Getting toddlers and picky eaters to eat enough calories in the day can be a challenge for parents. We all know how up and down toddler appetite can be. But with the help of some smart snacks we can bridge the calorie gaps and nutritional needs in the day.
One such much loved snack in our house is an energy bar. And since I realized that I can make a variety of flavors and combinations to add different nutrients I’ve been having a ball trying new recipes.
One way to ensure seasonal fruit is added to the child’s diet can be through an energy bar. This no-bake Strawberry Oatmeal bar is the perfect toddler snack. It has a jammy center and a chewy bite that most toddlers enjoy.
The ingredients used are Whole Foods based making these healthy strawberry oat bars a great add to your winter family snack rotation.
I pack them in my kids school lunch box as a treat and offer them to my toddler as a mid-morning snack with her cup of milk.
HEALTHY STRAWBERRY OATMEAL BARS | NO-BAKE RECIPE
STRAWBERRY OATMEAL BARS [NO BAKE RECIPE]
Ophira
A quick and healthy no-bake strawberry oatmeal bar recipe for toddlers and older kids. Perfect for snack time and school lunch box.
If you don’t like to add sugar or jaggery to your strawberry jam layer you can skip the sweetener and go without for a mildly sweet version of these bars.
Try these quick and easy no bake strawberry oatmeal bars for your kiddos. A healthy and super delicious strawberry treat better than store bought red dyed packaged kids snacks that try to mimic strawberry flavors synthetically.
Ask any parent what their current challenge is with their toddler and the most common answer will be getting the toddler to eat balanced meals. Snacks are a task because toddlers have varying preferences and temperaments from extremely picky eaters to tiny foodie monsters.
In today’s post, I will share a master list of healthy toddler snacks so that hopefully you can find in here some balanced snack options no matter how little or more your child eats.
But first here are my,
TIPS FOR BUILDING HEALTHY SNACKS FOR TODDLERS
Get the snack formula right – The best formula to keep in mind every time you build a snack plate is protein + healthy fats + fiber. If you include snacks that cover these three components on a plate you are guaranteed longer satiety and fewer chances of a toddler wanting more snacks an hour later.
Add something crunchy – Toddlers love crunch! We can all attest to a toddler’s love for crunchy foods. Get them excited about snack time with some healthy whole grain crackers, corn chips, or their favorite crunchy snack paired with some cheese and fruits.
Colors of the rainbow – Add some colorful vegetables for a well-rounded snack plate. Many of us don’t think to add vegetables to our toddler’s plates but snack time is a great time to add some colorful veggies in a fun form. Vegetable puffs, vegetable sticks with hummus, vegetable pies or patties, vegetable chips. More ideas listed below.
A sweet treat doesn’t always have to be junk – I know snack time is when that little cookie monster comes out. Instead of restricting cookies or other favorite sweet treats why not pair them with a glass of whole milk, or bake your homemade version so you can include more wholesome ingredients? Here are some healthy sweet treat ideas for you.
Favorite foods – Healthy is not boring! Add a few of your picky eater’s safe foods to the snack plate alongside new snack exposures. To make food more fun and better accepted why not add a little extra chocolate chips or sprinkles over snacks like chocolate chip cookies, homemade muffins, or banana boats?
6. Think mini meals – Snacks don’t always have to be snacky foods, you can even go the mini meal route. Leftovers from lunch or last night’s dinner can be paired with other healthy accompaniments to make a little snack plate.
MASTER LIST OF HEALTHY SNACKS FOR TODDLERS
Here are some snack ideas for toddlers to help you plan family meals.
Mini Meal Snacks
The first type of snack idea for toddlers is not necessarily a snack food. Toddlers are still at the age where there is no real need to make a big distinction between snack types of foods and meals in itself. They eat tiny amounts of food at a time and sometimes a snack is at best a continuation of meal time.
I like to offer any leftovers from the previous meal with some more healthy add-ins to give my toddler a balanced mini-meal type of snack plate.
Examples of a mini meal can look like:
Leftover scrambled eggs or omelet from breakfast along with a fruit and crackers for a snack.
Or last night’s roast chicken, shredded and offered with some cheese and fruit or built into a chicken sandwich with mayonnaise.
Sometimes when we have leftover vegetables from lunch, I add them to a whole wheat wrap with some low-sodium sauces, chutney, or mayonnaise for a vegetable wrap.
Fruit-Based Snacks For Toddlers
Chopped fruit served with yogurt.
Banana boats – sliced bananas topped with nut butter of choice, desiccated coconut, or chocolate chips for more flavor.
Dairy-based snacks like cheese and cheesy recipes are favored even by the pickiest toddler. Therefore these are an easy option to serve most toddlers. Here are some protein-rich snack ideas for toddlers who love milk and cheese.
Yogurt bowls – Yogurt bowls are easy to assemble. Add your toddler’s favorite fruit and some nuts for crunch and you have a delicious snack ready. Some yummy combinations are apple-cinnamon-yogurt, berries-nut butter-yogurt and pureed mango-chopped almonds-yogurt.
Chocolate milk with a cookie – A balanced approach to eating doesn’t mean every meal has to include veggies and fruit, sometimes a cup of chocolate milk and a favorite cookie bring the child a lot of joy. Instilling this sense of feeling happy and satisfied with our food is important so the child can grow up to view meals in a balanced way, knowing when to respect hunger cues and when to take a moment to enjoy some yummy indulgent foods too.
