Healthy Baby Snacks

There are things I’d call the "basics" that you’ve probably already heard -- Cheerios, any type of "mini" cracker (our son likes the goldfish, but there are also Ritz, cheese nips and so on), cut-up bites of soft fruit & cereal bars, and graham cracker sticks (or teddy grahams) that are broken into smaller pieces.  Basically, with any type of snack like this, I just always made sure that the item could dissolve fairly easily, and that the pieces were small.  (And I’d avoid those teething biscuit things like the plague at *any* age -- those things scared the heck out of me!!!)

The other couple of things that I really like come from Gerber, and are pre-packaged so they fit neatly in the diaper bag (and you could write your child’s name on the outside of the individual bags, so the daycare folks know to whom they belong).

The first is their packages of bite-sized, freeze-dried fruit.  They come in apple, strawberry/banana, corn and banana/pineapple (my son only likes the first 2 flavors), are simply freeze-dried fruit w/o any preservatives, and the package can be resealed for later use.  They are a bit crunchy at first, but then reconstitute from the child’s saliva and are very easy to chew and swallow.  (And my son has had swallowing issues, so we were glad to find something like this!)

The second is their fruit strips.  I double-checked the label before buying them, and found they use only fruit and fruit purees to make them -- no preservatives -- and they aren’t gummy/sticky like what I thought they’d be.  They seem, to me, to be a melt-in-the-mouth type of thing, which is important for young eaters.

On a side note, Gerber also has multi-packs of veggie and cheese crackers meant for tots, but my son never liked the flavors.  For what it’s worth, we found it just as easy (and much more cost-effective) to put whatever flavor cracker (mini goldfish, mini Ritz, etc.) in the "snack" sized baggies and put those in the diaper bag.

I probably should have asked if your child was eating many table foods yet and will note here that the above suggestions are given only if s/he is doing some chewing and is supervised while eating.  If ever in doubt, I don’t think it’s worth the risk to chance it.

Healthy snacks for your baby and kids

A piece of fruit is probably the most healthful snack going. But there are plenty of other nourishing alternatives to junk food that your child will love. Here are a few suggestions:

• Baked chips. Deep-fried potato chips typically get more than half of their calories from fat. Stock up on baked chips instead. A one-ounce serving of Kettle Crisps, for instance, gets just 15 of its 110 calories from fat. Baked tortilla chips are another good choice; you can find flavorful brands that get only a third of their calories from fat.

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• Fruit bars. Fig Newtons are low in fat and provide fiber and potassium. Raisin biscuits are another great choice. Only 20 percent of their calories come from fat, and the best brands are loaded with those crinkly iron-rich bits of sweetness.
• Frozen fruit bars. The best of these frozen treats contain chunks of real fruit — orange, pineapple, peach, and banana, to name a few. They're a great, fat-free summer refresher.
• Fudgsicles. The classic American frozen treat deserves high praise. One bar has just 90 calories and only about a gram of fat.
• Fruit juice. Make sure it's 100 percent fruit, with no added sugar, and you'll give your child the goodness of fruit in a tall, refreshing glass.
• Energy drinks. On a hot day when your kid just won't slow down, a sports drink like Gatorade can stave off dehydration. Some children who resist drinking water will happily gulp one of these sweet-tasting drinks.
• Fruit shakes. Whip together a banana, a splash of fruit juice, and a handful of berries in your blender, and you've got a nutritious shake. You can add yogurt for more protein and calcium. For the best consistency, freeze the fruit beforehand or use frozen yogurt.

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