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Categories: Nutrition, Recipes, Toddlers

Hangry Toddler? Try These Healthy Snacks for Toddlers

June 18, 2020

Here’s the best list of fresh and healthy snacks for toddlers, big kids at home, on the go, and at daycare and preschool. These healthy toddler snacks are sure to keep your hangry toddler nourished and happy.

What makes a toddler snack healthy and more tips for parents:

Viewing snacks as nourishment

We’ve all been that parent who whips out a surprise fruit strip to quiet your child at the store, because we know it will work! But the purpose of a healthy snack is to tide one over until the next meantime in terms of nourishment and energy, not to soothe a hangry toddler. Sharyn Saftler, dietitian and owner of a family nutrition health coaching practice explains, “Healthy snacks are important for kids in the same way that they are important for adults: any time you eat, it’s an opportunity to provide your body with the basic building blocks it needs to thrive.”

Looking out for marketing terms like “organic” or “natural”

As busy people, we are particularly susceptible to marketing. For example, give me organic applesauce or all-natural baked cheese-puffs, and my little brain immediately thinks: “Healthy! Exactly what I’m looking for! All signs point to go!” But according to Dr. Reshma Shah, a California-based pediatrician, that’s exactly when you should think twice — because foods that have to advertise supposed healthfulness are usually the ones that aren’t actually good for you or your little ones. 

Try looking for foods that are real, whole, and unprocessed — if packaged, look for a short ingredient list of things you can actually recognize.

Smart snack positioning for your growing toddler

Learn the value of making snacking convenient for them. Try putting healthy snacks at eye-level in the pantry door that your child can open, prepping low-fat mozzarella balls in a bowl, or putting together little baggies of fruit. It’s like grab-and-go, but kid-style and healthy because you get to control what the ingredients are vs something store bought. This way you actually end up doing less work because your child knows what to expect with snacks!

Healthy Snacks for Toddlers Ideas

snacks for toddlers | peanut butter toast | Nurture Life

High Protein Snacks for Toddlers

  • Greek Yogurt
  • Peanut Butter With Apples or On Toast
  • Hummus
  • Bean Dip
  • Boiled Eggs 
  • Egg Salad
  • Tuna Salad
  • Tofu
  • Sliced or Cubed Turkey/Ham/Chicken
  • Meatballs
  • Turkey and Avocado Roll Up
  • Cubes of Sandwich

snacks for toddlers | veggie bowl | Nurture Life

Veggie Snacks for Toddlers

  • Edamame
  • Avocado Toast
  • Pita Pocket With Veggies
  • Bell Peppers and Guacamole
  • Snap peas
  • Cucumbers, sliced or diced
  • Cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Shredded carrots or carrot slices/sticks (for older toddlers and kids)
  • Thawed frozen peas
  • Thawed frozen corn

snacks for toddlers | fruit smoothie | Nurture Life

Fresh Fruit Snacks for Toddlers

  • Smoothies
  • Sliced Pears With Ricotta Cheese
  • Apple Sauce
  • Orange Slices
  • Peach Slices
  • Bananas
  • Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
  • Grapes, sliced in half vertically
  • Kiwi
  • Melon
  • Mango

snacks for toddlers | healthy toddler snacks | Nurture Life

On-The-Go Healthy Snacks for Toddlers

  • Pretzels 
  • Carrot Sticks
  • Fruit Leather
  • Oatmeal
  • Muffins
  • Cheese Stick
  • Apple chips (homemade or Bare Snacks)
  • Dried fruit (mango, apricots, cranberries, cherries)
  • Cereal (low sugar): Cheerios, Kix, Chex
  • Veggie Straws
  • Mini Rice Cakes

Healthy Snacks for Toddlers Summarized

As most parents know, it can be hard to keep up with your toddler’s eating habits. Hopefully, this all inclusive list of healthy toddler snacks will help you keep your toddler nourished and happy. For healthy toddler and kids meal ideas ranging from breakfast to lunch to dinner try our Easy Dinner Ideas for Kids, Healthy and Quick Breakfast Ideas, or Healthy Meals for Kids, which is our all encompassing list of meals and recipes. 

If you’d like a hand creating balanced yet easy toddler meal ideas, Nurture Life is here to help! Our ready-to-eat toddler meals have been thoughtfully crafted to satisfy your little one’s taste buds and dietary needs. Take a week off from the kitchen and provide some relief to your hectic schedule by ordering a full week of lunches, or intersperse our dishes with your own homemade meals for well-balanced nutrition without the meal-prep stress.

Healthy Toddler Snacks | cta | Nurture Life

Katie Headshot

Katie Klepek

As the director of marketing at Nurture Life, Katie gets to combine her passions—family, food and healthy lifestyle choices—with crafting a personalized experience for Nurture Life’s brand. She has over 18 years experience in business, communications, marketing and event planning, having co-founded the successful event production company Reinventing Events. Katie’s diverse background allows her to effectively combine communication and organization skills to develop, plan and deliver results. Born and raised in the Midwest, Katie attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, specializing in English and Communication. When she’s not spreading her cheer (and eating cookies) at Nurture Life, Katie runs marathons and co-hosts a horror movie podcast with her husband. She has a 3-year-old daughter who has grown up on Nurture Life with another girl on the way!

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