Cheese toasties
Meat-Based Snacks For Toddlers
Ham sandwiches
Roasted chicken sandwiches
Sauteed chicken skewers
Deconstructed chicken salad snack – If your toddler doesn’t like certain foods touching each other or mixed together try a deconstructed salad snack. Add some torn-up lettuce, rotisserie chicken- black olives-cucumbers-bell peppers in separate sections on a snack plate for the toddler to try.
These days many brands are making healthy packaged snacks for kids, these can come in handy when you are in a rush and want to provide something quick and easy.
Also, food should be all about enjoyment and balance. Restricting yourself and your children is not a sustainable way to achieve healthy eating habits long term.
Instead, focus on packaged snacks made from ingredients you know of, that are low on added sugars (under 10g /100g) and most importantly pair packaged snacks alongside other Whole Foods options. That way in the long run you can maintain healthy eating habits, not feel deprived, and enjoy the food you eat.
One way I will do this is, if I serve my child’s favorite chips I also add a fruit and some cheese on the side for a more filling meal.
Or pair my child’s favorite chocolate/cake with some fresh fruit or a cup of chilled milk.
FAQ’S ABOUT TODDLER SNACKING
What if my toddler only wants to snack all day?
Toddlers first and foremost have a reduced appetite due to rapid growth and development. In this situation offering mini meals is more suited over a hard and fast mealtime routine. Try offering snacks that are mini meals in themselves. Read this previous post on strategies many moms use when their toddler only wants snacks all day.
2. How many snacks to offer my toddler in a day?
A toddler should be offered 3 meals and 2 snacks. One mid-morning snack and one evening snack should be enough. But then, these are simply guidelines, and as a parent, you may face low-eating days or a day when your toddler wants multiple snacks at a time. It takes time for a toddler to establish a meal routine, disruptions are usually seen when the child is teething, going through a growth spurt, or routine transitions in life. Give them some grace and keep their hunger cues in mind when planning the daily meal routine.
3. What are some easy-to-go snacks for traveling with toddlers?
Easy-to-pack snacks like string cheese, fruit, energy bars, and energy balls are good for a snack outside the house. For more to-go snack ideas for toddlers check this older post of mine.
What are some of the healthy snacks that your toddler enjoys? Do leave me ideas in the comments below, I am sure these will come in handy to other moms reading this article.
Blueberries are a popular favorite among babies and toddlers alike. They are sweet, easy to serve and so healthy for babies. One of the ways you can offer blueberries to a baby can be in this blueberry ice cream form.
I served this to my son as a teething food or at times as a quick low-prep snack. He absolutely loves this homemade blueberry ice cream and asks for it often when he is in the mood for something cold.
The recipe for this blueberry ice cream for babies is specially designed to be easy, dairy-free, and hassle-free. You won’t believe how good it tastes even with no milk or cream in it.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM
Blueberries are antioxidant-rich foods that protect the body from free radical damage.
They are good for brain functioning and memory.
Eating blueberries regularly can reduce oxidative stress and damage to brain cells helping preserve brain function.
Blueberries also contain certain B vitamins, manganese, and copper, all of which are important for growing children.
Let us look at this quick and easy blueberry ice cream recipe for kids
HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM FOR BABIES, TODDLERS AND OLDER KIDS
This is a quick and healthy blueberry ice cream for babies, toddlers, and older kids. Contains no dairy, and no added sugars and is packed with all the goodness of blueberries.
The rich color and creamy texture make it a decadent dessert or snack option that kids of all ages can enjoy.
Peel bananas, cut them into 1-inch pieces, and freeze them in ziplock bags.
Once the bananas are frozen add the bananas, blueberries, and a splash of soy milk in the blender and blitz.
Depending on the strength of your blender, you may need to stop intermittantly between blending, open the blender, mix the ice cream to allow for even consistency to form.
Keep blending until ice cream consistency is achieved.
Notes
Note :
For older kids, you can add a teaspoon of maple syrup or honey for sweetness.
2. You can also add toppings of your choice for children over 1, some ideas are almond flakes, sprinkles, chocolate chips, or desiccated coconut.3. You can use both fresh or frozen blueberries in this recipe.
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Try this homemade blueberry ice cream for babies and toddlers and tell me how your child likes it. Don’t forget to leave a rating on the recipe, your experience trying the recipe can help other parents too.
Bento boxes have become popular on the internet these days. Food presented in a bento box looks aesthetically pleasing and the compartments in the box make it easier to carry a complete meal in one box without hassle.
I tried our first bento box (The Yumbox) back in 2019 when my son was starting school. The ease of opening and closing the box, the different compartments resembling a toddler section plate, and the ease of adding a variety of foods to the box with fewer chances of it mixing are what converted me to the idea of using bento lunch boxes.
For beginners, if you are wondering.
WHAT IS A BENTO BOX?
A bento is the Japanese version of a single portion home-packed meal or take-out meal. A traditional bento usually contains rice, eggs, fish or meat, and some pickled and cooked vegetables.
WHAT TO PUT IN A BENTO BOX?
Other than the traditional bento versions, bento boxes these days are also used to carry a variety of snacks and meals adapted to the lifestyle of the user.
