Healthy eating is important for everyone; for Littlies, their Mums & Dads and Grandparents too! Establishing healthy eating habits early in life is important as it can impact on health later on.
Snacks are important for young children but they generally only need to be small, just enough to keep them satisfied to the next meal. There are plenty of yummy healthy foods you can offer that will provide important nutrients as well as energy. It's a good idea to offer 'tooth friendly' snacks to help keep their developing teeth strong and free of dental cavities.
Choose snacks from the following suggestions:
Daily
- Cheese – sticks, slices, cubes or grated
- Fruit – sliced, cut, or pottles
- Vegetable sticks – carrots, cucumber, capsicum, broccoli with hummus or yoghurt dips
- Plain biscuits, fruit loaf or mini muffins
- Yoghurt
- Cold cooked chicken or meatballs
- Boiled egg
- Mini sandwiches
- Plain crackers – with avocado, peanut butter, marmite or cheese
Weekly
- Nuts (introduce after 3 years if there's a family history of allergy)
- Ice cream
- Diluted fruit juice
Treat foods (special occasions only)
- Sweets, lollies
- Soft drinks and powdered sugary drink mixes
- Crisps
- Hot chips
- Deep fried heavily salted foods
You might also like: Give Your Gut a Healthy Boost