When your baby reaches the age of 5-6 months, he/she is probably ready for some complementary foods. Breast milk and baby formula aren’t enough for proper nourishment anymore. So, it’s time to introduce solid foods to your little one. However, babies can be a bit picky about what they agree to eat, especially if it’s unfamiliar food, and parents have to think of some ways to arouse a child’s interest to provide the needed nutrition every day. Let us suggest a few interesting and healthy snack ideas for your precious one.
Except for ordinary breastfeeding or formula feeding your 6-month-old baby, it’s advised to add healthy mini-meals or snacks between meals to give some extra energy and building material to a growing little body. Especially if your kid is active and moves around a lot.
What is a healthy baby snack?
Healthy snacks for babies should meet the following conditions:
- they’re safe for a child – make sure a snack doesn’t contain any ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction, there are no dangerous chemicals and no choking hazards;
- they’re healthy – a baby snack has to contain vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and other useful nutrients. At the same time, it should be sugar-free, not spicy, and gentle on a baby’s tummy;
- they’re tasty – if we, adults, refuse to eat healthy but flavorless or disgusting snacks, how can we ask our children to do so? Especially babies. A snack should be delicious, with yummy flavors and interesting textures;
- they’re age-appropriate – obviously, infants can’t chew and swallow snacks that are made for toddlers, so it’s important to give a baby food that he/she is already able to eat and digest.
When you’re thinking about giving a healthy mini-meal or snack to your little one, you have two main options: homemade and commercial baby snacks. The former are more affordable, and eco-friendlier, and you know what ingredients they contain. The latter are more convenient to use, less time-consuming to make, undergo strict testing, and have a longer shelf-life. It’s up to you whether to cook a snack for your kid at home or buy a commercial snack, like some best European baby cereal or a tasty fruit pouch. Consider your budget, the amount of free time you have, and your baby’s tastes.
Variety of mini-meals and snacks for babies
Baby food products that can be the perfect healthy snack:
- cereal or fruit porridge
- fruit pouches
- cereal snack sticks
- fruit muesli
- fruit muesli snack bars
- cereal crunchy puffs
Most babies and toddlers love these healthy mini-meals and snacks and will gladly eat them between real meals. So, if your baby is a picky eater, try one or several of those. Notice that respectable manufacturers protect their reputation, so it’s usually better to buy baby snacks from well-known and respected brands.
Here are just a few ideas of popular healthy baby snacks of European baby food brands: HiPP Organic Semolina Milk Porridge, HiPP Organic Berries Muesli, Holle Spelt Biscuits, Holle Junior Multigrain Muesli with Fruit, HiPP Baby snack millet sticks, Holle Rice & Lentil Crunchy Baby Puffs, Holle Snack Bars, etc.
