Quick List of Healthy Toddler Snacks For Busy Moms

Are you having one of those days where you’re racking your brain to think of what to feed your child?

Do you need something quick and easy but relatively healthy to fill up their little tummies before the next meal comes along?

If so print out this list of healthy toddler snacks and store your food cupboard with the following items so you’ll never run out of ideas for snack time again. Serve one at a time, or a combo of two or more if you’re feeling crazy!

I always have at least 10 of these items in my fridge and pantry so that Arianna has something to munch on in the late afternoon. Because nobody likes having a hankry (hungry +cranky) child to deal with when the evening rush rolls around and you’re trying to get dinner ready.

I’ve categorized them according to ease of preparation so that if need be, you can just grab and go, or take a little bit more time to put together a healthy bite that you can enjoy together with your child. All of them can be served in under 20 minutes, though. The key is to include a source of protein so that their little tummies stay full and they don’t come back in the next 10 minutes looking for another snack.

Let’s dive right into it.

Difficulty: 1 / 2

Fruits

Nature’s sugar filled with vitamins and minerals. Some can be served whole (yay for apples and bananas!) and some need a bit more fiddling, cutting and slicing. Whatever your choice, fruits are the best healthy toddler snack, in my humble opinion. Which is why I always try to keep a selection in my fridge for my princess Arianna to munch on when she gets peckish. Did you know that most fruit peels are edible? In fact, they contain a host of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants that are just wasted away when we remove them. But make sure to rinse them properly and give them a good scrub to get rid off any pesticides lingering on the skin.

Veggie sticks

This can be a tricky one to pull off. But if you offer it enough, one day, they might deign to take a bite and then, this can be the ultimate healthy toddler (and adult) snack to keep in your fridge. Cucumber is a safe bet, but Arianna also loves her cherry tomatoes. Other vegetables to try are carrot, celery, bell pepper, and even jicama and water chestnut. The last two I remember loving as a child, often begging my own mom to leave me some when I saw her prepping them for a meal. Of course, you can dress them up into interesting shapes to entice your toddler, but I like to go for the no-pressure approach. Just slice it and leave it.

Cheese

This was one of Arianna’s earliest snack. I would offer her a slice of cheddar, torn into small square pieces so her little hands could pick them up easily. They’re a tasty and healthy snack filled with protein and calcium, which is good for their growing bodies. If you’re looking to reduce sodium in your child’s diet, go for other options instead like ricotta, fresh mozzarella and Swiss cheese.

Yogurt

Confession time. This is MY favorite snack of all time. Back when I had gestational diabetes and I wasn’t allowed any ice cream, this was my salvation. I would scoop a dollop of Greek yogurt, top it with some protein powder, nuts/seeds and berries and settle in for some sweet dessert time. Now, of course, I top Arianna’s bowl with honey for sweetness, frozen berries (raspberries are her favorite!) and some ground flaxseeds. Princess approved!

Nut butter

It’s sticky, it’s gooey and it’s packed full of good fats. It also tastes great spread on bread, crackers, mixed into yogurt, or used as a dip with apples, bananas, carrots and celery. Whether it’s peanut, almond, cashew, walnut, or even pumpkin seed butter, they’re all good. Best of all, a healthy toddler snack is just a spoon away. Whether that’s a big or small spoon, now that’s all up to you…

Cereal/ muesli/ granola

Why save this for breakfast? I say have breakfast food all day round. Arianna loves her cereal, but recently, we’ve been steering her towards muesli to try to lower her sugar intake. It also helps to keep her fuller for longer, with the addition of oats and nuts. And all the added fiber means she’s getting regular. Bonus! Have this in moderation, though, because the added sugar in cereal as well as sugar in dried fruit of some muesli can really sneak up on you.

Biscuits/Crackers

I think there’s nothing easier than pulling out some biscuits from the cupboard. But they can be high in sugar, and goodness knows we don’t want to be dealing with a toddler amped up on sugar right before dinnertime. I try to pair these with milk (can be dairy or non-dairy) to bulk it up so that I don’t have to offer so many biscuits. Aside from the sugar, do look out for artificial flavoring, coloring and preservatives. If there’s too many words in the ingredient list that you can’t pronounce, you might want to skip it.

