggested to bring:

• cheese crackers
• raisins
• goldfish crackers
• graham crackers
• bagel
• english muffin
• cheese (not shredded)
• baked chips with salsa
• pretzels
• canned fruit (in water or 100% fruit juice)
• dry fruit without additional sugar added
• trail mix
• dry, surgery cereal
• nuts
• veggies and dip
• granola bars
• fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Preparing Good Snack Choices

These snacks should be:

• washed and prepared prior to sending them to school
• appealing and tastse good to kids
• placed into snack sized baggies (don’t send in a Costco sized box of goldfish and expect the teacher to divi out a snack size to your child each day)
• Send necessary utensils, plates, and/or napkins, with your student if needed

I also encourage all children to keep a bottle or capped container of water at their desks. They may not keep any other beverage open in the classroom to avoid damage to materials in case of spills. 

The Purpose of snack Time

The purpose of providing a snack time at school is not just to fill our bellies, but also to learn to make good choices about what to eat. Many children do not like foods that are good for them, but eating healthy snacks every day will soon establish new eating habits, especially when everyone around them is making good choices as well and the junk food temptation is not there.

Not only are unhealthy snacks bad for your health, but they’re also terrible for your concentration and focus. A recent study found that students who eat healthy snacks perform better in school than those who don’t.

I have provided ideas for healthy snacks that will help your student stay focused and energized throughout the day. With these healthy snacks, you’ll have everything you need to make smart snack choices at school.