List of snack foods facts for kids

Delicious Snacks from Around the World

Light snacks in Azerbaijan

Fried snacks in Myanmar

A snack is a small amount of food eaten between main meals. It can be a special snack food like potato chips, or just a small portion of any food. Snacks help keep you energized throughout the day!

Batter and Dough-Based Treats

These snacks are made from batter or dough, often cooked by deep frying.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Bitterballen		Netherlands	These are round, fried balls filled with a thick, creamy beef stew. They are often served with mustard.
Bonda		South India	A fried snack from India. Spicy versions often have a potato filling dipped in gram flour batter.
Cereal		United States	Grains that are processed and often eaten cold with milk or fruit. You can also eat them dry!
Cokodok		Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore	A traditional Malaysian fritter made from flour and banana, then fried. They are usually round.
Cracker nuts		Japan	Peanuts coated in a wheat flour dough and then fried.
Crêpe		France	A very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour. The name comes from a Latin word meaning "curled."
Croquette		Spain	A small, fried breaded roll. It can be filled with mashed potatoes, meat, fish, cheese, or vegetables.
Doughnut		Netherlands	A fried dough snack that is popular all over the world.
Pakora		India	A fried snack, or fritter, found across South Asia.
Pancakes		Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome	Flat cakes made with egg and flour. In the United States, they are often eaten for breakfast with syrup.
Pizza		Naples, Italy	Flat bread with meat, vegetable, or cheese toppings. Pizza is often sold by the slice.
Pretzel, soft		Germany	A traditional baked treat, often shaped into a knot.
Waffle		Belgium	A cake cooked in a waffle iron to give it a special pattern. There are many types of waffles!

Sweet Confectionery Treats

Confectionery refers to sweet foods, usually rich in sugar.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Brittle			A hard sugar candy with nuts like pecans or peanuts mixed in.
Bubblegum		United States	A type of chewing gum designed to be blown into bubbles.
Candy			Also called "lollies," this includes many sweets like candy canes, gumdrops, lollipops, and jelly beans.
Chocolate			A very popular food and flavor. Sweet chocolate like milk chocolate is often eaten as a snack.
Chocolate bar			A sweet treat in bar form, made with cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, and milk.
Fudge		United States	A sweet, rich candy made by mixing sugar, butter, and milk, then heating and beating it until creamy.
Marshmallow			A spongy sweet made from sugar, corn syrup, water, and gelatin.
Marzipan			A sweet paste made mainly from sugar and almond meal. It can be shaped into fun forms like fruits.
Nougat			A traditional sweet made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts, and whipped egg whites.
S'mores		United States	A popular campfire treat with a roasted marshmallow and chocolate sandwiched between two graham crackers.
Toffee			Made by caramelizing sugar or molasses with butter. Sometimes it has nuts or raisins.
Turkish delight		Turkey	A sweet gel-based candy made from starch and sugar. It often has nuts and fruit flavors.

Cookies, Cakes, and Pastries

Cookies

Cookies are small, flat, baked treats.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Chocolate chip cookie		United States	A popular cookie with chocolate chips as its main ingredient.
Cookie			In the United States, a small, flat, baked treat. In other countries, it's often called a biscuit.
Ginger snaps			A popular biscuit flavored with ginger.
Graham crackers		Bound Brook, New Jersey	Crackers made with graham flour, which includes the whole wheat grain for extra nutrition and flavor.
Peanut butter cookie		United States	A cookie that uses peanut butter as a main ingredient. It became popular in the 1910s.

Cakes

Cakes are sweet baked desserts.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Gansito		Mexico	A Mexican snack cake filled with strawberry jelly and cream, covered in chocolate sprinkles.
Jaffa Cakes		Scotland	Introduced in 1927, these are named after Jaffa oranges.
Snack cake			A baked dessert made with cake and icing.

Pastries

Pastries are baked goods made from dough.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Churros			A fried-dough pastry, often called a Spanish doughnut. Popular in many countries.
Fairy bread			A simple snack made with bread, butter, and colorful sprinkles.
Pastry			A general term for baked goods made from dough. Pictured is a profiterole, also known as a cream puff.

Refreshing Drinks

Some drinks are also considered snacks!

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Coffee		Ethiopia; southern Arabia	A drink made from roasted coffee beans. It contains caffeine, which can give you energy.
Flavored milk			Milk with added flavors like chocolate, strawberry, or banana.
Juice			A drink made by squeezing liquids from fruits and vegetables.
Milkshake			A sweet, cold drink usually made from milk, ice cream, and flavorings.
Root beer			A sweet, carbonated soft drink, often flavored with sassafras root.
Soft drinks			Sweet, carbonated beverages like cola or lemonade.
Smoothie			A thick, blended drink usually made with fruit, vegetables, and sometimes milk or yogurt.
Sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade)			Drinks designed to help athletes rehydrate and replace electrolytes.
Tea			A warm drink made by steeping tea leaves in hot water. Milk and sugar are often added.

Frozen Delights

These snacks are served cold and are perfect for a hot day!

