Healthy and nutritious snacks your child will love - Zululand Observer

Because of their small tummies and active little bodies, children must eat frequently. Healthy snacks in between meals are a great way to help your tot to meet their daily energy and nutrient needs, which is why we’ve come up with a variety of fun and creative snack ideas to include in their diet.

Fiesta Fruity

Fruit is nature’s original fast food because it is quick, easy, and high in nutrients. Fruits are high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and fibre, all of which are beneficial to preventing illness and disease, as well as improving overall health. Fruit purees for babies and age-appropriate soft whole fruits for toddlers are the most popular snack choices.

• Apple Sandwiches: “Sandwich” apple slices with nut butter or cream cheese for older children.
• Apple Sauce Dip: Let toddlers dip baby carrots in apple puree or any of their favourite pureed fruit.
• Berry and Cream Cheese Squares: Spread crème cheese on wholewheat bread and top with diced strawberries or raspberries for a delicious snack.
• Cinnamon Orange Slices: Cut oranges into wedges or slices, then sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Fruit Kebabs: Skewer small diced fruit onto a kebab stick (e.g. apple chunks, banana, peach slices, berries, etc.). Dip into baby’s favourite fruit and vegetable puree and dust with cocoa powder or cinnamon.
• Fruit Popsicles: For a refreshing treat, blend fresh fruit with a little water. Using lollipop moulds, freeze the mixture.

Legen-dairy

As part of our children’s daily snack choices, dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese pack a powerful punch. In fact, studies have shown that children who eat yoghurt maintain a healthier weight. Because of their higher energy needs, it is generally recommended that children stick to full cream dairy options.

Here are some suggestions for incorporating dairy into your child’s diet as a snack:

• Smoothies: Combine fruit and vegetable purees with yoghurt to make unique smoothies, such as banana and dates or berries and beetroot. Thin with milk to make smoothies for toddlers, or leave thicker to spoon feed to babies younger than a year old.
• Cracking Crackers: On wholewheat crackers, spread cream cheese or cottage cheese.
• Frozen Yoghurt: Freeze fruit and vegetable purees with yoghurt for a cool summertime snack, with or without blended fruit. When your baby is teething, it’s also a great way to soothe sore gums.

Exceptional Eggs

The humble egg is the most versatile food on the planet. According to an American study, including eggs in a child’s diet at a young age can help them grow faster. This is because eggs are high in high-quality protein, with 7 grams of protein per egg containing all of the essential amino acids that the body requires for good health at any age. Vitamin B12, biotin, selenium, and manganese are all found in eggs, as well as vitamin D and iodine.

• Scrambled Egg: As a snack for younger babies, scramble an egg with pureed vegetables such as butternut, carrot, sweet potato, or gem squash. A clever way to incorporate veggies into your baby’s diet is to add a few spoonfuls of baby’s favorite veg puree.
• Egg Muffins: Egg muffins are a hit with older babies and toddlers as finger food. Scramble a few eggs with a large amount of small diced vegetables, such as carrots, baby marrows, spinach, red onion, mushrooms, and so on. Pour into a greased muffin pan and bake for 10–15 minutes at 180°C until set. Refrigerate for up to five days in an airtight container.
• Fingers of French Toast: Scramble one egg with a dash of milk, vanilla essence, and cinnamon. Dip one slice of wholewheat bread and fry up in a hot pan. Sliced into smaller pieces or fingers, this is a good snack idea for toddlers for hand-eye coordination.

Good to know: In these difficult economic times, eggs are a cost-effective meal or snack option that provides excellent nutritional value.

Fantastic Fats

Healthy fats like avocado, olives, nuts (if your child is not allergic), and their oil contain more energy than carbohydrates and protein, helping busy little bodies meet their growing needs. Healthy fats provided by foods such as avos, olives, nuts, and nut betters help keep the immune system strong and provide essential fatty acids for healthy eyes and brain development.

• Nut Butter Fingers: For older babies and toddlers, spread some sugar-free nut butter (e.g. peanut, macadamia, almond, etc.) on wholewheat toast. Slice into fingers and serve.
• Chocolate Pudding: Blend together 1 banana, ½ avocado, and 1 tsp cocoa powder.
• Avo Cream Cheese: Blend together 1 avocado and 1 tub of cream cheese. Serve as is to younger babies or as a spread on wholewheat toast or high fibre crackers for toddlers.

Good to know: Since fats are high in energy, drizzling olive oil or avocado oil over meals is a good way to help smaller babies and toddlers who need to pick up some weight.

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Healthy and nutritious snacks your child will love - Zululand Observer
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