34 ANNABEL KARMEL


T e Modern Family Food & Drink


Promotional Content • Saturday 7th February 2026


Smart snacking P


arenting today can feel like a constant negotiation between good intentions and an overwhelming


amount of advice. Nowhere is that more apparent than when it comes to children’s snacking. Is it better to plan snacks or let children snack intuitively? How much sugar is too much? Few people are better placed to off er clarity than Annabel Karmel MBE, the UK’s best-known children’s cookery author and nutritionist.


How often do children need snacks during the day? Children are all diff erent, but for most, three meals and one or two planned snacks a day works well, depending on age and appetite. Little tummies can’t hold much at once, so a mid-morning snack and an after- school snack often make sense. If a child is asking for food


within 30-60 minutes of eating, or wandering in and out of the kitchen while distracted, that’s often grazing. True hunger comes with clearer signals — they’ll happily sit down and eat something simple. Having set snack times, served at the table and kept small but balanced, off ers structure without constant nibbling.


Children’s cookery author Annabel Karmel shares how often children really need snacks, what to off er and how to cut through the noise. Words: Beth Poppy Erskine


When can snacks be useful and when can they undermine meals? T ey’re useful when they bridge a long gap between meals and boost en- ergy. T ey start to undermine meals when they’re too frequent, too large and too ‘beige’.


What should parents be aiming for in a good everyday snack? T e best everyday snacks are simple, satisfying and nourishing. A helpful formula is: protein, carbohydrate and fruit or veg. Protein could be yoghurt, eggs, hummus or nut butters; fi bre from fruit, veg or whole grains; and carbohydrates from wholegrain toast, pitta or oatcakes. Healthy fats such as avocado and full-fat dairy for younger children keep snacks satisfying. Sugary snacks paired with refi ned


carbs and little protein or fi bre can cause energy spikes, leaving children more hungry and irritable. Common traps include fruit yoghurts that are closer to dessert, cereal or energy


“For most, three meals


and one or two planned snacks works well”


bars that are essentially biscuits, smoothies and juice (even with ‘no added sugar’), dried fruit snacks eaten between meals and rice cakes that look healthy but don’t satisfy for long. None of these are ‘bad’ — it’s about asking whether a snack will really keep them going.


What are some snacks that work well at diff erent points in the day? For mid-morning, lighter snacks work well — Greek yoghurt with berries, wholegrain toast with banana and nut butter, or oatcakes with cream cheese and fruit. After school, children usually need something more substantial, such as hummus with pitta and cucumber, toast with toppings such as cheese, avocado or peanut butter and banana, a mini frittata or homemade oat-based muffi ns with fruit or vegetables.


What role do routine and consistency play in healthy snacking habits? Routine is hugely important. When snacks are predictable, children learn to trust that food is coming, which reduces constant asking and grazing. I like the idea of a ‘snack window’ — for example mid-morning and after school — so children come to meals hungry and ready to eat.


What reassurance would you give to parents feeling overwhelmed by confl icting advice? Snacking doesn’t need to be perfect. What matters is the overall pattern across the week, not one snack on one day. If you can aim for one or two balanced snacks a day, include real food most of the time and keep sugary snacks as ‘sometimes foods’, you’re on the right track.


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