Healthy Snacking for Kids
Oftentimes children prefer to snack rather than to sit down to 3 square meals. This can have unwanted effects on children’s oral health, so it is worth being aware of potential pitfalls.
Healthy saliva is a protective factor for the teeth, acting as a buffer against acid. Saliva becomes acidic with each exposure to food and drink, before returning to a neutral state which protects the teeth. Unfortunately, if snacking is regular throughout the day, the saliva pH does not have the opportunity to return to a neutral state, and the pH remains acidic, leading to tooth decay.
For this reason, it is important to minimise the frequency of your child’s snacking. This includes sipping on any drinks other than water throughout the day. If you wish to give your child a drink other than water, this should be done at meal time and should be of the low sugar variety. Plain milk is best rather than fruit juices or cordials.
So what kind of snacks are ideal for children? Firstly, we want to avoid snacks that are high in sugar or sticky. Processed fruit snacks are a major culprit for tooth decay in children, as not only are they high in sugar, they also stick to the teeth for extended periods of time, increasing the exposure of the sugar to the teeth. Tooth brushing for children is notoriously hard work, so this adds to the problem when it comes to sticky, sugary snacks. A few examples of some ideal snacks which are good for your child’s teeth and wellbeing in general include:
Cheese and low sugar yoghurt – great for growing bones too!
Fresh, whole fruit
Vegetable sticks with hummus or cottage cheese
Celery sticks with peanut butter
A milkshake of plain milk, banana or berries and ice
Sandwiches with a savoury filling such as vegemite, peanut butter, cheese or ham and salad for example – avoid jams, honey and chocolate spread.
Hard boiled eggs
Processed, pre-packaged foods are best avoided where possible, as these are often laden with hidden added sugars, even in savoury foods. Food companies can be very sneaky when it comes to clever marketing, with claims of ‘healthy’ snacks often misleading. When choosing a pre-packaged snack, always check nutrition labels and compare the amount of added sugars, opting for the lowest you can find.