Healthy Snacks for Your Family

By Stacey Segal, RD

As a pediatric dietitian and a mom of young children, I’ve spent many hours in the grocery store trying to find snacks for my kids that are well balanced, nutritious and aren’t full of added sugar. Whole foods are best, but not always easy for on-the-go.

Nutritious food, by virtue of it’s exact name, means it must contain the nutrients that kids needs to grow, to develop and to heal. So it’s not ‘just’ about the absence of sugar but it’s equally important to consider if a food will actually nourish us. Achieving this can feel like a lot of pressure on YOU. Especially when it comes to snacks.

Life’s daily responsibilities can get in the way of having the luxurious time to select nourishing foods and cook/bake healthy snacks. It’s normal to feel deeply guilty about this. But it‘s important to recognize your limits and embrace convenience when needed. Finding ways to make life easier is a skill and letting go of any preconceived ideals is WINNING.

If we can let the guilty feeling ‘go’, then we will have more emotional space for the joy of feeding our kids, and more mental capacity for the endless to-do list of parenthood.

Nutrition considerations when choosing healthy snacks, by age range:

Healthy snacks for 9-12 month olds

At this age, snacks are typically gradually introduced if your baby is already eating 3 meals a day. It’s important to continue giving breastmilk or formula, so often times this milk become their ‘snacks’. But if your baby is ready to begin the lifelong joy of snacking, then here’s a few snack ideas that focus on the nutrients baby needs:

Nourishing snack ideas:

soft avocado chunks
high fat shredded cheese
Cerebelly purees
high fat yogurt
sliced hard boiled egg
soft tofu sweetened with pureed carrots or pumpkin

Healthy toddler snacks for 1-4 year olds

Toddlers and preschool age children may appear to be hungry all the time because their brain and body is using up energy quickly, and their tummies are still relatively small.

Snacks are important to provide them with consistent nutrition for energy and brain development.

That being said, at this age it’s easy to fall into a habit of ‘snacks all day’ and ‘very little at mealtime’. To help prevent this, keep snacks small but nutritious. Avoid snacks within one hour before a meal.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Packaged toddler snacks are convenient when on the go. Keep in mind that they are not all created equal, so flip the package and look carefully at the nutrition facts label.
If offering fruit or vegetables as a snack, pair with a source of protein and fat. This will help satisfy that toddler tummy, so you’re not dealing with a snack request 10 seconds later.
Limit milk intake to a maximum of 2 cups or 16 ounces each day. Filling up on milk is the leading cause of iron deficiency in young children. Milk itself contains no iron, and often replaces iron rich foods when offered frequently thoughout the day.
When you are choosing a food that does contain fat, look for a higher fat version. For cheese, aim for a >25% milk fat (MF). For yogurt, aim for >2.5% fat. Kids need fat for brain development.

Nourishing snack ideas:

avocado and spreadable cottage cheese on toast
whole grain muffins or pancakes made with Cerebelly purees (16 brain-supporting nutrients!)
hummus with crackers
nut butter on banana/apple
oatmeal with cinnamon

Healthy snacks for school-age children (ages 5-9)

If you have school age children, you know ALL about their endless need for a ‘snack’. At this age, kids are exposed to so many different snacks they see their friends eating. They begin to notice that there are many foods out there that aren’t necessarily in your own pantry. Though kids do not need ‘added sugar’, it’s not realistic in my opinion to restrict it completely. Finding nourishing snacks to balance things out will help ease your mind.

Nourishing snack ideas:

bocconcini (mozzarella cheese balls) drizzled with olive oil and served with whole grain crackers
avocado slices on toast, sprinkle with nutritional yeast for Vitamin B12
Cerebelly Smart Bars
fruit, yogurt and cereal parfait
trail mix: sunflower seeds, dates, cashews, chocolate chips
raw carrot ribbons using a vegetable peeler, and cubes of cheddar cheese.
roast asparagus in oven (drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle a little salt), then cool. Keep in fridge for snacking.

How to choose a healthy convenient snack bar for kids:

A snack bar needs to be delicious, to satisfy hungry tummies AND to nourish a growing brain and body. Here’s what to look for:

Look for a bar that has balanced nutrition.
0g added sugar – toddlers have no room in their diet for added sugar
Nutrient dense veggies – for vitamins and minerals necessary for whole body growth
Whole grains – for energy, brain supporting minerals and B vitamins
3g fiber – for a healthy gut
3g healthy fat – for energy, brain development, immune function
3g protein – for strong muscles, growth and immune function
Brain supporting nutrients like iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, vit E and choline.
- Iron – supports neurologic development and immune function
- Vit E – supports nerve function and protects cells from damage

If you need more guidance, we have all the answers to your questions about how to choose the best snack bar for your toddler.

Healthy snacking tips

There’s nothing easy about feeding kids. Snacking can take over, and result in poor intake at mealtimes. It can also result in kids getting too much sugar and not enough of the nutrients they need in the day. Try to keep snacks on the small side and not too close to a meal. As with any aspect of parenting, you know your child best.

Remember that not all snacks need to be time consuming to prepare. Quick nutritious snacks are possible. Take the pressure off yourself and opt for convenience foods when needed. Offer foods that you know will be nourishing and are low in sugar, most of the time.

I hope this article has given you some ideas/inspiration for healthy family snacking. Lastly, remember to let kids enjoy food and let them see you enjoying food too!

Cerebelly Smart Bars

Looking for a snack that won’t crumble all over your car or living room floor? Our toddler smart bars have a chewy texture that both parents and kids will love. Packed with wholesome ingredients like sweet potato, banana, blueberry, and carrot, they’re the ultimate veggie-first snack for your little ones. Most importantly, Cerebelly smart bars for toddlers provide 16 key brain-supporting nutrients your little one needs during each critical period of brain development as they grow.

Have more questions? Send us an email at support@cerebelly.com and we will be sure to get back to you!

Feeding, Smart Bar, Toddler