Toddlers are always game for some delicious and lip-smacking snacks. This post on snacks for toddlers will help you with some recipes that you can try making for them. During the toddler stage, the growth rate is rapid and this, in turn, makes them frequently hungry. But you cannot always let them munch on those unhealthy snacks. And coming up with new ideas for healthy snack recipes can be tedious. So, dive into this post for a list of nutritious snack recipes for toddlers and choose the ones they will like the best.
Best Toddler Snack Food Ideas
Snacking can be prepared with any food, but that might just take away the nutrient factor. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the following food categories for healthy snacking among toddlers (1):
1. Fruits:
Fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (2). Fruits must always be served fresh as they tend to degenerate quickly from bacterial contamination. Also, storing them for a long period will bring down their nutrient content. Fresh fruit snack ideas could include:
Thinly sliced apples, peaches, pears Sliced cherries, grapes, strawberries Mashed bananas Oranges broken into sections
Best time to serve: Fruits make a good mid-morning snack for toddlers due to their low calories but high satiety value, which keeps the toddler full till lunch.
2. Vegetables:
Vegetables are rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants and keep the stomach full for longer thanks to their rich fiber content. Vegetables must be chopped, boiled, and if required mashed before serving to the little one. Ideas for vegetable snacks are:
Mashed peas Diced and boiled carrots, beetroot, sweet potatoes Steamed cauliflower, broccoli Finely-chopped and boiled green beans Boiled and coarsely blended spinach
Best time to serve: Vegetables are an ideal evening snack for toddlers since they act as an appetizer for dinner.
3. Dried fruits:
Dried fruits are rich in essential fats, proteins and minerals and are an excellent source of instant energy. Toddlers mostly love dried fruits for their naturally sweet taste. Examples of dried fruit snacks are:
Dried raisins and apricot Dried and chopped apples, peaches, pears Finely chopped dates and prunes
Best time to serve: Since dried fruit is rich in fructose – the natural fruit sugar, it makes an excellent morning snack for toddlers when they need the maximum energy for the day ahead.
4. Protein snacks:
Meat, milk, milk products, nuts , and protein-rich beans such as soybeans, fall under the protein category. These lean protein foods are also rich in vitamins, micronutrients, and unsaturated fat, which is a healthy fat. Some protein snacks are:
Soybean tofu cubes Mashed chickpeas Slices of boiled or baked fish Shredded boneless chicken Soft boiled eggs Almond, peanut, and peanut butter
Best time to serve: Protein foods can be given at any time of the day. Nevertheless, they make a good bedtime snack for toddlers since most of the muscle growth, tissue repair, growth hormone release, and protein synthesis happen during the night’s sleep (3).
5. Bread and cereals:
These snacks have high fiber content and are rich in both macro and micronutrients. Examples of this preschool snack idea are:
Whole grain chapathi Upma or idli Dry cereals made from whole grains Cereals and crispies made from rice
Best time to serve: Cereals give the body a healthy start for the day, making them the perfect morning snack for toddlers.
6. Dairy products:
These include milk, milk products, and milk derivatives but do not include processed dairy products such as ice creams, packaged milk shakes, etc. The ideas for dairy product snacks are:
Sliced or grated cheese Cottage cheese Fresh yoghurt Milk with no added sugar
Best time to serve: Dairy products are seldom given alone and are usually compliment another snack item, such as cheese with bread. Therefore, you can serve dairy products as a morning snack with bread and cereals. There is a wide variety of snack ideas for a toddler, but it is important to know how to serve them right.
The Ideal Way To Serve Snacks To Toddlers
There are certain combinations and ways in which you should serve snacks. Below are some vital points to keep in mind for a healthy snack for the preschooler.
Snacks must not replace meals. When giving snacks to the toddler, keep in mind that the little one still has to eat a proper breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The snack food is merely a complementary in the toddler’s diet and not the main course.
Stick to a quantity: One way to prevent a toddler from skipping meals due to snacking is by giving the snacks in small quantities. Experts recommend no more than half to one cup serving size of snack food per snack time (4). It prevents overeating while also leaving enough space in the toddler’s stomach for the main meals of the day.
Have a snacking schedule by giving the snack exactly at the same time every day. This sets a healthy routine for snacking, and the preschooler will feel hungry at a fixed time. It will also prevent any demands for snacks at odd times.
Offer a limited choice of snacks: Do not provide too many choices. If you provide a lot of variety or change the snacks menu frequently, the toddler cannot develop the taste for a particular food and loses interest very quickly.
There are numerous ways to prepare healthy snacks for toddlers. Keep reading to find out more about them.
Toddler Snack Recipes
We present to you the best toddler snack recipes in various categories of snack food ideas.
