Nutritious Snacks Your Toddler Will Like
By Grace Hallett
Many parents complain that their children go through phases where they will eat nothing but noodles, hot dogs or french fries. This is often a source of frustration for the parents, who worry about their child getting enough nutrients and long for the day when children eat the same food as they do. In order to encourage children to eat healthy food, parents need to find ways to make it attractive. First, it is important to limit junk foods.
Some children will hold out, refusing other foods when they know sweets are available. If you do keep these in the house, consider making some rules such as "no cookies until after dinner" to prevent your child from begging for these all day long. Also limit fruit juices - if you read the labels on the bottles, you will notice that these are high-calorie, high-sugar beverages with little nutritional value. In fact, sugar is often listed before fruit on the ingredients list. Here are some options you can try:
1. Fresh fruit: Melon slices are often a toddler favourite, as are berries. Be careful with grapes, which can be a choking hazard. You can make these safer by cutting them in half lengthwise. You can be adventurous too - some toddlers will like unusual items such as avocados.
2. Fresh cut veggies. Try celery and carrot sticks, or cucumber slices. Be sure to cut carrots and other 'hard' veggies into thin, french-fry like strips to avoid choking hazards. Some toddlers like raw cauliflower or broccoli even if they won't eat these cooked. One trick to making veggies more attractive is by giving toddlers something to dip them into. Toddlers love dipping! You could try salsa, hummus, or yogurt-based dips.
3. Nut butters. Because many schools today do not allow nut products because of the occasional child with serious allergies, these products do not get considered among snack options. But if you are at home, and do not have any allergy concerns, nut butters are a very convenient nutrient- and protein-rich snack. You can spread them on bread, or celery sticks.
If you get bored of peanut butter, try almond butter or other varieties. Nowadays most stores sell these products in versions containing just nuts with minimal processing, so you do not need to worry about harmful additives and preservatives. It is advisable not to give nut butters to children under one year, because of the allergenic potential, but also because they are sticky and may constitute a choking hazard for children who are just learning to eat.
4. Yogurt. You can buy single-serving packages of yogurt, which are convenient, but be aware that these are high in sugar. You can limit sugar by buying plain yogurt and sweetening it yourself if you desire with fruit, maple syrup or honey (note: do not give honey to children under one year because of the risk of botulism). If you have time, you can mix yogurt and fruit in a blender to make smoothies.
5. Whole grain products. Whole grain breads and crackers are a healthy snack. If you check out your local health food store, you may find some interesting varieties made with alternative grains to wheat, such as rice or spelled, and many of these come in a variety of flavours.
Be willing to experiment, and have patience as you do so - toddlers do go through picky phases where they seem to reject everything. Remember, that there is an additional plus to this: preparing healthy snacks for your toddler will be a way to ensure that you are eating healthy yourself.
Grace Hallett, M.A. has been writing articles online since 2003. She lives in Toronto with her husband Lorne and their two children. A recent article from their website Cheap Floor Lamps is on the subject of floor lamps contemporary.
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