Snacks provide more than a quarter of a child’s daily calorie intake. As a result, serving nutritious snacks is quite important.
From a young age, it’s critical to assist youngsters in developing good snacking habits. Setting an adequate meal and snack schedule, as well as providing nutrient-dense foods, are two tactics that parents can employ. Below we have provided the list of recommended snacks for toddlers that will keep them healthy and energetic.
- Start With Fruit and Veggies
Most children require more fruits and vegetables, and snack time is an ideal time to provide them.
Fruits and vegetables are easy to prepare, and because kids are usually hungry around snack time, they are more likely to eat them during their snack time. Fruits and vegetables as snacks may not appeal to your children. However, it is beneficial to continue to provide. And, if possible, present them in novel ways. Try cutting them into creative shapes or serving them with a favorite dip if you have the time.
- Pack The Protein In Your Snack
- Protein aids in the growth of children and keeps them happy long after snack time. If your children seem to be asking for snacks all day, try adding a little additional protein to their snacks to help them feel full. You can give them hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, cheese cubes, nut butter, string cheese, hummus, etc.
- Start them young
Because food preferences are formed early in life, provide a range of foods to your child from a young age. Even as infants, children have tastes and dislikes. It may be necessary to feed a new food several times before a child accepts it. Offer a few bites rather than forcing a child to eat. Involve older children by asking them to take one mouthful.
- Plan family meals
For both parents and children, family meals are a soothing ritual. Children who participate in family dinners are more likely to consume fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as fewer bad snacks. When it comes to family mealtimes, try to be flexible. To accommodate busy teens, you may need to eat dinner a little later or set aside weekend time to have brunch together.
- Stock up on healthy foods
Kids, particularly small children, will eat mostly what is provided at home. That’s why it’s crucial to shop carefully and keep a supply of quick, healthy snacks on hand. Here are some pointers to consider:
- Keep nutritious snacks on hand and ready to consume to make it easy to choose healthy snacks. Fruits, vegetables, low-fat yogurt, peanut butter and celery, and whole-grain crackers with cheese are all excellent choices.
- Serve meals containing lean meats and protein, such as fish, eggs, beans, or almonds.
- Because whole-grain bread, cereals, and crackers are high in fiber, they’re a terrific choice.
- By eliminating fried foods, you can reduce your fat intake. Broiling, grilling, roasting, and steaming are some healthy cooking methods to try. You should also choose dairy products that are low in fat or fat-free.
