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 Picking and preparing nutritious snacks for your toddler or older child may seem like a daunting task.
If you follow some simple guidelines, choosing healthy, nutritious snacks for your children can become a daily habit and part of your healthy lifestyle. Most of all snacks should be nutritious, easy to prepare and fun.
Serving Healthy Snacks  To serve healthy snacks focus on foods with maximum nutrition (most vitamins and minerals) such as fruits, vegetables, grains, low-sugar cereals, low fat dairy products, and lean meats and meat alternatives.
Remember that getting your kids involved in preparing their snacks, letting them be little chefs, will make them more likely to eat their own creations. Pick from the Food Groups When planning snacks for toddlers and young children, be sure to include at least two of the food groups: - Fruits
- Vegetables
- Grains
- Protein and legumes
- Milk
Get into the habit of reading the nutrition information labels (food labels) and ingredient lists. Many snack foods have added sugar, fats and extra salt. Limit those foods with lots of added sugar, fat or salt. Juices - Yes or No?
Fruit juices, even 100 % contain calories and have fewer nutrients than eating the fresh fruit. You should watch the amount of fruit juice that your child. A reasonable amount of juice for children is 4-8 ounces per day. Watch for Choking Hazards Finally, remember to avoid foods that may be choking hazards. - Hot dogs (unless cut into smaller bites)
- Whole grapes
- Whole cherry tomatoes
- Hard candies
- Soft candies like jelly beans
- Nuts
- Popcorn
- Raw carrots, celery, green beans, or any hard vegetable
- Seeds (such as pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds)
- Large chunks of any food such as meat or potatoes
- Large amounts (globs) of peanut butter. This can be used if spread as a thin layer.
| Healthy Snack Ideas for Children
| | Veggies · Chopped raw vegetables and dip · Soft-cooked vegetables such as carrots, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, served with a cottage cheese or yogurt-blended dried buttermilk dressing dip · Chunks of avocado, cucumber, tomatoes, or cooked sweet potato
· Low-sodium soup with added vegetables · Parfait made with yogurt and pureed or chopped fruit · Pita bread with lean sliced meat (chicken or turkey), cheese, lettuce and tomato · Corn tortillas with refried beans, canned chili, grated cheese, topped with yogurt
· Yogurt mixed with applesauce or pureed fruit · Yogurt Frost (Yogurt, fruit juice and add pureed or very soft fruit) · Small soymilk, rice milk, or 100% fruit juice. · Fresh soybeans (edamame) · Bite-sized tofu cubes | Fruit & Nuts · Fresh fruits (Canned fruit in light syrup or water is also acceptable) · Applesauce or other fruit cups · Apples or peaches frozen fruit cubes (Freeze pureed applesauce, crushed peaches, pears apricots fruit juice, or any fruit into cubes.) · Apple slices with hazelnut butter · Dried fruits, especially raisins · Nuts, especially mixed with dried fruit · Frozen bananas or peaches blended with a little non-dairy milk and a dash of cinnamon
· Breadsticks or pita chips with hummus · Pretzels or popcorn · Breads or muffins with carrots, dates zucchini, pumpkin, bananas or squash · Cheerios, granola, or other cereal in a bag · Toasted whole grain breads or crackers with fruit spread or nut butters · Graham crackers or gingersnaps dipped in applesauce · Mini rice cakes with peanut butter · Homemade muffins or cornbread | Sources: PCRM (Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine.) Healthy Snacks for Kids. Information about Vegeterian Diets.
Mommy Savers. Healthy Snacks for Toddlers and Preschoolers. Image Sources: Piotr Bizior. Green+Red Apple. Royalty Free Use. Fruit Salad. Modified Microsoft Image. | About the Author Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, CWS is a respected physician, professional health educator, nutrition instructor, professor, an expert in life challenges, loss, grief and bereavement, lecturer, writer and author. Dr. Dyer teaches her two daughters on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis how to make healthy choices. She also teaches College Students how to live healthier lives and make healthier lifestyle choices in her Nutrition & Wellness Course. |
Tags: Tips and Advice Healthy Lifestyles How to Serve Healthy Snacks |
Tips and Advice 
