Snacks

The Difference Between Snacks and Appetizers

A snack is a small food item used to fill up your empty stomach, but you are not restricted by the amount. A snack can be almost anything you want; you come home and feel hungry so you eat a snack. An appetizer is something you eat before a big meal. An appetizer is usually served when you are at a restaurant or socializing with friends and family. Either way, snacks and appetizers usually add extra calories and nutrition between your meals.

Hunger is the main motivation behind snacking, but factors like location, social environment, time of day, and food availability contribute as well. In fact, people often snack when appetizing food is around — even when they’re not hungry.

Both the desire to snack and snacking’s effects on health appear to be highly individualized. You should always be aware of the added calories, sugar, sodium and processed fats that are added when making snack food choices.

Factors that Affect Snack Choices

Snacks have become a very important part of our daily eating pattern. A snack is any food eaten between your three main meals. Why snack? You may be

hungry
unable to sit down for a full meal (time constraints)
bored
lonely or anxious
sociable with your friends

Certain segments of the population may need snacks to fulfill their nutritional needs.

Children need to snack often because they have small stomachs. In addition, they require regular nourishment for proper growth and development. Their snacks are viewed as mini-meals, and they can be small, colourful and have texture. Fruits and vegetables are great choices because they are nutritious, colourful and flavourful. Other good choices include cheese, raisins, nuts and seeds, unsweetened juice, water and milk. Canada's Food Guide suggest that snacks should be limited in highly processed foods. If you choose these foods, eat them less often and in small amounts.
Teens might choose foods that are highly processed and not nutritious--but they taste good! Reading labels to check the nutritional content of the foods is very important.
Seniors might require soft, small snacks that are easy to chew.
Individuals with medical conditions such as diabetes or allergies need to choose their snacks wisely and nutritiously.
Athletes often snack to replenish their energy supplies. High protein snacks are often chosen.

How to Choose a Healthy Snack

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