I usually like to add one main dish either some type of wrap, rice dish, patty, or sandwich along with fruits/vegetables and dried fruit and nuts.
This type of lunch box makes it easy to build a balanced meal that is rich in protein, fats, and fiber.
Let’s look at some easy bento box lunch ideas for school and daycare.
BENTO BOX LUNCH IDEAS FOR KID’S SCHOOL
These are bento lunch box ideas for 4-year-olds just starting school, but anyone of any age can enjoy these recipes by adjusting for spice and increasing portion sizes.
You can also try modifications of these recipes for daycare to suit a baby led weaning approach.
Note : Do not offer whole nuts to younger children. Pictures showcase the school lunch box of a 6-year-old.
Modify recipes, swap ingredients, and cut into baby-friendly portions to avoid choking risk when making for younger toddlers and babies. To learn more about baby-led weaning and the preparation of baby-friendly foods read this post of mine.
Ready? Let’s go.
Feta Cheese Wrap for Kids School Lunch
Feta cheese wrap, grapes, cashews, and bananas.
Feta cheese contains fats and protein making it a healthy option to try in moderation. It is a high-sodium cheese so offer in smaller amounts to children over the age of one.
Use a whole wheat chapati or tortilla wrap. For the filling crumble feta cheese evenly over the chapati followed by chopped spinach leaves, tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cut a slit with a knife in one-quarter section of the chapati and then wrap it over to make a triangle.
Toast the wrap on both sides in a hot pan for 2-3 minutes until golden.
Bagel Sandwich
Bagel sandwich, macaron, sunflower seeds, banana.
This sandwich bento box is suited for children over age 2.
To make the bagel sandwich spread out cream cheese, add lettuce leaves, tomato slices, black olives, salt, and pepper. That is it. As easy as that.
Potato Pea Wrap
Potato pea wrap, watermelon, sunflower seeds, orange.
Use wholewheat chapati or tortilla for the wrap. For the filling in the wrap, in a mixing bowl mash 2 boiled potatoes, 1/4 th cup boiled green peas, and add salt, black pepper, pizza seasoning, and oregano. Mix well.
When adding the filling first spread mayonnaise on the chapati and then add the filling, roll, and cut into easy-to-hold pieces.
Ragi Wheat Pancakes
Ragi pancakes, maple syrup, peanut butter, black grapes, and oranges.
Hummus Wrap
Hummus wrap, strawberries, pan-fried french beans, sunflower seeds.
The whole wheat wrap contains hummus, tomatoes, basil leaves, black olives, salt, and pepper.
To prepare the French beans, cut them lengthwise, heat oil in a pan, and add chopped garlic. Once the oil is flavored with the garlic add the chopped french beans and salt. Stir fry until crisp.
Egg Wrap
Egg wrap, chikoo slices, and jackfruit chips.
The whole wheat chapati wrap contains an egg filling made by mixing boiled egg pieces in a dressing of mustard 1/4 tsp, mayonnaise 1-2 tsp, salt, and pepper. Roll and cut into easy-to-hold pieces.
Bean Wrap
Kidney bean wrap, roasted broccoli, grapes, and carrot slices.
The whole wheat bean wrap contains lettuce leaves as a base, boiled and seasoned red kidney beans that are mashed with a fork to make a paste like filling, topped with cheddar cheese and mayonnaise. Wrap and toast on a hot pan for 2-3 minutes on each side until the cheese melts.
Easy Bento Box Lunch Ideas For Kids
Easy school lunch ideas for kindergartners that are also picky eater-approved.
Potato pea wrap, watermelon, sunflower seeds, orange
Bento Box for Kids With Pancake
Ragi wheat pancakes, maple syrup, peanut butter, black grapes and oranges
Kids Lunch Box Hummus Wrap For
Hummus wrap, strawberries, pan fried French beans, sunflower seeds
Bento Box Lunch With Egg Wrap
Egg wrap, chikoo, and jackfruit chips
Bento Lunch Box With Bean Wrap
Bean wrap, roasted broccoli, grapes and carrot slices
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Having extra produce on hand makes it easier to build more nutritious sides instead of adding packaged snacks.
At the same time as children grow older, they get interested in packaged snacks, instead of completely denying them strive to create regular exposures without overdoing it.
Once or twice a week, add chips, chocolates, and biscuits as sides to the school lunch box to meet the child’s desire for such foods too. Meeting the child’s curiosity and exploration of new foods is a part of the intuitive eating approach.
I believe in a family approach to reducing junk food consumption and building balanced meals instead of preaching or having separate rules for kids.
Hope this post gave you some bento lunch box ideas for school. Drop in your child’s favorite bento box meals in the comment below. We can all pick ideas from each other.
One slow afternoon my son and I decided to bake muffins as an activity. I searched through our pantry and gathered a few ingredients I thought would make a chocolate muffin for my son. Since his next snack was coming up I wanted the muffins to also contain a good amount of protein. What resulted was the recipe I will share here today.
These are yummy and healthy chocolate muffins for toddlers and adults alike. Once I tried the first one, I immediately brought out my phone and noted all the ingredinets that went in.
We have made these chocolate muffins many times ever since and they are one of my toddlers’ favorites.
WHAT GOES INTO THESE EASY AND HEALTHY CHOCOLATE MUFFINS?
