Toddler Snacks: Healthy and Easy Ideas for Your Little One

Once your baby turns one, they're officially a toddler! Welcome to the thrilling (and sometimes chaotic) world of toddlerhood, packed with new milestones and skills. Alongside these exciting developments come some changes and a few adjustments.

Your toddler may eat less as their growth slows compared to the rapid growth in their first year. This is also when picky eating ramps up, causing dinnertime drama and the occasional food-throwing tantrum. Plus, we're slowly phasing out milk feeds, shifting towards solid foods as their main source of nutrition.

Whether you're using snack time to help with weaning or to give your toddler a nutritional boost between meals, snacks are an important part of your toddler's diet. When done right, snacks can provide essential calories and nutrients to support their growth and development. To help guide us through snack time, we're turning to pediatric dietitian Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN.

What makes a good toddler snack?

Not all snacks are created equal and some are more nutritious than others. For toddlers, it's important to keep specific nutrition and safety considerations in mind. Here are a few key things to consider when choosing a snack for your toddler:

Nutrient-dense

Toddlers, especially picky ones, usually eat smaller portions, so every bite should count. Snacks for toddlers don't have to be typical "snacky" foods—they can be mini meals or small portions of dinner leftovers. Focus on nutrient-dense foods like avocado, cheese, eggs and nut butters. “Proper nourishment is essential during this critical period of growth and development. But they don’t have huge stomachs. So we want to fill them with nutrient-dense foods, even at snack time, to make sure their bodies get everything they need,” explains Barnes.

Health-promoting

According to Barnes, it’s important to choose snacks that provide health benefits, like vitamins and minerals that support healthy growth and development. Opt for whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and dairy products, which offer a wide range of essential nutrients. For example, calcium from dairy products supports bone growth, while omega-3s from nuts and seeds boost brain health.

Limit added sugars

While sweets and desserts can be part of a toddler's diet, it's best to limit them. Naturally sweetened foods like fruit are a great option instead. Avoiding added sugars entirely is unrealistic, especially when it comes to packaged snacks. Barnes suggests choosing snacks with six grams of added sugar or less per serving. This way, your toddler won’t have drastic blood sugar crashes, which can lead to a moody and irritable kiddo.

Satiating foods

It's important to choose snacks that keep your toddlers fueled and satisfied between meals. Barnes explains that snacks with a few grams of protein or fibre are key to keeping kids fuller for longer. When planning snack time, try pairing carbohydrate-rich snacks like fruits and crackers with protein and fat sources like nut butter or hard-boiled eggs. And when you choose a cracker or bread-like snack, opt for one with a couple of grams of fibre too.

Avoid choking hazards

Steer clear of foods that can pose a choking risk such as small, round foods like whole blueberries or grapes, and anything hard, sharp, sticky, gummy, rubbery, or super slippery.

Healthy snack ideas for toddlers

Here are a few toddler snack ideas, whether you're whipping them up at home or tossing a store-bought one in your diaper bag when you’re on the go:

Banana with peanut butter

Banana and peanut butter is a classic healthy toddler snack for a good reason—it's sweet, nutty, and packed with a ton of nutrition in each bite. You can get creative with it: slice the banana into thin rings and drizzle peanut butter on top for banana nachos, or cut the banana into spears for dipping into peanut butter. For an extra fun twist, Barnes recommends adding colourful sprinkles on top (because who doesn't love sprinkles?).

Cheese and crackers

If your toddler is in the mood for a salty snack, cheese and crackers are a reliable choice that kids love. Choose crackers made from whole grains which have more fibre than those made from refined grains. To minimize choking risks, offer thin slices of cheese paired with whole-grain crackers that are softer in texture (tougher crackers can have sharp edges).

Cottage cheese and fruit

Cottage cheese and fruit is another fan-favourite, especially if your kiddo craves a sweet and salty combo. Mix it up by adding fresh fruit like sliced mango or melon, or get creative with freeze-dried fruit. You can even stir in some applesauce for extra flavour. And if you want another reason to amp up nutrition, sprinkle in Tiny Spouts Brain Booster, which is packed with hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, for those essential omega-3s to support brain health.

