High School Recess Food Ideas
Fruit
Adolescents need to consume between 3-4 serves of fruit a day.
- In summer, watermelon cups are very popular. Try mixing in other fruits that are in season.
- Serve bags of grapes either chilled or frozen.
- Any fruits that are easy to peel or are served cut up are more likely to appeal to adolescents.
Serve tinned fruit with low fat ice cream or custard. Mixed dried fruit and nut snack size bags, fruit straps or fruit purees.
Vegetables
Adolescents need between 5-9 serves of vegetables each day. Some recess examples include:
- Baked potato served with a sprinkling of ham and reduced fat cheese.
- Warm corn on the cob.
- Garden salads mixed with chicken, egg, cheese or tuna.
4. Coleslaws, tabbouli, and Greek salads are popular in summer.
Breads, cereals, pastas and grains
Adolescents need between 4-7 serves of this group a day.
- Raisin toast, English muffins, fruit scones and fruit buns, spread lightly with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated margarine.
- Mini wraps - use small Lebanese bread, fill with sandwich fillings and cut in half. Sell by the half, allowing students to buy two different halves.
- Sell soup with a bread roll in winter.
- Breakfast cereals.
- Popcorn (check against the Fresh Tastes @ School NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy ‘Occasional’ Food Criteria Table).
- Home made garlic bread, make this using a polyunsaturated margarine and crushed garlic spread.
- Toasted jaffles or serves of pasta or rice salad in summer.
Dairy foods
Dairy foods are a good source of calcium. Adolescents need to consume between 3-5 serves of dairy a day. It is recommended that where available reduced fat varieties are used. Reduced fat dairy foods have the same or sometimes more calcium than the full fat varieties.
- Custard - served plain or with fruit. Try making mini trifle cups with layers of jelly, fruit and custard.
- Cheese - Mini pizzas are a great recess snack item. Melt reduced-fat cheese on English muffins that have been spread lightly with tomato paste. Add capsicum pieces and diced ham.
- In a small zip-lock bag place three low fat, low salt cracker biscuits (check against the Fresh Tastes @ School NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy criteria) with cheese cubes. - Milk - Served hot in winter with Milo.
- Add to breakfast cereals - now available in bowls ready for milk to be added. - Yoghurt - regular, mousse or frozen varieties. Reduced-fat varieties are best.
- Rice custard served with tinned peaches or fresh banana slices.