Healthy Snacks for Little Ones

I am always trying to find new things for my 14 month old to snack on. She doesn’t eat very big meals, so if I can find new HEALTHY snacks to give her that is even better. I know I need to keep introducing new foods to her, but sometimes I just can’t think of anything new.

Here are some ideas I found for HEALTHY snacks to feed your little ones:

• Fresh fruit (apples, oranges, banana, grapes, peaches, pears, melon). Try sliced combinations or offer yogurt for dipping .
• Baby carrots, broccoli and cauliflower tops (low-fat dressings for dipping)
• Low-fat or fat-free yogurt
• Vanilla wafers or graham crackers dipped in yogurt
• Applesauce
• 1/2 bagel with fat-free strawberry cream cheese
• Pretzel twists
• Flavored rice cakes (caramel or popcorn)
• Low-fat microwave or air-popped popcorn
• Dried fruits (apricots, raisins, cranberries)
• Trail mix made with cereal (Chex or Cheerios), pretzels, nuts, seeds, dried fruits
• Mozzarella cheese stick (part-skim) with fruit chunks and low-fat crackers
• Cottage cheese with pineapple chunks
• Celery with peanut butter
• Celery with low-fat cream cheese and raisins
• Cereal bar (non-frosted) with milk
• Low sugar cereal with fresh fruit
• Home baked skinless chicken breast nuggets with honey mustard sauce
• 1/2 turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich with honey mustard and fruit slices
• 100% juices (limit to 1 or 2 eight-ounce cups per day to avoid juice taking the place of fresh fruits and lean milk)
• Low-fat or nonfat chocolate milk
• Low-fat or nonfat yogurt drinks
• Fruit juice bar
• Jell-O with fruit
• Fruit Newton Cookies (2)
• Animal Crackers (15)
• Fruit smoothies made with frozen yogurt, frozen fruit, Carnation instant breakfast
• Yogurt creamsicles (combine 1/2 cup plain yogurt and 1/2 cup fruit juice concentrate (undiluted). Freeze in molds.

Note for parents of babies and toddlers:

At 8 months old to 1 year, your child will be able eat small portions of the some of the snacks listed above. Typically it is recommended that cow’s milk, egg whites and citrus fruits not be offered until after 1 year of age. You should not allow nuts until your child is at least 2 years old. Always supervise your baby or toddler while eating to avoid choking. “Choke foods” include raisins, cranberries, grapes, chunks of carrot, nuts, seeds, chunks of peanut butter, hard candies, hotdog pieces, and popcorn. When in doubt, chop it or wait until your child is older. The danger of choking on these types of foods remains high until age 4.

Written by Terri Murphy, RD, CDE for McKesson Provider Technologies.

Published by McKesson Provider Technologies.