Snack bars

We're big fans of snack bars, especially when they're made with filling and nutritious ingredients. But with so many options at the grocery store, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. When browsing the snack bar aisle, prioritize bars with low added sugars and natural sweeteners like fresh or dried fruit. Look for bars that also offer a good amount of healthy fats and/or protein to keep your child satisfied longer. That's why we love Happy Wolf bars—they're sweetened with dates and honey, provide three grams of protein and two grams of fibre, and they're allergen-free, making them safe for nut-free schools or daycare.

Hummus and veggies

If there's one thing we know about toddlers, it's that they absolutely love to dip. It makes meals more interactive and fun, which is why we often turn to sliced veggies and hummus as a go-to snack idea. Hummus is rich in healthy fats from tahini and protein from chickpeas and pairs perfectly with sliced cucumbers or bell peppers.

Yogurt and cereal

While typically a breakfast option, yogurt and cereal also make a fantastic snack choice. Opt for unsweetened yogurt to avoid extra sugar, and consider yogurt made from whole milk for the added fat toddlers need. We like Greek yogurt because it usually has about 15 grams of protein per serving. For cereal, choose ones that are lightly or minimally sweetened, like the unsweetened Three Wishes cereal which has zero sugar, eight grams of protein and three grams of protein per serving. And if your toddler prefers a touch of sweetness, you can add a drizzle of honey or mix in some applesauce—this way, you control how much sugar goes in.

Easy Toddler Snack Recipes

For those of us who appreciate quick and easy toddler snacks, Barnes is sharing her favourite toddler snack recipes that don't even require a recipe. These ideas are so easy that you'll have them memorized and ready to whip up on repeat.

• Peanut butter banana “nice” cream: Cut four extra-large bananas into slides and freeze. Once frozen, add the bananas to a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Add in two tablespoons of peanut butter and blend again. Serve immediately, or freeze for an additional two hours for a harder “ice cream” consistency.
• Smashed avocado tortilla: Add mashed avocado and a sprinkle of sea salt to a whole wheat tortilla. Fold over and slice into small pieces or strips.
• Pumpkin pie yogurt: Combine four ounces of plain, full-fat yogurt, two to three tablespoons of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), ½ teaspoon of pure maple syrup, half a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and a dash of vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and combined.

On-the-Go Toddler Snacks

For toddlers with busy schedules, whether they're at daycare, school, or joining you for a day of errands, having portable and mess-free snacks on hand is key. Here are some of our favourite toddler-friendly snacks that are perfect for on-the-go snacking:

• Pouches: We love a good ‘ol fruit and veggies pouch but we also love the Once Upon a Farm Overnight Oats pouches because they pack in four grams of protein and four grams of fibre, and are loaded with nutritious ingredients like fruit, oatmeal, pumpkin seed, and coconut milk.
• Toddler trail mix: Barnes' idea of toddler trail mix is a hit in our home. Mix up a safe blend without whole or large chunks of nuts, and instead fill up a bag with dry cereal, freeze-dried fruit, and yogurt melts (yum).
• Mini sandwich bites: Flatten a slice of whole wheat bread using a cup or rolling pin. Spread on a thin layer of hummus and shredded carrots or peanut butter and fruit spread. Roll up and slice into pieces or cut into mini sandwich squares. You can even try this with French toast.

Tips for Encouraging Healthy Snacking Habits

Toddlers are natural snackers, but they’re also famous for skipping meals and relying solely on snacks. Establishing a snacking routine can help set boundaries and reduce the constant requests for pantry raids. Here are some tips to foster healthy snacking habits for your toddlers and the whole family:

• Implement a snack routine: Create a flexible routine that allows your child to snack between meals without grazing all day. Snacks should bridge meals, not replace them or fill them up too much (like endless pantry access).
• Minimize "crunchy air" snacks: Barnes uses this term for foods with little nutritional value that don't satisfy hunger. If your child prefers these snacks, pair them with nutrient-rich foods such as creamy nut butter or cheese to better balance their snack.
• Reframe snack time: Snacks can include whole foods like yogurt and fruit, they don't have to be traditional snack items found in the snack aisle. “Think of snacks more as mini-meals—an opportunity to get them the nutrition they might be missing or low on at meal times,” Barnes says.

Experts

• Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN, founder of Mama Knows Nutrition