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Snack Ideas for Little Ones
 

Snacks are an important part of your baby and toddlerÕs diet. Most children need at least 3 meals and 3 snacks daily to provide enough nutrition for their growing bodies. Depending upon the age of your baby, some Ôsnack timesÕ might be breast milk and/or formula. As the parent, you are in charge of what and when you offer your child to eat. Your child is in charge of whether to eat and how much.

 

Snack time is a great opportunity to offer foods from food groups that may be lacking in your babyÕs diet. So when you are thinking of snacks, consider things from the bread/starch, dairy, fruit and veggie group. BabyÕs and childrenÕs protein needs arenÕt terribly high, and are typically met via breast milk, formula, cowÕs milk and protein foods at meal time. Try to offer 2-3 different foods and/or drinks at snack time. To keep things easy, offer baby what you are having as a snack. You may need to modify it a bit depending upon her age, chewing and swallowing ability.

 

Use your judgment when trying new foods to determine if it is a choking hazard for your baby. You may need to mash, chop, shred or soft cook some food to make it safe.

Dairy Group:

Cheese cut into cubes. If using cheese sticks, tear length wise to avoid choking

Yogurt (full fat until 2 yrs)

Frozen Yogurt Tubes

Fruit and yogurt smoothies

Cottage cheese and fruit

Milk (full fat until 2 yrs)

 

Fruit Group:

Any fresh, frozen, dried or canned fruit will do. For example: Banana slices or strips, diced apples, berries of any kind (for babies, consider peeling fruit and cooking hard ones like apples & pears)

Freeze dried blueberries, strawberries, apples (or other fruit)

Raisins, dried cranberries or apricots

Applesauce

 

Vegetable Group:

Use leftovers from dinner

Frozen peas, carrots, corn (as baby gets older she may like them unthawed)

Any cooked veggie, for example: zucchini and other squash, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, sweet or white potato, asparagus Freeze dried veggies

Edamame (soy beans)

 

Bread/Starch Group:

Crackers (consider whole grain ones like: Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Kashi TLC)

Bread and bread sticks, frozen waffle, toast strips with butter, bagel with cream cheese or nut butter

Pretzels, popcorn, graham crackers

Dry Cereal (consider whole grain, unsweetened ones like: Cherrios, Rice Krispies, Corn Puffs, Puffed Rice, Kix, Mighty Bites, Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran)

Pasta, rice

Muffins, granola and cereal bars


 

Protein Group:

Beans

Eggs (hard boiled or scrambled)

Nuts and nutbutters

Lunch meat

 

Misc.

Sliced Olives

Avocado Slices

Smoothies

Spinach Nuggets

Juice Popsicles

Quesadillas

 

 

See chart below for foods to be cautious about. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have any concerns or questions.

 

Honey

After 1 yr

Peanut Butter

After 1-3 yrs *

Tree Nuts

After 1-3 yrs *

Citrus or Acidic Fruit

After 1 yr

Strawberries

After 1-2 yrs *

Corn

After 1 yr

Egg White

After 1 yr

Whole Milk

After 1 yr

Wheat

After 8-12 months *

Grapes (choking)

After 10-12 months

Shellfish

After 1-2 yrs. *

Chocolate

After 1 yr

 

*there is some variance as to when to start certain foods. Basically if there are known food allergies, baby is food sensitive, or there is a close relative with food allergies, then it is best to wait until the later age. If the baby is not food sensitive and does not have allergies, the earlier date should be fine.

 

 

Resources:

 

Any book by Ellyn Satter. Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense is highly recommended.

www.wholesomebabyfood.com

 

**Special thanks to Karen Posselt for her suggestions and ideas**

 

 

If you have any questions and/or concerns about feeding your baby, his nutrition or growth, please contact Stephanie Brooks, MS, RD at Bay Area Nutrition, LLC for an individual consultation.

 

www.bayareanutrition.com     or   (408) 370-7731 x-1

 

© 2011 Bay Area Nutrition, LLC