Whole wheat flour: Instead of white flour I went with whole wheat flour to pack in maximum nutrition and a good amount of fiber. Whole wheat flour also helps in the slow release of sugar which makes the muffin a filling breakfast or snack option.
Peanut Butter: Peanut butter adds protein to the recipe and a rich flavor that makes this chocolate muffin extra yummy.
Egg: Helps make the batter a little less dense and also adds good fats and protein for longer satiety.
Cocoa Powder: For a rich chocolatey flavor that is a big hit with children and adults.
Jaggery: Substitute to white sugar that adds some more nutrition to the recipe.
Here are the brands I use for baking muffins like these. All of these give consistent results when baking and are made using high quality naturally processed ingredients.
Add the baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder to the flour.
In another bowl, mix the molten butter, jaggery, and peanut butter. Combine well.
Now add milk and egg to this liquid mixture and whisk until all lumps are dissolved.
Now add the flour mixture to this liquid mixture bit by bit and fold it in until well combined. Add crushed peanuts if you like some extra crunch in every bite.
Spoon out this batter in muffin cups in a muffin tray and bake at 200 C for 20 minutes. Check at 15 minute mark by inserting a toothpick or tip of knife to see if it comes out clean. If not, continue baking.
Once done, remove and transfer to cooling rack and let these cool down completely.
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HOW TO SERVE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS TO TODDLERS AND OLDER KIDS?
Can also be served alongside chopped fruits and nut butter or yogurt.
HOW TO STORE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS?
These store well in airtight containers at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for a week.
SUBSTITUTIONS TO THE HEALTHY CHOCOLATE MUFFIN RECIPE
Egg replacement for vegetarian muffins :
You can replace the egg with a flax egg or yogurt.
To make the flax egg you need, 2 tbsp of ground flax seed powder kept in a bowl with 5 tbsp of water. Let this mixture sit for 20 minutes until the flaxseed powder absorbs water and swells up.
If you are substituting the egg with yogurt you need about ½ cup yogurt for the recipe
Jaggery replacement :
Instead of jaggery you can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar or regular white sugar depending on your preference.
Do try these healthy chocolate muffins for your toddlers and tell me how they like it.
For more easy toddler snack recipes check my ebook here.
I love experimenting in the kitchen and trying new recipes. Almond flour has been on my mind for a while, I wanted to use this nutrient-rich flour to make some baked goodies. After a few trials, I finally perfected an easy almond flour cookies recipe. It took me a while to find a perfect balance of ingredients to make soft baked and delicious tasting cookies.
Almond flour is naturally gluten-free and nutrient-rich containing Vitamin E, manganese, magnesium and fiber. And though these cookies are calorie dense the taste of almonds gives them that rich nutty taste that makes every bite worth it.
I also add a few superfoods to the cookie mix. If I am offering cookies to my child I want him to get something more in every bite. This time I included ground flaxseed powder, raw cacao nibs and raw cacao powder when making almond flour chocolate chip cookies. You can skip the cacao powder if you don’t have any at hand.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THESE ALMOND FLOUR AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This recipe is vegan and paleo friendly, making them a thoughtful gift to give anyone without worrying too much about food restrictions.
Easy is my biggest criteria – recipes that don’t require too many steps. That’s why I call them my ‘Easy Almond Flour Cookies’. All the magic happens in one bowl. I know moms are busy and only have limited time at hand, the quicker the recipes the better.
Because they are so quick and easy to make, these almond flour cookies are a great dessert option when hosting dinner guests. Tastes even better compared to the regular chocolate chip cookie and can be paired with ice cream for dessert.
Soft, melt in your mouth delicate cookies to pair with a cup of milk for a healthy evening snack.
These also make a great option as lactation cookies since they contain raw cacao that’s rich in iron and desiccated coconut that’s a known galactagogue.
Both adults and kids can enjoy these delicious bites.
The key point to remember is to eat these in moderation, almond flour is quite calorie dense.
Do you enjoy simple snack and dessert recipes?
Here are some more clean eating friendly, easy and healthy treats for you to enjoy with your family;
1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Add all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix2. Add the coconut oil and combine into a dough shape.3. Make small cookie dough balls and spread into medium size cookie circles on the baking tray. The dough balls are soft and need delicate hands.4. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees F or until the edges are crispy golden brown.
This recipe makes 10 cookies and stays in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
That’s all folks! Hope you try these easy almond floor cookies. Let me know in the comments below if you tried baking with almond flour before? What did you make? Leave me your recipes in the comments section.
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The plant-based diet and lifestyle have significantly impacted modern culinary culture. One such popular plant-based food trend is nut butter. People needed an alternative to regular cows milk butter and nuts and seeds were the perfect starting point. One look at the internet and questions like “how to make nut butter?” have thousands of searches each month.
I started using nut butter initially as a component of salad dressings. A little cashew butter, orange juice, and maple syrup make one yummy salad dressing. Slowly I started incorporating nut butter in my sandwiches, smoothies and energy bars.
The nutty taste, texture, and creaminess that nuts add to any dish make them a versatile ingredient to work with.
Now that I am a mom, I found a whole new use for these yummy butters – to add extra nutrients and increase the calorie density of my son’s food all while making food taste even yummier.
WHAT’S SO AMAZING ABOUT NUT BUTTER?
