In need of a little inspiration to help you give your toddlers healthy and tasty snacks, why not try these ideas?

Fresh Fruit

Fresh fruit is a great snack option for toddlers – it’s naturally sweet and packed with vitamin goodness. Seasonal fruit is a great option as it’s often cheaper and tastes even better. Soft fruit is perfect, but don’t forget to chop or peel fruit such as pears, grapes, peaches, etc as larger fruit could be a choking hazard.

Suggestions:

Banana – soft and easy to carry around!

Melon and/or mango – sliced or chunked

Raspberries, strawberries, grapes or blueberries – don’t forget to cut up blueberries and halve the grapes!

Apricots or plums – cut in half, stoned and sliced.

Or, why not try making a fruit kebab? It’s a great way to introduce toddlers to a whole variety of different fruit, with each piece of fruit cut up into perfect bite-sized chunks!*

Canned Fruit

Canned fruit can also be a great way to not only introduce toddlers to a variety of different fruit, but it’s also ready-prepared and a great store cupboard staple. However, care must be taken when purchasing tinned fruit because it’s important to avoid canned fruit that comes in syrup rather than fruit juice. Tinned fruit in syrup is packed full of added sugar and should be avoided – it’s best to purchase canned fruit in fruit juice or – better still – tinned fruit that specifically states ‘no added sugar’ on the label.

Dried Fruit

Again, a fantastic store cupboard staple that’s great for busy parents (is there any other kind?). Raisins, currants, blueberries or cranberries are the perfect size for your little one, though you could also try bigger dried fruit such as prunes, dates or apricots (though remember to cut larger fruit into raisin-sized pieces to help prevent choking).

As with any food, it’s important to ensure that you keep an eye on your little one as they eat and – especially with dried fruit which is especially chewy and sugary – you might want to brush their teeth after they’ve eaten to prevent the buildup of bacteria that can lead to tooth decay.

*Please use ‘toddler-friendly’ skewers.