Meals and Snacks
Meal & Snack
Reminder:
Offer items from at
least three food groups
at mealtime and from
at least two food groups
at snack time.
Have FUN
making meals
and snacks
with your
preschooler.
Help measure
ingredients in
measuring cups
Gather ingredients
from the pantry with
help
Rinse vegetables or
fruit in the sink
Preschooler
Changing
36 Months - 5 Years
Keep it up!
You have taken action to help your preschooler have healthy
habits. Giving your child regular meals and snacks is not always
easy, but you are fitting it into your busy day. Way to go, what
you are doing is great!
Remember to sit down and eat together.
Keep the meal or snack as the main event.
Offer a variety of foods.
Running out of ideas? Try these!
A regular meal and snack schedule keeps children eating every two to
three hours. It sounds like a lot, but portion sizes for children are only
about 1/2 of what an adult needs. Try these easy and low-cost ideas.
Adjust the schedule to meet your family’s specific needs.
Children love to help out in
the kitchen. Making food
together gets children
excited about eating and
also gives you a chance
8:00
to teach about color,
Breakfast
texture, counting, and
food groups.
10:00
Snack
Your preschooler can…
Stir cool mixtures
like instant pudding
Action
Menu #1
Menu #2
Hard boiled egg, toaster waffle or
French toast, 1/2 banana and milk
Cold cereal with milk and
100% juice
Grapes, cheese cubes,
whole wheat crackers and water
Snack mix (peanuts, goldfish crackers,
a few chocolate raisins) and milk
12:00
Lunch
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich,
peaches and milk
Garden patty with melted cheese
wrapped in a tortilla, carrot sticks with
ranch dip and water
2:30
Snack
Green pepper slices with ranch dip,
pretzel sticks and 100% juice
Graham crackers with peanut butter
and banana slices and milk
5:30
Dinner
Tuna fish pasta salad,
apple slices and milk
Chicken and broccoli stir fry,
rice and milk
8:00
Snack
Animal crackers, yogurt
and water
Orange slices, string cheese
and water
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Words of Wisdom
Buy cereals that are fortified with
many vitamins and minerals and
that have at least 2 grams of fiber
and 3 or more grams of protein
per serving. Try to keep servings
to around 10 grams of sugar
or less.
You can serve 100% juice with a meal or snack,
but you should not offer your preschooler more
than four to six ounces of 100% juice per day.
Juice drinks, fruit punch, soda, and sports drinks
are not healthy choices for your preschooler.
Remember to also encourage your child to drink
water every day.
It is OK to let your preschooler have chocolate
milk once in a while. Try fortified drink mixes
like Ovaltine to add flavor to milk instead of using
traditional syrups and powders. Ovaltine adds
vitamins and minerals. Traditional choices add
mostly sugar.
Set limits around snack choices and say “no”
when your preschooler asks for candy. Exposing
your child to candy is hard to avoid these days.
It’s important to keep it to a minimum and strictly
for special events. Candy has no nutritional
value and can lead to dental caries.
Need more ideas? Visit www.wichealth.org
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination,
write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TYY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Authority: P.A. 368 of 1978
DCH – 1302P
MDCH
March 2006
GREEN
WIC Pilot Project
(Meals & Snacks — Preschooler [36 months – 5 years] — Action/Changing)