Veggie snacks for toddlers Protein snacks for toddlers Fruit snacks for toddlers Cheese snacks for toddlers Healthy baked snacks for toddlers Dried fruit snacks for toddlers
Veggie snacks for toddlers
1. Vegetable sauce dip with bread
The plain toasted bread gets an interesting twist when served with a lip-smacking, yogurt-based, vegetable sauce. You will need:
2 cups unsweetened fresh yogurt 2 cups cleaned and chopped spinach 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander 1 clove of garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt Slices of whole wheat bread
How to:
2. Vegetable rainbow chips
Here’s a colorful, delightful, and healthy snack. Need we say more? You will need:
Thin chip-sized slices of carrots, sweet potatoes, beetroot, and bottle gourd 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
How to:
3. Corn salad
The perfect idea for a healthy salad with a dash of lemon juice for a delightful tanginess. You will need:
1 cup corn pieces 1 cup finely chopped onions 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes 1/2 cup fresh coriander 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon salt
How to:
Protein snacks for toddlers
4. Peanut butter rolls
Presenting a simple, three ingredient protein snack that packs a ton of nourishment. You will need:
1-2 cups of peanut butter 1 cup toddler cereal 1/4 slice of bread
How to:
5. Fish spread with crackers
Crispy crackers meet nutritious fish meat, and we get a hearty snack for the toddler. You will need:
1 cup fresh boneless fish pieces 1 cup fresh coriander 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups of water Unsalted plain crackers
How to:
6. Pan-fried tofu
The crispy tofu snack is easy to prepare and is high in protein. You will need:
1 cup of cubed tofu pieces 1-2 teaspoon vegetable oil
How to:
Fruit snacks for toddlers
7. Fruit puree with crackers
Spread fruit purees on crackers for a snack perfect for any moment. You will need:
2 cups fruit assortment of strawberries, pear, blueberry 1 cup water Packet of plain unsalted crackers
How to:
8. Fruit salad
Make an interesting fruit salad with an assortment of colorful fruits and a hint of lemon juice. You will need:
1 cup mix of strawberries, chopped apples, bananas, fig, and orange 1 tablespoon lemon juice
How to:
9. Fruit toast
Toasts go well with any topping even fruit purees. You will need:
1 cup sliced apples 1 cup blueberries 1 cup strawberries 3-4 cups of water Slices of whole wheat bread
How to:
Cheese snacks for toddlers
10. Mini pan pizza
Nothing excites toddlers unlike the sight of a pizza, and a healthy homemade pizza certainly makes a healthy snack. You will need:
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese 1 cup finely chopped capsicum 1 cup finely chopped carrots 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 3-4 bread slices 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
How to:
11. Organic cottage cheese and vegetable mix
Vegetables combined with organic cottage cheese bring together the goodness of greens and milk. You will need:
1 cup cottage cheese 1 cup finely chopped carrot 1 cup finely chopped green beans 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
How to:
12. Cheese single vegetable wrap
Use those cheese singles in the refrigerator to make this tasty snack for your little one. You will need:
1 cup corn pieces 1 cup cubed potatoes 1 cup cubed carrots 1 teaspoon dried basil 2-3 cheese singles
How to:
Healthy baked snacks for toddlers
13. Chocolate cookies
The good old chocolate cookies always grab a toddler’s attention. You will need:
3 cups of plain flour 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 egg 1 cup unsweetened low fat cow milk cream 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup hot water 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
How to:
14. Dried fruit roll
This is a dried fruit roll with the goodness of wheat and cow’s milk. You will need:
2 cups refined wheat flour 1 cup whole cow’s milk 1/3 teaspoon baking powder 2-3 cups of finely chopped dried fruits 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
How to:
15. Cereal and dried fruit snack bar
A snack rich in fiber and nutrients, thanks to a healthy blend of cereals and dried fruits. You will need:
3-4 cups wheat flour 1 cup deseeded dried dates 2 cups broken cashew nuts 1-2 tablespoon cocoa powder 1 cup toddler cereal 1-2 cups milk powder 2-3 cups of water 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
How to:
Dried fruit snacks for toddlers
16. Dried fruit and cereal mix
Think instant snacks for toddlers, think dried fruit and cereal mix. You will need:
1/4 cup raisins, dried apricots, chopped dried dates 3/4 cup toddler cereal
How to:
17. Cream and dried fruit mix
This snack is packed to the brim with the natural sweetness of milk cream and dried fruits. You will need:
1/2 cup unsweetened low fat cow milk cream 1/2 cup dried fruits like raisins, dried apples, dried peaches
How to:
18. Dried fruit and fruit puree popsicle
Dried fruits and fresh fruits become popsicles – a toddler’s all-time favorite frozen delight. You will need:
1 cup strawberries 1 cup whole cow’s milk 1 cup dried fruits
How to: These recipes have a healthy homemade goodness in every bite, which is much better than the several ready-to-eat unhealthy snack options.
Snacks Foods To Avoid
Some snack foods that are popular among the adults may not necessarily be healthy and should not be given to toddlers. These foods have high sugar, are rich in saturated fats, and could contain higher amounts of sodium. Here is what you must avoid:
Fruit juice Soda/Soft drink Deep fried items such as packaged potato chips Processed products such as salted meat and canned fish Frozen vegetables High sugar snacks such as candies
Fruit juice is often considered healthy, but it has the same amount of added sugar as soda. Experts recommend against giving juices to toddlers as the beverage induces watery stools or toddler’s diarrhea in preschoolers (5). Other foods such as soda and even packaged flavored milk have a lot of added sugar, which is not ideal for the toddler. Frozen and canned food items are not fresh, and may be susceptible to bacterial contamination. Along with avoiding these foods, there are some other simple ways to make snacking healthy for the toddler.
Tips On Healthy Snacking In Toddlers
Here are ways to make snacking favorable for the toddler:
Be alert towards allergies: Keep an eye out for any signs of food allergy when a toddler eats a food item for the first time. Common allergic foods are fish, soy, peanuts, mushrooms and dairy products. Symptoms of food allergy include skin hives, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Staying vigilant towards allergies helps keep the toddler safe.
Do not force a snack if the toddler is not hungry. Skipping the snack if the toddler feels full is okay. Forcing the toddler to eat does not help and instead may cause overeating. Some preschoolers may not be into snacking and prefer having only full meals. It is entirely alright, and you can focus on the main course with such preschoolers.
Have a balanced snack diet, just as you might with meals. Serve all types of snacks and ensure there is a balanced assortment of it every week. This way a preschooler can get optimum nutrition from snacking as well.
