Properly planned snacks can meet that need. Children tend to eat what is available. School-aged children from ages 6 to 11 rely on household food supplies for their snack choices. Safe food handling and preparation is an important part of snacking. School-aged children from ages 5 to 8 may need snacks that are partially prepared for them or ready to eat.
Older children enjoy preparing their own snacks.
Parents should review safety rules for using kitchen equipment and set limits for the amount of food preparation that can be done. Sharp, electrically powered equipment should be off limits unless a child has adult supervision. Parents also should demonstrate how to use a microwave oven. Another lesson in snack preparation is cleaning up. Encourage children to take responsibility for their own kitchen activities by cleaning up after food preparation.