Yogurt drink

Sometimes, Arianna just needs a quick fill me up to stave off the hunger pangs right before dinner. On these occasions, I will offer her a small glass or bottle of yogurt drink. I try to overlook the high sugar content and focus instead on the beneficial probiotics that it has to offer. And it definitely doesn’t hurt that it helps ease her constipation. More importantly, it allows me to go back to getting dinner ready because my hankry child has been appeased by something cold and tasty.

Trail mix

One day, as I was munching on some cashew nuts, Arianna asked to try some. Because they were slightly softer than other nuts, I let her have a bite, and from that moment on, she was hooked. Paired with dried cranberries, it soon became her favorite snack. I did this only recently, however, when I was confident that she could chew properly. Remember to only serve nuts that have been chopped up or sliced, and never let them run or walk around with it, as it can be a choking hazard. Aside from that, this is a great snack because a little goes a long way in keeping them full and the different combination of dried fruits, nuts and seeds are endless!

Difficulty: 2 / 2

Eggs

I love the versatility and convenience of eggs. Unfortunately, it triggers Arianna’s eczema every time. But I’ve prepared boiled eggs and omelets for Olivia, and thankfully, she’s not had a reaction to them. I love how you can batch boil eggs and keep them in the fridge for a quick and filling snack any time. All it takes is 12-14 minutes of boiling in a pot with eggs straight from the fridge, and bam, you have one week’s worth of snack right there. Don’t fancy boiling water? You can even cook them in the air fryer!

Edamame

This is another healthy toddler snack that is as yummy as it is easy to serve. Just pull it out from the freezer, and either boil, steam or microwave it. It’s full of vitamins, minerals and is a source of complete protein. The only downside I can see is that you’ll have to shell them by hand, but get your toddler in on the action so as to practice their fine motor skills.

Popcorn

I never knew popcorn was so easy to make at home until I had to look for a recipe one day. You see, Arianna was demanding for some after seeing it on TV. I blame Peppa Pig… or was it Paw Patrol? Using this recipe, I had the perfect bowl of popcorn in the time it took my pot to heat up, before she even finished watching an episode of Paw Patrol. My favorite topping so far is coconut sugar and sea salt. Perfect for mommy and daughter snack time.

Frozen fruit

Got a bunch of fruits that is ripening faster than you can eat them? Freeze them!

Bananas, watermelon, mangoes, berries, kiwifruit, pineapple, apples, oranges… the list is endless. Just make sure to chop them up into small chunks and freeze each piece separately on a tray, otherwise, you’ll have a big block of ice cube to deal with. Once frozen, just pop everything into a zip lock bag and store in your freezer for up to 6 months. Pull some out and blend for a quick and healthy “nice” cream, or enjoy as is. You can even mix and match fruits for your very own concoction!

Smoothie

If you have a high-powered blender, making a smoothie is as easy as 1-2-3.

Dump all ingredients into the blender. Start with the liquid, followed by ice or frozen fruits, a protein (if you didn’t use milk), oats to bulk it up, and any greens you’d like to sneak in. Sweeteners are optional, but not necessary if you used frozen bananas.
Blitz everything up on high.
Serve in tall glasses and watch your child slurp everything down in glee.

I always keep a bag of frozen bananas in my freezer for a quick smoothie. There are loads of recipes out there but this recipe has been my go to for the past couple of months. Both Arianna and I really enjoy it.

Guacamole/ Hummus

If you need something to dress up those veggie sticks, look no further than dips like guacamole and hummus. They’re relatively easy to rustle up with minimal ingredients, and can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You only need a fork to prepare this guacamole and a food processor/blender for this hummus. Forgo the salt by adding in your own combination of spices. I personally love cumin and paprika, and sometimes go to town with my garlic powder. The danger might be that you end up loving this healthy snack more than your child.

So there you have it, a list of healthy toddler snacks you can whip up in no time at all.

But why limit them to your toddler? Serve them to your whole family! You deserve some healthy snacks, too, mama. We need to fuel our bodies with the right foods if we want to have the energy to keep up with our children.

And don’t underestimate the power of modelling. If they see us eating these healthy snacks often enough, eventually they’ll want to try them, too.

Just remember, no pressure! Let’s aim to set up a healthy relationship with food for our children from young. I hope you’ve found this helpful.

Quick List of Healthy Toddler Snacks For Busy Moms