It is sometimes hard to know which snacks and treats you can give to your children that are healthy and do not contain high amounts of sugar, fats and other undesirable ingredients.
Below is a list of foods that can be given to children that are healthy and ones to avoid.
Snacks
- Fresh fruit
- Pieces of salad
- Raw vegetables
- Wholemeal toast soldiers
- Ryvita
- Pitta breads
- Rice cakes
- Oat biscuits
- Various cheeses
- Milk
- Hummus
- Tinned pieces of fish
- Hard-boiled eggs, occasionally with a small amount of mayonnaise
- Salted popcorn
- Cold chicken
- Fruit smoothies
- Milk smoothies
- Water
Treats
- Fresh fruit
- Ice cream made from pureed fruit
- Ice cream made from orange juice and a bit of cream
- Strawberry tips dipped in melted milk chocolate
- Frozen pieces of orange
What Not to Give Children
Added sugars
- Found in many drinks
- Milk chocolate
- Breakfast cereals with artificial sweeteners
- Cereal bars (Unless natural)
- Margarines
- Spreads
- So called ‘fruit’ yoghurt with colour and sweetener
- Concentrated fruit juices
- Anything with glucose and with little honey and molasses
Chemical additives
- Namely colourings like sodium benzoate and MSG
- Refined carbohydrates
- White flour goods
- White bread
- White pasta
- White rice
- Many cereals
- White rice
- Instant mashed potato
Hydrogenated fat
- Most margarines
- Bakery goods which have been commercially prepared
- Fried food
- Fast food
- Crisps
Fatty meat
- Stimulants
- Caffeine in cola, coffee and tea
- Coffee and tea destroy Vitamin B and changes your mood
- Cola drinks may block the body’s ability to absorb zinc
