Healthy snack alternatives

There are loads of tasty alternatives to the kinds of snacks that are stuffed with sugar, salt and saturated fat. Try these on your kids instead and see if you can get them to chuck the choccie!

How much is too much?

Total fat

If a food is high in fat, it has more than 20g fat per 100g. If it’s low in fat, it has 3g fat or less per 100g.

Saturated fat

If a food is high in saturated fat, it has more than 5g saturates per 100g. If it’s low in saturated fat, it has 1.5g saturates or less per 100g.

Sugar

If a food is high in sugar, it has more than 15g sugar per 100g. If it’s low in sugar, it has 5g sugar or less per 100g.

Salt

If a food is high in salt, it has more than 1.5g salt per 100g. If it’s low in salt, it has i0.3g salt or less per 100g.

A bit like sweets

When it comes to dried fruit - don’t forget, a handful is about the right amount.

  • Dried mango
  • Dried banana
  • Dried pineapple
  • Dried papaya
  • Raisins
  • Dried strawberries

A bit like crisps

  • Pumpkin and sunflower seeds
  • Homemade popcorn (without sugar or salt)
  • Oven baked crisps
  • Rice and corn cakes
  • Breadsticks
  • A handful of dry, reduced sugar cereal with some raisins or sultanas

Something cool for when it’s hot

  • Strawberries dipped in yoghurt - put them in the freezer for half an hour before you serve them so the yoghurt goes hard
  • A frozen banana - just put it in the freezer in its skin and serve like an ice lolly
  • A handful of frozen peas - honestly, they’re nice! Especially on a hot day
  • A glass of sorbet

Quick and yummy

  • Chunks of fruit - melon, strawberries, grapes, or whatever you have to hand
  • Low fat fruit yoghurt
  • Raw chunks of low sugar jelly

Fun for dipping

  • Veg sticks - carrot, celery, baby sweetcorn, peppers and radishes with a reduced fat houmous dip
  • Sliced apple and a lower fat soft cheese to dip

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