Healthy snacks between meals

Eating the right food is important for maintaining good health and keeping energy levels high. Often the three main meals of the day do not deliver enough vitamins, fibre and minerals for us to maintain full concentration. We are also advised to eat five portions of fruit or vegetables a day. For these reasons, many nutritionists recommend snacks between meals. Ideally, the type of snack you choose should be appropriate to your age and occupation. It's also important to drink enough sugar-free liquids during the day. You should have a drink with every snack. So what can we eat mid-morning and mid-afternoon instead of crisps and other convenience foods?

Kindergarten and school children

Vegetables or fruits (e.g. cherry tomatoes, carrot/cucumber sticks, sliced peppers, apples, pears, mandarin oranges and apricots) are perfect for kindergarten and school children. They fit easily into a child's snack box and stay fresh and appetising for a long time. Children who don’t like fruits and vegetables can sometimes be persuaded to eat them if you can make them fun. Why not try a carrot flute or an apple frog? Depending on your appetite and how much physical exercise your job involves, mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks can also include cereals, sugar-free milk products and/or nuts. But don't forget to brush your teeth afterwards!

Office workers

Mental strain can be just as exhausting as physical work. Fruits and vegetables are ideal for office workers. A handful of nuts and dried fruit is ideal for recharging your batteries.

Hard physical work

Anyone whose job involves hard physical work will use a lot of energy and will therefore feel hungry more often. An ideal snack in this case would be a piece of fruit and a cheese sandwich with wholemeal bread. This snack includes lots of dietary fibre and will make you feel fuller for longer.

Older people

As we age, the body needs less and less energy. Nevertheless, older people need to ensure that they get enough vitamins and minerals. Fruits, vegetables and sugar-free dairy products (e.g. yoghurt, curd cheese or cottage cheese) are ideal. Dairy products provide valuable protein for the muscles and vitamin D for strong bones.

Wide-ranging support for preventive healthcare