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Frozen custard		Coney Island, New York	Similar to ice cream, but made with eggs for a smoother texture. It was invented in 1919.
Ice cream		China	A frozen dessert usually made from dairy products like milk and cream, often with fruit or other flavors.
Ice pop		San Francisco	A frozen snack made by freezing flavored liquid around a stick. The first one was made in 1905 by an 11-year-old!
Milkshake			A sweet, cold drink made from milk, ice cream, and flavorings.

Healthy Natural Snacks

Sliced cucumbers and tomatoes can be a natural and healthy snack.

Natural snacks are often fruits, vegetables, seeds, or nuts.

Fruits and Vegetables

• Apples
• Bananas
• Carrots
• Celery
• Cherries
• Crudités – platters of chopped vegetables often served with dips.
• Dried fruit – dehydrated fruits.
• Grapes
• Kiwi
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Plums
• Raisins
• Strawberries
• Watermelon

Seeds, Nuts, and Grains

A bowl of granola

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Coconut
• Granola
• Macadamia nuts
• Mixed nuts
• Nuts
• Peanuts
• Pistachios
• Popcorn
• Pumpkin seeds
• Rice cake
• Sunflower seeds
• Trail mix – a mix of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.
• Walnuts

Savory Snacks

Savory snacks are often salty or spicy.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Ada		Kerala	A traditional Keralan snack made from rice flour dough with sweet fillings, steamed in banana leaf.
Dolma		Balkans, Middle East, Caucases	A dish of minced meat wrapped in grape leaves.
French fries			Thin strips of potato that are deep-fried.
Hummus			A dip made from mashed chickpeas, often served with pita bread.
Onion rings			Slices of onion dipped in batter and deep-fried.
Sesame sticks			Crunchy sticks flavored with sesame seeds.
Spring roll			A savory roll filled with vegetables or meat, often fried.
Tapas			Small savory dishes from Spain, often served with drinks.
Yogurt			A creamy food made from fermented milk. It can be sweet or savory.

Snack Bars

Bars are convenient, portable snacks.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Energy bar			Food bars with cereals and other high-energy ingredients.
Flapjack			A sweet baked oat bar made from rolled oats, butter, and sugar. In other countries, it's called a granola bar.
Granola bar			A popular snack bar, often made with oats, nuts, and dried fruit.

Bread and Sandwiches

Bread-based items can also be great snacks.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Bagel		Poland	A ring-shaped bread product that is first boiled, then baked.
Bread		Egypt; Europe	A basic food made from flour, water, and yeast, then baked.
Croissant			A buttery, flaky pastry, often eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
Open sandwich			A single slice of bread with toppings, like cheese or meat.
Sandwich			A snack with fillings between two or more slices of bread.
Tortilla			A flatbread made from corn or wheat.

Cheese Snacks

Cheese is a versatile snack ingredient.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
American cheese		United States	A processed cheese that melts easily, often used in sandwiches.
Cheese			A food made from milk. There are many different types of cheese.
Cream cheese			A soft, spreadable cheese, often used on bagels.
String cheese		United States	Snack-sized servings of mozzarella that can be pulled apart into "strings."

Chips and Crisps

These are thin, crunchy snacks, often fried.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Banana chip			Deep-fried or dried slices of banana. They can be sweet or salty.
Cheese puff			A puffed corn snack coated with cheese-flavored powder.
Corn chips			A snack made from cornmeal that is fried or baked.
Nachos		Mexico	Fried corn tortillas covered with melted cheddar cheese and other toppings.
Pita chips			Crispy chips made from pita bread.
Potato chips			Thin slices of potato that are deep-fried until crispy.
Pretzel, hard			A crunchy, baked snack, often salty.
Snack mix			A mixture of different savory snacks, like crackers and pretzels.
Tortilla chips		Mexico	Triangle-shaped pieces of fried corn tortillas.

Crackers and Biscuits

These are flat, baked snacks, often savory.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Animal cracker			Small crackers or cookies baked in the shape of animals, like those you might see at a zoo.
Crackers			Flat, crispy baked snacks, often eaten with cheese or dips.
Rice cracker		Crispy crackers made from rice.
Senbei			Japanese rice crackers, often savory.

Meat-Based Snacks

Some snacks feature meat or fish.

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Bacon			Cured meat from a pig, often fried until crispy.
Corn dog			A hot dog sausage coated in a thick layer of cornmeal batter and deep-fried.
Dried fish			Fish that has been preserved by drying.
Hot dogs			A cooked sausage, traditionally grilled or steamed and served in a sliced bun.
Jerky			Lean meat that has been trimmed of fat, cut into strips, and dried to prevent spoilage.
Omelet			A dish made from beaten eggs quickly cooked with butter or oil in a frying pan.

Noodle Snacks

Noodles can also be a quick snack!

Name	Image	Origin	What it is
Bombay mix			A traditional Indian snack with a mix of spicy dried ingredients like lentils, peanuts, and chickpea flour noodles.
Cup Noodles			A popular brand of instant noodles packaged in a cup.
Instant noodles		Japan	Dried or precooked noodles that cook quickly when hot water is added.
Ramen			A Japanese noodle dish with Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a broth, often with meat and vegetables.