When children play hard they get hungry. And we know they love to snack. So, when your child gets these hunger pains between meals, here are some suggestions that will provide him with good nutrition and fill his need for something to eat. To encourage new and healthy foods, do not just ask your child what his wants. Instead, give him ideas of nutritious foods and ask, “Would you like a carrot or apple?†Your suggestions may steer him in the right direction. Here are some tips for successful snacking:
- Use a cookie cutter to make interesting or unusual shapes out of such snacks as cheese or breads. Cut vegetables into circles or sticks.
- Serve snacks in small plastic bags so that your child can carry them around and eat when she is hungry.
- Try serving snacks in fun containers for added appeal, such as a clean toy boat or plastic tea party dishes.
- Try a new location for snacking – outdoors under a tree or inside a cardboard playhouse can be entertaining fun for toddlers.
- Serve a dip with raw vegetables (cut in small sticks) and have a dunking party.
Children love to eat foods that have been prepared by them (with your help of course). And, think of all the practice in motor skills the preparation involves. Consider some of the following – and, please remember that your child might like some of these snacks even if you don’t. He has his own tastes and preferences and it’s okay for them to be different than yours. Try something new together!
- Spread tuna fish, peanut butter, or grated cheese mixed with mayonnaise on celery sticks. Plastic utensils are great when working with toddlers.
- Dip carrot sticks in peanut butter or spread cream cheese on cucumber rounds.
- Roll softened cream cheese in finely chopped nuts to form small edible balls.
- Dip pineapple chunks in honey.
- Spread nut butter on apple slices.
- Make your own soda with fruit juice and sparking water. It’s healthier and the kiddies love the bubbles.
- Steam some fresh pea pods. Toddlers love to pick out the peas one-by-one from the pod.
- Cut small broccoli florets leaving a small end of the stalk. Steam lightly. Toddlers will enjoy dipping their small trees into a cheese sauce before eating.
- Together make a singing fruit salad. Prepare cut fruits into separate containers. Give your toddler a cup and as you sing this song, add the corresponding fruit. “One little, two little, three little melon balls, four little, five little, six little banana slices, seven little, eight little, nine little apple chunks, ten little blueberries.†Note: Use fruits that are in season and that you have on hand.
Many doctors feel that the healthiest eating pattern for young children is five or six small meals a day. So, when your toddler wants to snack, he may do doing what is best and most natural for his growing body.
Note: Make sure the snacks are cut into small pieces that your toddler can handle and eat. And, if your child has an allergy to peanuts, avoid this butter and substitute a cheese spread instead.