A child should eat five times a day. That’s why nutritionists advise having snacks as an additional source of energy. Healthy snacks are just as important for the baby’s growth and well-being as healthy eating. The point is that kids have small stomachs and cannot get all the nutrients they need during regular meals. Snacks help to keep their energy during the day. Let’s find out what snacks should be included in the kid’s menu to ensure its well-being and healthy development.
Baby Snacks by Age
The baby’s snack requirements depend on age, so it’s essential to note what products are appropriate at each stage of development and remember the fact that it is perfectly normal for children to change their appetite and preferences daily:
- After starting complementary feeding, you should be very careful as the main source of nutrition is still a baby formula, and the sensitive digestive system requires introducing anything new step-by-step
- At the age of 1 to 3 years, including soft, semi-hard, and gradually harder food into the menu as it is the safest way to introduce new flavors.
- As babies get a little older, they naturally want more control over what they eat, when they eat, and how much they eat. You can engage a kid in the process of cooking, thus helping it to build positive relationships with foods and snacks.
Fruits and Vegetables
According to HealthXchange, fruits should be included in the child’s diet, as they contain the maximum amount of vitamins and useful microelements necessary to maintain immunity. In winter, give preference to persimmons, pomegranates, kiwis, and citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines, grapefruit). Apples and bananas are relevant both in winter and summer. If you give a child apples, it is better to choose sweet varieties because the sour types of apples irritate the gastric mucosa and increase appetite.
Carrots, cucumbers, sweet peppers, boiled beets, and baked cauliflower are the best match for growing organisms. The homemade sauce will add flavor to vegetables. Instead of mayonnaise, it is better to make avocado sauce. It has a similar consistency but is much more useful. To prepare this sauce, you need to grind one avocado in a blender, mix it with natural yogurt, and add herbs (parsley, dill, basil) and a little salt. Such vegetable snacks are a great vitamin supplement to the daily menu.
Remember that a kid might choke because of large pieces of fruits and vegetables. Be careful when giving them to those under 5. Lightly steam to soften, cut into pieces of appropriate size and be sure to cool before serving.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts are a source of important fats and amino acids for the body and excellent energy for the brain. You can include hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, and almonds on the regular kid’s menu. Walnuts and cashews prevent the development of anemia, almonds strengthen the heart and improve vision, and hazelnuts boost immunity. Remember to pre-wash and dry them in the oven before giving them to the kids. Roasted and salted nuts are not recommended for kids. And remember, peanuts are a legume, not a nut.
Sunflower or pumpkin seeds are also useful for babies. They contain a large number of vitamins and minerals that the body needs for normal functioning. But when giving them to children, you need to make sure that the seeds are peeled.
Baby Cereals
Traditionally, baby cereals are one of those foods that are fed to children from an early age because of their huge nutritional value. ScienceDaily has shown the research published by the University of Cardiff that oatmeal cereal is one of the most useful ones and that regular consumption of it improves mental abilities, and its beneficial effects on the digestive system are known without research. It is believed that if a baby is accustomed to this product from an early age, in the future, the risk of asthma will be significantly less.
Besides, if you decide on organic cereals are even richer in nutrients. For example, holle organic oatmeal contains many trace elements and vitamins B, A, E, and C and amino acids that help break down fats. It’s good for improving eyesight and good brain function.
Dried Fruits
Dried apples, pears, apricots, raisins, and prunes are rich in trace elements and vitamins. Dried fruits perfectly regulate the work of the digestive system and are the best substitute for sweets. Besides, you can make homemade candy (with the addition of nuts, sesame, and flax seeds). Such sweets are useful and are very popular with children.
If your little one is hungry and lunchtime has not yet come, you can offer some of these ready-made snacks:
- Puree pouch made of one or more fruits, thus rich in vitamins. Usually, such snacks are in soft packaging, which is convenient to take with you.
- Fruit and cereal bars are also useful types of food for children. As they are made special for kids, they are available in a convenient format, without added sugar, starch, dyes, and flavors. Contains natural cereals and more than 40% of fruits
Snacks to Avoid
Not every tasty snack will be useful, so it’s necessary to pay attention to the quality and shelf life of products because many bars for children and other snacks can spoil quickly, even in airtight packaging. And some baby food should be avoided altogether:
- Hot dogs and burgers with sauces
- Whole grapes
- Candies
- Vegetables that are difficult to chew
- Large pieces of meat
- Products high in sugar. The excess amount of sugar leads to metabolic disorders and suppresses the child’s immunity so that it becomes more prone to viral diseases and, consequently, more often, ill.
- Sausages contain a large number of chemical compounds which slowly destroy the mucous membrane of the baby’s stomach.
In addition, experts advise avoiding frequent culinary experiments. Usually, a kid needs to eat a new type of food about 10-12 times to get used to it. If a baby is happy to consume a new product, you can change the composition of dishes gradually (not more than one new product per week).