building a balanced snack + ideas
Snacks are such a pain as it is just another thing to have to prepare, and whilst we often want these to be quick and easy, the most convenient items (packaged) are not particularly nutrient dense. I always recommend trying to opt for more wholefoods items, making things at home where you can, but have included a range of packaged snacks in the ‘Supermarket Product’ section of the membership. I find myself checking out the snack isle when I do my groceries to see if there are any new toddler snacks available that aren’t nutritionally poor, and I’m yet to be pleasantly surprised. However, what you will find in this section is that there are a few biscuit/cracker options that can be used as a base (much like for cereal or toast for breakfast) for a nutrient dense, balanced snack.
How many snacks?
I don’t recommend introducing snacks until after 12mo, as your little one should be having enough milk feeds between main meals, and introducing snacks prematurely can unnecessarily reduce appetite for milk feeds.
Once your little one has hit 12mo, adding snacks can be a really easy way to help wean from milk feeds. Ultimately, you’re aiming to offer food every 2-3 hours for your average toddler. So, for a child that has no/minimal day feeds, that might look like three meals and two snacks. However, some little ones have the ability to go longer stretches without food, others need for more frequently, so it’s all about figuring it out for your individual child.
What do I serve?
As snacks tend to be rich in carbohydrates, I like to then add a protein and/or fat to them, to ensure the snack is as nutrient dense as possible, but also help sustain fullness in our little ones until the next meal. This is particularly helpful with our more selective/picky eaters, who can tend to graze as they are fonder of those beige carbohydrate based foods. It is really common to see grazing on snack foods with picky eaters and this is because they are typically devoid of much, other than those faster acting, more refined carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates
Biscuits/Crackers
Rice cakes
Cruskits
Bread/Toast
Wraps
Fruit
Muffins
Packaged snacks
Low Sugar Cheerios
Protein/Fats
Nut butters
Greek yoghurt
Ground nuts
Chia seeds
Cheese
Hummus
Eggs
Beans (tinned chickpeas/beans)
Snack Ideas
Keep in mind that anything can be a snack. Below are some balanced snack ideas for you to consider!
Cruskits/rice cakes w chia jam and nut butter
Cruskits/rice cakes w chicken liver pate
Cruskits/rice cakes w cheese
Biscuits w cheese
Biscuits w hummus
Toast w grilled cheese and avocado
Toast w banana and nut butter
Yoghurt and fruit
Yoghurt w nut butter and fruit
Yoghurt w granola*
Muffin* + yoghurt
Muffin* w nut butter
Kofta/burger* + fruit/veg
Chia pudding* + fruit
Pancakes* w yoghurt + chia jam
Smoothie*
Veggie slice* + yoghurt
Banana w nut butter
Banana w nut butter, rolled into a wrap (sliced into rounds)
Veggies w hummus
Fruit + low sugar cheerios
Vegetable quiche
Platter w variety of the above
Beans (kidney beans, chickpeas) + yoghurt