For kids, life is snack time

Our kids' sustenance seems to consist of one long chain of snacks.

I pack a snack for our fifth-grader to take to school for midmorning. He also gets a snack at after-school. Kids who play sports get snacks after soccer practice and swim meets. Play a game of ball, eat a bag of chips.

Are all these snacks necessary? How did we get on the snack train, and should we get off?

Some snacks are a good idea. Many children -- especially those with long bus rides to school who start their days early with little or no breakfast -- need an energy boost by midmorning to help them make it to lunchtime. Others need a boost between lunch and dinner, which for some kids can be a seven-hour wait.

But others pile on the calories from chips, cookies, processed fruit snacks, juice and sports drinks after activities that might otherwise help them control their weight. Do kids need a snack after softball practice? As one reader of this column asked me, "Whatever happened to 'Great job, kids!' "

Most kids would fare better with fewer snacks. Water should suffice after most practices and sporting events.

And when snacks are warranted, kids need foods different from what many are typically given. Single-serving, packaged snacks are often low in fiber, high in sodium and provide little nutrition in exchange for the calories. They're fillers, standing in for more healthful foods that might otherwise be served at home -- sandwiches on whole-wheat bread, salads, cooked vegetables and fresh fruit.

It's time to reconsider kids' snacking habits. Some good ways to start:

* Eliminate caloric beverages. No child needs a sports drink, fruit juice or soft drink after football practice or a basketball game. Water is just fine. The same goes in the classroom.

* Cut the frequency of snackable moments. When kids gather for sports events, field trips and meetings, reconsider the need for a snack. Save snacks for truly special occasions.

* Reduce the size of snacks. Does everyone need a personal bag of fiber-free snack crackers and a box of juice drink to wash them down? Next time kids gather, try setting out a tray of freshly sliced orange wedges. If the kids don't love them, let me know. I'd be shocked.

The quantity of snacks isn't the only issue. Quality matters, too.

It can be a challenge to come up with nutritious snacks that are quick and convenient. Even the low-fat, lower-sugar options -- Goldfish and Teddy Grahams -- are made with refined ingredients that don't offer a lot of nutrition.

Better-quality snacks -- especially fresh fruits and vegetables -- are less convenient because they don't keep as long and may need washing, peeling or slicing. Don't let these minor inconveniences deter you, though. Easy examples:

* Sandwich bags filled with a handful of washed grapes. In cherry season, make it cherries. Let kids spit the pits. Next summer? Strawberries, or cut up a watermelon -- preferably one with seeds.

* A big tub of popcorn (trans fat-free, of course). Popcorn is a whole grain, and a handful or two from a communal carton can build camaraderie, stave off hunger until dinner and minimize excess calories kids might otherwise get from a bigger snack.

* Cherry tomatoes or carrots with ranch dip. They may be healthy, but if they're unexpected and offered in the spirit of fun, kids will eat every bit.

* Bananas. Set out fresh bananas -- or apples, pears, peaches -- and watch them disappear.

Most important, eliminate the junk snack competition and present healthy alternatives attractively, with a positive attitude. Do that and no one will miss the potato chips.