Adult snacks for lil ones?

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

My DD is 17mths old, i try and give her as much fruit as possible along with veg etc, every now and then she will have a milk arrowroot biscuit etc but i try and stay away from the processed snacks as much as possible.

That said i have started buying her the baby range of fruit sticks and rice & honey bars for when we go out and i can't keep fruit cool.

I am wondering what you think about a child of this age REGULARLY having an adult SNACK as part of their breakfast?
A friends DD is only 2 days older than mine and she says her daughter has a K-Time Bar with breakfast every day, i personally wouldn't do it as aren't these PACKED full of sugar?

I allow DD to have things some parents don't and i now we are all different but i draw the line and things like this for breakfast and not on a regular basis... is it just me?

Would also love any ideas for new HEALTHY snacks for DD, she loves yoghurt and fruit, at the moment she eats yoghurt, grapes, watermelon, mango, banana and apple basically every day, she also eats sultanas... hmm any healthy muesli bar, snack recipes for lil ones?

[Tinks]

I don't think K Time bars are suitable for kids breakfasts either ZF.

I am yet to find a 'healthy' muesli bar. Perhaps you could mix muesli into your DD's yoghurt.

I cut up carrots, celery, capsicum and put it in a snap lock bag for my kids to eat as a snack, they're alot older than your DD and still love it when I do that.

[Arcadia]

We love the Rafferty's Garden brand here. Its all organic without preservatives. They have vegetable purees in squeeze-me packets that DD adores. I pop one in my bag before I go anywhere and she loves to suck the packet herself (sounds weird, but it works). At least I know its some vegies for the day.

Otherwise, what about some cheese products, or rice cakes with cheese or vegemite? A vegemite sandwhich in my bag is always a winner too.

Its hard isn't it? DD is such a snacker and I struggle to keep enough food in the house for her.

As for muesli slice recipes. I am searching too, but most have sugar...

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

Tinks - good i'm not the only one that thought it odd.

DD doesn't seem to like carrot, maybe if i cut some thin sticks of carrot, celery etc she might like it as snack.

I'm just looking for something different that we can take along with us, she is a wonderful eater (doesn't stop) but it really is getting hard to keep it healthy and interesting for her.

This morning she ate 2 slices of toast, 5 grapes, 2 slices of watermelon and half a mango for breakfast

Lunch is going to be some yoghurt and an apple and she seems to like the light salada's but i'm not into giving her them much as i think they have a bit of salt.

Hopefully someone has some interesting baby recipes, am off to search the forums over the next couple of days for child friendly recipes, i know you girls all have HEAPS

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I bake snacks for DS. He loves flapjack and banana cake, and asks to help make them when I say we don't have any in. Although those do have sugar in.

I was classed as "nasty mummy" by a childless au pair because I didn't want my 1-year-old to have crisps a couple of years back, because of the salt. The 6mo she looked after was allowed them by the parents. I was being silly. How DARE anyone say that? I told her off for that one. I don't mind other parents screwing up their children, just don't tell me to screw mine up like that.

[Lewis's Mummy]

We're lucky here in that as long as there are bananas, strawberries or carrots in the house DS is perfectly fine - I realised the other day he had eaten very little besides fruit and veg and a slice of bread for the day... he likes meat too, so dinner is usually fine. I tried having those Heinz toddler snacks on hand for when we got out, but he never took to them at all anyway. In the end I usually just throw a banana or vegemite sandwich in my bag for when we're out. He does enjoy some home made snacks, however - he loves home made biscuits, which he helps me make and which means I can at least control what's in them and modify the recipe if necessary. Pikelets are also very well received and I don't usually add much sugar to them and he's perfectly happy to have them plain. I also received a great recipe book for toddlers from a work colleague - Women's Weekly Fresh Food for Babies and Toddlers. DS LOVES the ABC mini-muffins... Apple, banana and chocolate - I've managed to adapt them a bit to suit us too and there's not really much in the way of chocolate in them anyway. Sometimes we end up with Apricot, banana and orange ones, or appple, banana and blueberry - you can get creative from the basic recipe. There's also a recipe for muesli slice in the book and you could reduce the sugar and butter to suit your needs, it might just take a bit of trial and error. I keep meaning to check out some of Annabel Karmel's recipe books, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Have heard lots of good stuff about them.

[Laranna]

K-time bars are yuk! I wouldn't eat them myself as a snack.

DS usually snacks on fruit (watermelon, grapes, rockmelon, kiwi fruit, strawberries, apple, banana, anything really!) and yoghurt and sultanas. He loves these dried apple things that are bear shapes called Frubears. They're in the organic/health food section at Woolies. I always have a little container with those and sultanas in them in our bag. Other snacks, I usually bake some blueberry muffins. Sometimes he has a cruskit with vegemite. I cut up little cubes of cheese off the block as well.

[Jennifer13]

Grape and cherry tomatoes were always a fave with DD when she was little. Small cubes of cheese as well. She also loves celery. Avocado sandwiches were another easy snack.

We tried rice cakes for a while (check out the nutritional tables for low sodium and sugar), but I kinda stick to taking a piece of fruit with us instead.

[jackrose]

I find I need to rotate a lot, something which is in favour and is gobbled up one minute is refused the next. I figure it is something to do with children sorting out their own nutritional needs and seeking what they need to eat. Based on that theory, I try to offer a range of 'healthy' snacks (as much as possible) to hit the target.

I'm with you on the K-time bars - nasty things. Having them regularly sounds terrible to me! Not to mention expensive! Each to their own.

We love the rafferty's garden squeezy puree here too for snacks on the go. These are also a bit exxy to use regularly, but for food when we are out, I think they are awesome. Problem for me now is that DD is nearly 2 1/2 so she downs one in such a short time!

Other things I love is legumes such as chickpeas and beans. DD loves to pop them in her mouth and they are easy to travel with too. I make my own museli - toasted and often take a little container with me for DD to snack on. It does have honey in it but I can manage the amount when I make my own and I prefer honey to processed sugar. I also get to add heaps of goodies when I make my own like Allbran, puffed rice (from the health section with nothing added, just brown rice not rice bubbles!) and sesame seeds. DD loves picking all the little bits to eat.

Little tins of tuna are another popular snack for us too. It is a bit messier to take out but with good wipes all mess can be sorted!

Otherwise, cucumbers, cherry tomatos, frozen grapes, berries (frozen too) all get time at the top of the favourite rotation...

[~Kim~]

Ick.
If I wouldn't buy it for me then I certainly wouldn't let the kids have it.
That said, if I'm eating something then I can't refuse it to them IYKWIM? Kind of hypocritical IMO.
We have a good varied diet that usually doesn't involve much rubbish, but I often see parents who say oh my kid has no rubbish to eat, but will happily chow down on some Maccas themselves.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

Amanda, out of interest - did you keep this ideal up? Does your son eat all of this? Do you use snack food? How old is your son? Given your username and recommendations, do you work for "yummum"?

I drempt of a perfect eater too. My 3-year-old tells me his favourite meal is porridge and if I tell him he can eat sausage, beans and chips I get knocked over with the hug of love.

I cannot give my son quite a bit of your suggestions as he can't have dairy. Also I do NOT put salt in his food, nor do I reccomend other parents do that.