Healthy treats & snacks

It’s snack time!

Healthy treats and snacks between meals provide your toddler with the additional energy that allows them to make the most out of each day. Make snack time a regular happening by serving snacks at fixed times a day, preferably while sitting at the table. Snack time should not only be fun and delicious, it Is also a great way to offer your little one some extra vitamins and minerals. There are plenty of healthy alternatives that you can offer your toddler.

• Fresh fruit snacks
  Fruits make an ideal healthy and tasty snack for toddlers. Popular fruits are apple, banana, pear and berries, but basically every fruit will do. Offer your little one bite sized parts and try to mix it up a little. This will keep it interesting for your little one and also helps to develop their taste pallet.
  
• Dried fruit snacks
  Just like with fresh fruits, dried fruits can provide a tasty snack, full of nutrients. Offer your little one raisins or cut up parts of Apples, apricots, peaches, pears.
  
• Grain snacks
  Grain snacks like (goat milk) cereals, whole grain crackers, rice crackers or toasted bread with fruit, can be offered throughout the day. Whole grain or rice crackers are ideal to take with you and offer to your little one on the road.
  
• Dairy snacks
  Dairy snacks like (goat milk) Yoghurt, Yoghurt and fruit smoothies, Cottage cheese and cheese are very tasty and offer high amounts of important nutrients. Goat milk is naturally easy to digest and offers a gentle alternative for their developing intestines.
  
• Veggie snacks
  Just like fruits, vegetables can offer healthy snacks. Cucumber and bell pepper sticks are ideal to dip in hummus, salsa or guacamole and offer a delicious alternative that is stuffed with nutrients. Cherry tomatoes should be quartered before offering them to your little one.

Which snacks should be avoided?

Not all snacks that are healthy for adults are suitable for toddlers. Raw vegetables for instance can be difficult for toddlers to manage and in worst cases be a serious choking hazard. Be careful with celery, carrots, whole cherry tomatoes, whole green beans, etc.

Other snacks to avoid are nuts, peanuts, popcorn and big chunks of any food and glob-like spoonfuls of peanut butter. Your little one won’t able to grind these foods and reduce them to a consistency safe for swallowing until they are 4 years of age.