With their tiny tummies and their play-all-day attitudes, it can be a challenge to get toddlers to sit down and eat a full meal. Many young children prefer to fill up on small snacks throughout the day, but it can be hard for parents to come up with tasty and creative snacks that offer the nutrition toddlers need. These five snack ideas are tempting for toddlers, are chock full of vitamins and nutrients, and are adaptable enough that you can serve them in different ways all week long.
Fruit and Yogurt
Boring fruit becomes more interesting to your toddler when you create a colorful mix of bite-sized pieces and serve them alongside a tasty dip. Dice different fruits into small pieces and arrange on a plate with a small cup of yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon.
Mini Pizza
Few kids can resist cheesy pizza and this homemade version packs in fiber, protein and vitamins without the grease of store-bought pizza. Simply spread a small whole-wheat tortilla or pita with tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and pop in the oven until the cheese melts. You can also sneak extra veggies into this snack by grating carrots or zucchini and putting them under the cheese layer.
Vegetables and Dip
Most parents struggle to get their toddlers to eat more vegetables on a daily basis. This simple snack makes veggies more appealing by making delicious and colorful dips the highlight of the dish and letting toddlers use the vegetables simply as a means of tasting the many sauces. Chop various veggies into bite-sized pieces and serve alongside small cups filled with yogurt, ketchup, salad dressing, marinara sauce, guacamole, cream cheese, salsa, cheese sauce or even leftover baby food purees.
Zucchini Cakes
These easy-to-make snacks put a new spin on the classic potato pancake, using zucchini in place of potatoes to give your toddler a few servings of this less-than-popular vegetable. It’s easy to adjust the recipe to suit your child’s tastes: try using half zucchini and half potatoes, seasoning the mixture with your toddler’s favorite spices or serving with ketchup, tomato sauce or ranch dressing. Shred a large zucchini and mix with one egg, ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs or flour and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Form the mixture into small balls and add to a frying pan heated with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Keep the heat under the pan medium, and use a fork to flatten the balls into patties as they cook; cook the patties until crisp and golden brown, flipping midway through so both sides cook evenly. Drain on paper towels until cool enough for your toddler to eat.
Waffles and Pancakes
Frozen whole-grain waffles and pancakes go from breakfast food to snack any time of the day when you offer them with some creative toppings. Spread a pancake with peanut butter and drizzle with honey or top a waffle with chopped fruit, applesauce or yogurt.
Member Comments