What should I consider when giving snacks to toddlers & babies?
Easy to hold: So that your child can hold their food easily and independently, you should always cut finger food into a suitable size.
No nuts: Almonds or walnuts do contain healthy fats, but they also have components that small children can have difficulty digesting and that can cause stomach aches. In addition, they are hard and difficult to chew.
Soft: Even babies can, after a few months of breastfeeding, slowly be introduced to complementary foods and not only purees. So that they can break down food without teeth, everything should have a soft consistency.
Big enough: The fine motor skills of babies and toddlers are not yet very developed. For this reason, finger food that is easy to grasp and hold is best.
Avoid round foods: Round foods with a smooth surface, such as grapes, olives, or cherry tomatoes, are not suitable as finger food for young babies because there is a high risk of choking.
Not without supervision: Finger food is intended to help your baby slowly learn to eat independently. Still, you should always be present so you can intervene immediately if your child chokes.\r
What is suitable as finger food for babies and toddlers?
Rusk & rice cakes: They can be softened with saliva and then sucked on.
Cucumber: Peeled and cut into handy pieces, cucumbers are tasty and refreshing.
Melon: Without seeds, this sweet fruit is a finger-food hit in summer.
Pumpkin: Especially Hokkaido pumpkin can be steamed well with the skin on. The bright color and slightly sweet taste make it particularly popular with children.
Bread: Without crust, your child can freely suck and taste. Spelt, rye, or mixed breads are better and more nutritious than white bread.
Bananas: The classic finger food. They are soft, sweet, and tasty and fit wonderfully into little hands.
Pasta: Soft-cooked and only lightly seasoned, pasta in all sorts of variations is a very popular snack that's quick and easy to prepare.
Carrot: This colorful and slightly sweet vegetable is best cooked or steamed.
Avocado: The healthy fats and nutrients in avocado promote your child's growth. Additionally, the soft texture is especially pleasant on toothless gums.
Pear: Sweet and soft are qualities that babies and toddlers appreciate. At first you can peel the pear or lightly steam it so that it's easier to digest.
Cheese: As a savory finger food, you can offer your child cheese cubes from around the 8th month. However, only from pasteurized milk.
Delicious snack recipes for babies and toddlers
Sugar-free waffles
35g butter
2 eggs
200g quark
100g spelt flour
2 tbsp oats
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and cook the batter in a waffle iron. The soft waffles have an interesting shape due to the honeycomb pattern and can be easily held by little fingers.
Banana cookies
1-2 ripe bananas
Oats as needed
Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Mash the ripe bananas with a fork until a liquid mass forms. Then gradually mix oats into the banana mixture to form a dough. It should not be too liquid so the cookies have a good consistency after baking. Use a tablespoon to portion the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Couscous balls
6 tbsp couscous
Double the amount of water
A splash of lemon juice
Fruit or vegetables of your choice, for example zucchini, carrots, or apple.
Bring the couscous and water to a boil until all the liquid is absorbed. Then let the mixture cool briefly. Add a splash of lemon juice and knead well with your fingers. Grate fruit or vegetables with a kitchen grater and add to the couscous. Form small balls from the mixture and, if desired, pan-fry them.
Small meatballs
250g minced meat, preferably beef
4 tbsp breadcrumbs
150 g low-fat quark
1 egg
1 tsp mustard
A pinch of salt and pepper
Some rapeseed oil for frying
Mix all ingredients well and form into small meatballs. Fry everything in a little oil and let cool on a paper towel. Be careful not to season the meatballs too strongly.
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Image credits
Children's hands reach for cucumbers, a banana, noodles on a wooden plate © LaMantarraya - stock.adobe.com
Woman holds a plate with Belgian waffles in her hands © Anikonaann - stock.adobe.com Banana cookies © kikisora - stock.adobe.com
Cooked couscous with coriander in a ceramic bowl on a concrete background © nesavinov - stock.adobe.com
Homemade meat patties on a ceramic plate © ffphoto - stock.adobe.com