As a baby gets older and you move onto solid foods, you need to start thinking about snack ideas. The stores are full off biscuits and crisps but they’re not the healthiest options. While great for a treat every now and then, you want to introduce healthy foods early to help encourage them to eat everything later in life. Here are a few snack ideas for your little ones.
Mashed Banana and Yogurt
While your baby is young, the solid food will need to be mashed and pureed so there are no lumps. Mashed banana with yogurt is the perfect snack for this.
As your baby gets older, cut the pieces of banana up instead off mashing it. Be careful not to give too much banana in one day. One is enough to avoid a potassium overload.
Flavoured Rice Cakes
Rice cakes are a great healthy snack for adults and perfect for children too. These are best for as your child is able to eat on her own and chew food. Start off with large bits and she will lead the way for smaller pieces.
There are different flavours available and you can use the adult ones instead of the overly expensive baby treats.
Mixed Fruit Salad
New flavours, colours and textures are scary for your little one so help encourage her to try them.
Put a bowl of mixed fruit salad in front of her, such as watermelon (with the pips removed), apple, oranges and cut up grapes.
Sliced Cucumber with Hummus Dip
Cucumber is just water and a great way to keeping your little one hydrated. The food is also easy to eat. Start by peeling the cucumber and slicing it, especially if your baby doesn’t have teeth yet.
As she gets older, you can keep the skin on and give her it with some hummus dip. Don’t force her to eat the hummus as long as she’s eating the vegetable.
Pieces of Oranges
Oranges are excellent sources of vitamin C and really needed in your baby’s system. Buy the small oranges—such as a Satsuma or Tangerine—and offer her pieces.
Make sure there are no pips (the smaller ones don’t usually have them) so there is nothing she can choke on. You may find that she happily gobbles up the whole orange and it becomes her favourite snack!
Sliced Carrot—Start Boiled!
Carrots are another source of vitamin C and great for teaching your little one how to chew. Start with boiled sliced carrot to encourage her to eat it and then start offering her it raw.
She will start trying to suck at it at first but then will realise that she needs to move her jaw up and down to chew.
Make Your Own Biscuits
You have no idea what has been put into some treats in the store. To avoid that problem, make your own.
You don’t just have to stick with biscuits. You could try muffins, cakes and other delicious treats. As she gets older, let her join in to help.