As I already mentioned, they are versatile. You can add them to a number of dishes and immediately increase the nutrient content of that dish. Add nut butter to smoothies, sandwiches, salad dressings, porridge, fruits bowl, energy bars and energy balls.
Nuts and seeds contain healthy fats that the body needs. Nut butter can be used as a healthy swap to using butter and cheese that contain saturated fats.
Not only do nuts contain healthy fats they also contain many vitamins and minerals. An added bonus when you are focussing on improving the nutrient content in your diet.
Eating foods that are calorie dense also helps eat less and keep full for longer periods of times.
Nuts offer a creamy texture to foods that are simply put, yummy. If you have not tried foods with added nut butter, you are seriously missing out.
I am going to add here a simple recipe to make almond butter at home. You can use the same technique to make nut butter from cashews, peanuts, macadamia nuts or seeds like sunflower seeds.
1. Start by toasting the almonds on a hot pan. The almonds are toasted when they turn to a darker color.2. Let them cool for a bit. For the next step use slightly warm almonds. The warm nuts help release oils faster during the blending process.3. Blend in a mixer or high-speed blender.4. The process goes from powder form to thick paste like texture on continuous blending.5. Once you have desired smoothness stop blending.
Notes
Depending on the texture you prefer you can blend until smooth texture or leave it at a coarse texture.
Store the nut butter in a dark and cool cupboard. If you want to store for longer periods then refrigerate.
To make variations in flavor, add any or combinations of the following:
Honey or maple syrup
Cocoa powder
Flaxseed powder
Making nut butter at home is also cheaper than buying readymade ones. Besides the joy of creating something so delicious is something else.
A simple snack idea is to pair homemade almond butter with banana and apple slices. It’s yummy and filling without any of those unnecessary added sugars and additives found in processed foods.
Have you tried to make nut butter at home? Leave me some of your tips and recipes in the comments below.
When I think of summers I remember time spent in our village home during vacations when mom whipped up a number of yummy summer snacks for my brother and me. She took extra effort during our summer vacation to cook special treats and those efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Those yummy summer themed treats are now sepia-toned memories. But this year I wanted to bring back the summer fun I had as a child and now make new memories with my son.
When we were growing up mom would make us jelly and fruit custard, mango milkshakes, homemade ice cream, and chaat every summer.
I want to bring back the same theme and elements to the summer snacks I make, but go a step forward and make them as low or devoid of added sugar and use clean ingredients instead of ready-made packet mixes.
Before I get into the summer snack ideas for kids, I want to stress on hydration. With rising heat levels it is important to maintain hydration in the body.
Most children won’t have plain water, so get creative and make fruit infused waters by adding cucumbers and strawberries, or make lemon and mint flavored water. One of the easiest options is to buy fresh coconut water every day. It helps maintain the electrolyte balance in the body and I don’t know of any child who doesn’t like coconut water.
Other than water focus on adding fruit snacks for kids, for ideas on how to incorporate hydrating fruits into yummy snacks continue reading.
Summer Snacks For Kids
Nice cream: If you follow me on Instagram, you know how much I love this chilled fruit snack for kids. It is a special treat on hot summer days. We make different versions in our home, the blueberry banana is my sons favorite followed by chocolate nice cream and strawberry banana nice cream. Not only do the frozen bananas and fruit help with battling the summer heat, fruits are rich in so many vitamins and antioxidants that help with strengthening immunity. The more fruit you have the better. Most kids love fruit, which makes this snack a welcome option on any kids plate. In my previous blog post on teething foods for kids, you will find the recipe for blueberrybanana nice cream. Here is the recipe for Chocolate banana nice cream: Add 2 frozen bananas, 1 tsp raw cacao powder, ½ tsp pure vanilla extract, 1 tsp maple syrup, a splash of soymilk (helps with consistency), to a blender and blitz. Yummy chocolate banana nicecream is ready! Go crazy with the toppings and add toasted almonds flakes, raw cacao nibs or desiccated coconut.
Fruit salad: A refreshing plate of fruit is one quintessential summer snack we all enjoyed as kids. With mango season here in India, make a yummy bowl of mango and strawberry fruit salad and top it with roasted almond flakes. Another fun take on a fruit salad is to make fruit skewers for the kids. Pineapple, apple, mango can be chopped into bite-sized pieces and added to skewers to offer the kids when they come home from the park.
Popsicles: What is summer without some form of ice cream or popsicles. I recently tried making a mango and mint popsicle for the first time. It was a huge hit. Here is the recipe: Add 1 chopped mango, 200 ml coconut milk and few sprigs of mint to a blender and blitz. Add the mixture to popsicle molds and freeze for a few hours. You can add a tablespoon of maple syrup to make it sweeter or go without it. As long as the mangoes are ripe the sweetness from the mangoes is enough. Here is another mango popsicle that you can try this summer.
Energy bars: This is a great on the go snack summer for kids. You can make variations depending on whats in your pantry and most kids generally love energy bars. It’s like a cleaner version of a chocolate bar, healthy and satiating. Not to mention super easy to make, check here my no bake chocolate energy bar recipe to get started.
Energy bites: Another variation from the energy bar recipe. I choose oats, nut butter and seeds in combinations that make the final recipe protein rich. Also eating oats helps maintain a steady stream of sugar in the blood, that’s why I like oat energy ball recipes as summer snacks for kids. Gives them the energy as they play.
