Healthy French Snacks

Fruit

• One common snack the French tend to reach for is fruit. A fruit snack can be either fresh fruit such as bananas, apples, grapes, oranges or kiwi, or something like applesauce. For snacks on the go, choose dried fruit. Give children some fruit to fill them up a bit before reaching for something less healthy.
  
  

Yogurt

• Yogurt can be made into smoothies, mixed with ingredients such as fruit or vegetables, or just eaten by itself. It is also used as a snack for children.
  
  

Cheese

• Cheese, in moderation, can be a healthy snack. France is known for its phenomenal wealth of cheeses, so this can be a culturally enriching experience. What list of French snacks is complete without the classic combination of cheese and grapes, a fruit for which France is also famous?
  
  

Bread and Chocolate

• Bread and chocolate, or pain au chocolat, is considered a healthy alternative to cookies, and is a traditional French after-school snack, in the larger tradition of gouter, the 4 p.m. snack time. Chocolate is baked into or put on bread and given as a school snack, and even Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread, is used.
  
  

Tartine

• Open faced sandwiches are another French after-school snack. Anything can be put on one slice of bread and eaten for a light meal. A nutritious spread for a tartine is tapenade, a finely chopped mixture of capers or anchovies, olives and olive oil, which may include a range of other ingredients, including garlic and lemon juice.