Healthy, Fun Snacks for Toddlers and Kids

Is your child a picky eater? Do you sometimes have a hard time finding healthy snacks that your toddler likes? I know this can be a challenge because I have a 2 year old that doesn't always want to eat what he has on his plate. I've made a list of some of his favorite healthy foods, recipes and snacks that you can also make for you picky eater.

Keep in mind that it's never a good idea to force feed your child, or encourage them to clean their plate. It's always best for them to listen to their hunger signals, and don't worry because they do get hungry. They may not always be hungry at dinner time so save the food for later and try again if this is the case. Some toddlers who are still breastfeeding may prefer the breast over food and this can be a challenge because they are usually not able to get all of their nutrition from breastfeeding alone, although it is a good supplement.

I am in the process of weaning my 2 year old off the breast and some times it seems as though my son would rather just drink breast milk than eat. If it seems as though your child is not eating a range of colorful fruits and vegetables you should buy a whole food children's multi-vitamin and mineral supplement just to be sure they are getting all their vitamins. Supplements are exactly that supplements and they should only be used to supplement a diet and not replace a healthy diet. It is an extra addition similar to having extra insurance; to be sure you cover all the bases.

Best Summer time Snacks

Giving your child fruit is a great way to get vitamins into their system while also giving them something they like. There are some fruits your child may like better than others, but try not to over do it because fruit also contains sugar. Thankfully fruit doesn't contain bad sugars like high fructose corn syrup, but your children should also have plenty of veggies to help balance out their body chemistry. However it's still better to give your child fruit than to let me eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with high fructose corn syrup as the main ingredient in the jelly. If your child does like PB&J sandwiches be sure to buy fruit based jelly without high fructose corn syrup.

Berries are very beneficial to our health for many reasons. They have antioxidants in them which help to stamp out free radicals. Free radicals are responsible for health problems, ageing and many other things. All berries are blood cleansers as well. Most children love berries.

Best Fruits to Give your Child

Strawberries-Cut up some fresh strawberries and put them in a bowl of cheerios for your child. They will benefit from the berries as well as the rolled oats in cheerios. You can also make a healthy smoothie for your child by combining strawberries, bananas, and other fruit in a blender.

Blueberries- These little berries have super antioxidants which help to protect the brain. It is recommended that we eat a cup of blueberries every single day! You can add flavor to granola by adding some blueberries with it.

Raspberries- Another great combination is to add granola with raspberries. What a yummy treat for your little one.

Watermelon- This is a great snack during the summer because watermelon also contains extra water along with other essential vitamins. I love to use fun shaped cookie cutters to cut out watermelon teddy bears, lambs or other shapes for my son to eat. Dressing up fruit is great way to encourage toddlers to choose something healthy to eat.

How to get your Child to eat healthy vegetables

Most children and toddlers feel that vegetables taste bitter so it can be a struggle just to get them to take a few bites. Slathering cheese or healthy butter on veggies is a great way to help buffer this bitter taste and don't worry they need the healthy fats. Just be sure to buy good cheese and butter instead of margarine.

Carrot Sticks- Little baby carrot sticks are great snacks for kids and you can encourage them to eat these little sticks by serving them with a tasty yet healthy ranch dressing. Choose a dressing without MSG as one of the ingredients.

You can also help hide vegetables in other foods that your toddler will eat like meat. You will need a food processor to mix up the veggies in and combine them in healthy lean ground beef or turkey for burgers, spaghetti, meat loaf and other meat dishes. If they can't see the vegetables they don't know they are there and the bitter taste is buffered by the meat.

Making your own home made pizza with veggies and other fresh herbs is another fun way to get the kids involved, and feed them a healthy treat.

There is so much you can do to encourage your child to eat healthier and sneak those good things into their diet. A great book with tons of recipes is Organic Baby and Toddler Cookbook by Lizzie Vann. This is a must have for any parent who wants to give their child a healthy start in life. They have recipes for babies, toddlers, and even school aged children. You will also find info about organic super foods. Some of the recipes are fish tomatoes cakes, pumpkin stew, and cheese potatoes sticks with sesame, and sunflower seeds.