Smoothies: A refreshing and calorie intense snack after a day out in the sun. Add nut butter and seeds like watermelon seeds, sunflower seeds, and hemp seeds to add some healthy fats to the mix. Some of our go-to smoothie combinations are 1) blueberry, soymilk with almond butter, 2) strawberries and peanut butter smoothie, 3) mango, pineapple, spinach leaves green smoothie 4) bananas, date, barley grass juice powder, coconut water and maple syrup 5) Indian summer smoothie: Mango, almond milk topped with roasted almonds. Definitely, try no.5 this summer and watch your kids gulp it down in one go!.
Rawnola: Is made using nuts, seeds and using dates as a binding agent. Rawnola is a great energy-boosting snack on its own or you can use it as a topping for the smoothies or breakfast porridge you make. I serve rawnola as a snack along with fresh coconut and fruit of the day at home. It pairs well with bananas and mangoes. Wondering, how to make rawnola? Soak 2 handfuls of cashews and almonds in water for 20 minutes. Then to blender add a cup of oats, 2 Medjool dates, 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut, along with the nut mixture and blitz. Don’t blitz until its fine texture, you need it to have a coarse texture to look like granola. That’s it this mixture can now be eaten as is with fruit, or with smoothies and porridge. Store in the refrigerator.
Coconut cream: Another super easy summer snack to make at home. Blitz tender coconut in a mixer. The texture should become light and slightly foamy. This can be served chilled and topped with rawnola and summer fruits like mango, pomegranate or berries.
Hummus with vegetable sticks: This spread should be a mainstay in your family diet. Its rich in protein and iron and paired with vegetables like celery, carrots or even baked tortilla chips it makes a perfect summer snack. For an interesting take on the regular hummus check this hummus recipe using rajma (kidney beans).
Smoothie bowls: A smoothie bowl is a regular smoothie taken to the next level. I love decorating smoothie bowls for my son. For a summer themed mango smoothie bowl, use ½ chopped mango, 1 banana, 100 ml almond milk, and blend. Pour into the bowl and top with hemp seeds, chia seeds, berries like raspberries, blueberries (optional) and finely chopped almonds or rawnola. That’s one yummy bowl of deliciousness.
Apple and peanut butter sandwiches: You have probably seen these on Pinterest and they are so insanely easy to make it’s a shame if you don’t try this combination. Cut thin slices of apples and apply peanut butter and serve.
Banana boats: I recently tried to involve my son in some child-friendly cooking. Read assembling of ingredients while making a mess! Ha! Anyway, it was a lot of fun, and since he made these on his own he ate a lot! We used peanut butter and our homemade Nutella as a spread. You can also use any other nut butter of your choice like almond, macadamia, or cashew nut butter. For toppings, we used desiccated coconut (because that’s all we had at home that day) but once again you can make your own combinations using cacao nibs, almond flakes, dry roasted oats, as toppings.
Fruit and yogurt parfait: These can double as a busy morning breakfast or as a cold snack for summer. Add homemade granola or rawnola as a topping. In a glass, alternate between layers of fruit, yogurt, and granola of your choice until the glass is filled. Chill in the fridge and serve the kids when they return from their play outside. For a vegan version replace yogurt with vegan coconut yogurt or coconut cream.
Cheesecake cups: A while back I made these no bake vegan cheesecake cups. The base is made with nuts like almonds or walnuts instead of biscuits. And the cheesecake part is made using coconut cream. The kids will love this dessert snack and will definitely be coming back for more. At the same time, you can be assured you are giving them a snack made of clean ingredients, unlike other store-bought sugary treats. One of my new favorite cold snacks for hot days.
Guacamole with baked chips and vegetable sticks: An easy recipe to make guacamole: take 1 ripe avocado cut and mash with a fork in a bowl, then add half a finely chopped onion, 1 tomato, and handful of chopped coriander. Squeeze a little lemon for flavor, along with salt and pepper. Simple and easy summer dip to go with a variety of sides.
Homemade popcorn: Popcorn is suited for children above the age of 5. I would like to add a word of caution, don’t offer popcorn to toddlers even if they have teeth. Precaution is always better, check this list of foods that pose a choking risk to know more.
Lettuce wraps: An easy refreshing snack for summer. A great way to serve homemade guacamole is to spread it on a clean crunchy lettuce leaf, top with hemp seeds and wrap it. Lettuce is cool and refreshing on a hot day and this way your child learns to eat his greens too.
Indian Summer Snacks
Chilled sprouts summer salad: In a bowl mix millets or couscous, with sprouts, cucumber, tomato, and onions. Season with lime, pepper and some salt. Serve chilled. This salad is a great way to include millets in your child’s diet. Another variation is to add potatoes and black chana to this mix and make a date chutney to go with this combination. It tastes amazing and the kids love the spicy and sweet flavors.
Aamrus: This is a classic summer treat in India. You need a couple of sweet ripe mangoes that you puree. You may add sugar when making a puree, or go without it. Either way, aamrus or mango puree is a superb summer snack packed with vitamins and antioxidants that can be paired with roti or had as is.
