The right composition. A dairy product, a cereal product and a fruit. Either a glass of milk, yogurt or a piece of cheese – it provides calcium, good for bones and teeth –, bread, and a fruit, which provides valuable vitamins for growth.
The best products. A grown-up will probably still be hungry even after 5/6 cookies, while he will be satisfied with bread. Baguette, wholemeal or cereal bread:
they are rich in slow sugars, satiety factors. Sliced bread, sweet and fattier, is less good, of course. When it comes to cheeses, it is better to choose a "real" one - such as Camembert or Comté. Cheese specialties (Kiri, St-Môret, etc.) may be more convenient to eat, but contain less calcium. We also think about giving him
something to drink, preferably water (we limit very sweet fruit juices and sodas to 1 or 2 glasses a week).
The right quantities. Bread, for example:at 3 years old, he eats about 1/8th of a baguette, at 6 years old it is 1/4 of a baguette and
1/3 at 12 years old. You can add squares of chocolate (two to 3 years old, three to 6 years old and five to 12 years old). And why not a lick of spread! If he prefers cakes, a BN or four fruit trays
are enough for 3 years, for example.
The good time. The snack is taken long enough before dinner (at 5 p.m. if you have dinner at 7:30 p.m.). It doesn't last long either:it's a meal (which we eat at the table) and not nibbling for an hour in front of the TV!
Thanks to Catherine Bourron-Normand, dietician, co-author of " feeding our little ones " (Solar).
