Healthy Snacks

Children need between 2 and 3 snacks per day to ensure they get enough nutrition and energy for growth. Good snack ideas are:

Dairy foods – milkshakes, smoothies, yogurts, custard, fromage frais and chunks of cheese make excellent snacks because as well as being a great energy provider they are also packed with calcium. Children under 2 should always have the full fat versions of dairy foods but those over two can switch to low fat or semi skimmed versions if they are eating a good balanced diet the rest of the time.

Starchy foods – bread or toast, breadsticks, rice cakes, crackers, crumpets, hot cross buns, malt loaf, scones and even cakes and biscuits are ok.

Fruit - Make fruit more fun by chopping large fruits such as apples, pears and oranges into smaller pieces. A selection of small fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, grapes and raspberries are often appealing to toddlers as they look attractive mixed together in a bowl. Dried fruits are not recommended as a snack by dentists as they are more likely to cause tooth decay.

Salad or vegetables cut into fingers or those with ready made ‘handles’ like broccoli are often popular. Don’t forget that although they are packed with lots of important vitamins and minerals, they are often quite low in calories so it’s a good idea to serve veggies with dips like hummus to give the energy content a boost.

Treats such as ice cream and chocolate can also be given as snacks however you may want to limit these to special occasions to ensure that you toddler doesn’t come to expect them regularly!