Bhel Puri: To make bhel puri baby friendly sans the fried sev and other tidbits follow this recipe: In a bowl take kurmura (puffed rice), 1 chopped boiled potato, 2 tablespoon of boiled chickpeas, add 1/2 chopped onion, 1/2 chopped tomato along with a dash of rock salt and finely chopped coriander leaves. Pair this with a combination of mild mint chutney and date chutney. Baby-friendly bhel puri is ready.
These are some healthy summer snacks we will be enjoying as a family this year. What summer snacks did you have as a child? Also, do you have easy and healthy child-friendly snack recipes for me? I would love to know your ideas too, leave me a comment below.
I promised you all more healthy toddler meal ideas and here is a peak at what my toddler eats in a week. Hope this inspires you to make some creative and healthy meals for your littles. The last post got an overwhelming response from so many mothers. I was pinged on Instagram and Facebook asking me to do more of these. I am sincerely touched by the response to my toddler meal ideas. And I hope that these types of blog posts help you plan your family meals better.
If you have followed me for a while now, you know I love simple cooking and one pot type of recipes. I don’t have time in the day to cook elaborate meals for my family as I also work from home on my blog.
There are three areas I focus on when cooking; incorporating more greens, healthy fats and proteins. All of these are important for growing children. This also ensures that every meal my son eats is satiating and nourishing.
Toddlers are constantly moving and eat tiny meals at a time. That is why I focus on adding healthy fats like nut powders, nut butter, seeds, avocados, and coconuts wherever I can. I have already written an in-depth blog post on how I add healthy fats to my child’s diet. You can read that blog post to know more.
Disclaimer: Once again I would like to remind you I am not a nutritionist and neither am I promoting any specific diet plan for kids. This post is all about a mother sharing healthy toddler meal ideas with another.
Besides meals our toddler is also breastfeeding at the moment.
Okay now that all the disclaimers are out of the way, let’s look at the yummy meals.
What my toddler eats in a week – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Healthy Toddler Meal Ideas
Monday
Monday Breakfast – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Monday Lunch – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Monday Dinner – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Breakfast – Oats porridge (made in soymilk, added flax powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds and almond butter) with strawberries
Snack 1 – Muskmelon and papaya
Lunch – Rice, mixed veggie (Cauliflower, peas, and potatoes) and coconut curry
Snack 2 – Strawberries, banana and besan Chilla (Gramflour pancake)
Dinner – Mixed veggie pasta (Homemade tomato base with broccoli, mushroom and peas.)
Tuesday
Tuesday Breakfast – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Tuesday Lunch – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Tuesday Dinner – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Breakfast – Masala dosa with chutney
Snack 1 – Sweet potato
Lunch – Rice, chana dal curry, and potato sabzi
Snack 2 – Strawberry, blueberries, coconut water, and coconut meat.
Dinner – Rice, chana dal curry, spinach sabzi and potato sabzi
Wednesday
Wednesday Breakfast – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Wednesday Snack – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Wednesday Dinner – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Breakfast – Upma
Snack 1 – Muskmelon and walnuts powder (powder of 2-3 walnuts)
Lunch – Rice, dal and methi sabzi (Fenugreek leaves)
Snack 2 – 2 Quail eggs and muskmelon
Dinner – Rice, dal and peas sabzi
Thursday
Thursday Breakfast – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Thursday Lunch- Healthy toddler meal ideas
Thursday Snack – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Breakfast – Chappati and almond butter roll
Snack 1 – Strawberry and walnuts powder
Lunch – Broccoli and potato soup, mushroom and carrots quinoa
Snack 2 – Strawberries and blueberries
Snack 3 – Chappati and almond butter roll with half cup soy milk
Dinner – Same as lunch with homemade potato fries
Friday
Friday Lunch – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Friday Snack 2 – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Friday Snack 3 – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Breakfast – Chappati and almond butter roll
Snack 1 – Sprouts bowl with a date and tamarind sauce
Lunch – Rice, dal, mushroom sabzi and capsicum sabzi
Snack 2 – 2 Quail eggs
Snack 3 – Smoothie bowl contains banana, strawberries, topped with chia seeds, desiccated coconut, hemp seeds and blueberries.
Dinner – Rice, dal and capsicum sabzi
Saturday
Saturday Breakfast – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Saturday Lunch – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Saturday Snack – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Breakfast – Upma
Snack 1 – Upma and walnuts powder
Lunch – Quinoa, matki (Moth beans) sabzi and bindi (Okra) sabzi. Little one requested for quinoa instead of rice.
Snack 2 – Sprouts with date and tamarind sauce
Dinner – Rice, dal, matki, bhindi sabzi and dosa
Sunday
Sunday Breakfast – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Sunday Snack – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Sunday Lunch – Healthy toddler meal ideas
Breakfast – Dosa and coconut chutney
Snack 1 – Malida topped with raisins and pomegranate.
Lunch – Rice, dal, methi sabzi and besan chilla
Snack 2 – Banana and oats pancake with honey and almond butter.
That was all the toddler meals for a week. If you have a toddler who is picky about foods you can read about my strategies to get children excited about healthy eating. These are the same steps I used to get my son interested in eating green leafy vegetables, vegetables like broccoli and a whole other rainbow colors of foods. Patience and consistency work well during the toddler years to set healthy eating habits for life. Happy eating to you all!
