How to Serve Healthy and Appealing Toddler Snacks
Choose kid-sized foods., Make snacks dippable., Try sweeter foods., Choose softer foods., Avoid foods that may be a choking hazard., Watch for allergies.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose kid-sized foods.
When you're looking for nutritious foods to feed your toddler, you need to make sure you pick appropriate foods.
Choosing items that are small in size or that are "toddler-sized" will be helpful.
Toddlers need to have smaller sized foods.
Their hands, fingers, mouth and teeth are smaller than adults'.
Cutting up foods or purchasing foods that are smaller in size make it easier for your toddler to hold and eat them.
The appropriate size of foods will depend on the age of your toddler.
Very small items (like halved grapes) are needed for toddlers around the age of one and two.
As they get older, it's safe to allow them to have slightly larger items (like whole grapes).
Try items like: grapes (cut in half), dry cereal, whole grain crackers, hard boiled eggs, pitted cherries or sugar snap peas.
You can also make foods toddler-sized.
Cutting up or chopping foods into bite sized pieces also works. -
Step 2: Make snacks dippable.
Another great way to get toddlers to enjoy more nutritious foods is by allowing them to dip.
Consider serving nutritious foods with a fun dip for your toddler.
Toddlers get an enjoyment at having some control over how they eat their foods.
If you provide them a little bowl of sauce, they get to decide how much dip to have with their foods.Serving foods with a dip is also a great way to get your toddler to try new foods or ones they previously didn't like.
For example, if they didn't like carrots before, try serving it with hummus.
Ideas include: fruit with a yogurt dip, whole grain pita chips with hummus, sugar snap peas and ranch dip. , Part of the reason toddlers are such picky eaters is that they have more sensitive tastes.
Be mindful of this and choose foods that are naturally more sweet.
Toddlers frequently have no issues with fruit.
That's because fruits naturally sweet and more palatable to toddlers.
Vegetables can be a little bit bitter which can turn toddlers off.
Stick to naturally sweet vegetables to help them expand their tastes.
Sweeter veggies to try include: sugar snap peas, corn, sweet peppers, beets, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin and carrots. , Another thing to consider when serving toddler-friendly food is the texture.
If foods are too hard, it may not be a food your toddler can eat well.
Your toddler may seem to not like certain foods, when in fact they're just having some difficulty chewing or eating them.Foods that are too hard to bite through or too difficult to chew won't be appealing to your toddler.
Make sure foods are soft enough for your toddler.
You may need to cook things or cut them in very small pieces in order for your toddler to enjoy.
For example, you could blanch raw vegetables.
They're usually very hard and crunchy, but once blanched are slightly softer and easier to chew. , “Slippery foods” (whole grapes, large pieces of meat or chicken, hot dogs, candy); small, hard foods (nuts, seeds, popcorn, chips, pretzels, raw carrots, raisins); and sticky foods (peanut butter, marshmallows) can all pose a choking hazard.You may want to avoid these foods entirely until your toddler is older, or you may just need to be extra careful with these foods, making sure you cut them to the appropriate size for a toddler. , The most common food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts and other nuts, soybeans, wheat, fish, and shellfish.
Most kids outgrow their food allergies, but it is important to identify them to avoid serious reactions.
If your child experiences any of the following after eating, they may be having an allergic reaction: hives; swelling; itching lips, tongue, or mouth; abdominal pain; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; wheezing; shortness of breath; or lightheadedness.Some children may have a serious, possibly life-threatening allergic reaction to foods known as anaphylaxis.
If they experience swelling of the airway, serious difficulty with breathing, a drop in blood pressure, or two or more of the above symptoms simultaneously, call emergency services immediately. -
Step 3: Try sweeter foods.
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Step 4: Choose softer foods.
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Step 5: Avoid foods that may be a choking hazard.
-
Step 6: Watch for allergies.
Detailed Guide
When you're looking for nutritious foods to feed your toddler, you need to make sure you pick appropriate foods.
Choosing items that are small in size or that are "toddler-sized" will be helpful.
Toddlers need to have smaller sized foods.
Their hands, fingers, mouth and teeth are smaller than adults'.
Cutting up foods or purchasing foods that are smaller in size make it easier for your toddler to hold and eat them.
The appropriate size of foods will depend on the age of your toddler.
Very small items (like halved grapes) are needed for toddlers around the age of one and two.
As they get older, it's safe to allow them to have slightly larger items (like whole grapes).
Try items like: grapes (cut in half), dry cereal, whole grain crackers, hard boiled eggs, pitted cherries or sugar snap peas.
You can also make foods toddler-sized.
Cutting up or chopping foods into bite sized pieces also works.
Another great way to get toddlers to enjoy more nutritious foods is by allowing them to dip.
Consider serving nutritious foods with a fun dip for your toddler.
Toddlers get an enjoyment at having some control over how they eat their foods.
If you provide them a little bowl of sauce, they get to decide how much dip to have with their foods.Serving foods with a dip is also a great way to get your toddler to try new foods or ones they previously didn't like.
For example, if they didn't like carrots before, try serving it with hummus.
Ideas include: fruit with a yogurt dip, whole grain pita chips with hummus, sugar snap peas and ranch dip. , Part of the reason toddlers are such picky eaters is that they have more sensitive tastes.
Be mindful of this and choose foods that are naturally more sweet.
Toddlers frequently have no issues with fruit.
That's because fruits naturally sweet and more palatable to toddlers.
Vegetables can be a little bit bitter which can turn toddlers off.
Stick to naturally sweet vegetables to help them expand their tastes.
Sweeter veggies to try include: sugar snap peas, corn, sweet peppers, beets, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin and carrots. , Another thing to consider when serving toddler-friendly food is the texture.
If foods are too hard, it may not be a food your toddler can eat well.
Your toddler may seem to not like certain foods, when in fact they're just having some difficulty chewing or eating them.Foods that are too hard to bite through or too difficult to chew won't be appealing to your toddler.
Make sure foods are soft enough for your toddler.
You may need to cook things or cut them in very small pieces in order for your toddler to enjoy.
For example, you could blanch raw vegetables.
They're usually very hard and crunchy, but once blanched are slightly softer and easier to chew. , “Slippery foods” (whole grapes, large pieces of meat or chicken, hot dogs, candy); small, hard foods (nuts, seeds, popcorn, chips, pretzels, raw carrots, raisins); and sticky foods (peanut butter, marshmallows) can all pose a choking hazard.You may want to avoid these foods entirely until your toddler is older, or you may just need to be extra careful with these foods, making sure you cut them to the appropriate size for a toddler. , The most common food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts and other nuts, soybeans, wheat, fish, and shellfish.
Most kids outgrow their food allergies, but it is important to identify them to avoid serious reactions.
If your child experiences any of the following after eating, they may be having an allergic reaction: hives; swelling; itching lips, tongue, or mouth; abdominal pain; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; wheezing; shortness of breath; or lightheadedness.Some children may have a serious, possibly life-threatening allergic reaction to foods known as anaphylaxis.
If they experience swelling of the airway, serious difficulty with breathing, a drop in blood pressure, or two or more of the above symptoms simultaneously, call emergency services immediately.
About the Author
Stephen Ryan
Writer and educator with a focus on practical home improvement knowledge.
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