What to pack in the lunch box for kids? This is a question every mother faces on a daily basis. We want to provide healthy nutritious meals along with variety to keep our kids interested. Masala dosas are a healthy option for the lunch box and making something like a masala dosa wrap makes this simple Indian dish look interesting to the little ones.
This post is sponsored by Slurrp farm. However, all opinions and views expressed are my own.
Our grandmothers made a variety of dosas using nutritious combinations of grains that gave each bite that much needed boost. However, with our modern lives, we have moved away from many of these traditional recipes.
Enter Slurrp farm run by two young mothers that is now a leading Indian health food brand for children and families. It is their mission to provide a 100% natural alternative to junk food. All their recipes are high in nutrition from whole grain flours, millets, good fats like butter, real fruit and vegetables. They work hard to be low on refined sugar, flours and have no trans-fats at all. Their intention is to revive traditional superfoods like the vast variety of millets available in India.
Their current product range contains Baby Cereals made with organic ingredients; and Cookies with all-natural ingredients, whole grains, and no transfat. Recently they launched a range of Millet Pancakes and Millet Dosas which are made with lots of traditional super grains.
What is so special about millets?
Millets are grains that are rich in calcium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and antioxidants. Along with this, they contain protein and fiber. In fact, traditional Indian recipes used a lot of millets as a source of vegetarian protein. Millets are a forgotten food in this day and age since we have all moved on to using food products that are processed and easy to cook for lack of time. But if you look at the benefits of including millets in your and baby’s diet it becomes important to revive these traditional recipes. Millets are versatile grains to cook with. You can use them in pilafs, soups, porridge, and salads.
Brands like Slurrp farm are bringing millet back to the table in their baby cereals, dosa, and pancake mix so that the modern mom can still whip up these traditional recipes in half the time required to prepare them.
I was sent some of their dosa and pancake mixes to try. These are so delicious and easy to make. You can feel the love that has gone into designing each recipe.
I have made many pancake mixes with different types of millet flours as a quick healthy snack option for home but rarely do I get the flavor profile just right. That is why I appreciate the perfect blend of spices used in these Slurrp farm mixes.
We tried the Slurrp farm millet dosa mix with spinach. It contains:
Foxtail millet (Navane/Thinnai/Kangni),
Moong Daal (Green Dal),
Toor Dal (Red Gram),
Chana Dal (Bengal Gram),
Urad Dal (Black Gram),
Spinach,
Dehydrated Onion, and a blend of spices.
To add a fun twist, rather than using this mix for a regular masala dosa, I tried a masala dosa wrap with a broccoli and potato filling. Such a masala dosa wrap can be a breakfast, snack or lunch box option. It’s yummy and filling.
Masala dosa wrap with broccoli and potato filling
Masala Dosa Wrap
Ophira
Yummy millet and spinach dosa with a broccoli and potato filling.
1. Add a cup of water to the dosa mix and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes.2. In the meantime heat oil in a pan and add tadka elements (curry leaves, mustard seeds, and jeera) let the seeds splutter.3. Then add garlic, and onion and cook until the onion is golden brown.4. Add the boiled and chopped potato and broccoli pieces. Mix well.5. Add salt and turmeric and cook for about 10 minutes. The vegetable filling for the dosa is ready.6. Now moving on to preparing the dosa for the wrap. On a hot pan pour out your batter in a nice round shape. Let this cook for about 5 minutes until you start seeing tiny aeration holes on the dosa.7. Break an egg on the dosa and evenly spread it around the dosa. Let this cook for another 5 minutes.8. Once you feel the egg and dosa are cooked thoroughly add in your potato broccoli filling.9. Wrap it up and serve in 2 halves. Yummy Slurrpfarm Spinach Dosa Wrap ready!
Pictures of recipe in progress
Masala Dosa Wrap- sautee the onions
Masala Dosa Wrap – broccoli potato filling
Masala Dosa Wrap – cook the Slurrp farm millet dosa
Masala Dosa Wrap – spread an egg evenly on the dosa
Masala Dosa Wrap is ready!
My son devoured his masala dosa wrap in 5 minutes. He loves broccoli and potatoes so the vegetable surprise inside the dosa was exciting for him.
If you want to pack this masala dosa wrap in your child’s lunchbox cut the wrap in half and cover each individual piece in aluminum foil. There is no need for any dipping sauce or chutney in my opinion since the dosa mix itself is flavored with spices. But if you like something extra you can add a coconut chutney and peanut powder as sides with the dosa.
Best uses for the Slurrp farm dosa and pancake mixes
These mixes are a great option for fussy eaters in order to meet their nutritional gaps.
To have on hand at home on days you are busy and don’t have time to whip up a snack from scratch for your little ones. In fact, Slurrp farm dosas are a great snack option to cut out the unwanted sugary snacks.
We practiced baby-led weaning, and if you read my post on traveling with a baby led weaning child you know how much preparation I go through before we leave for our trip just to ensure nutritious foods are available for my son to eat as we travel long distances in the car. This dosa mix is a great option to have on hand when you are going on a journey and want to carry homemade and hygienic food for your little ones. And it’s a bonus that these include healthy super grains.
Millets are gluten free, so these can be enjoyed by people suffering from celiac disease, or gluten allergies too. Clean eating was never so easy.
What my toddler eats in a week – Healthy toddler meal ideas
