Complete List of Baby Snacks (healthy ideas & easy recipes) | Baby Foode (2024)

100 Baby Snacks – healthy and easy recipe ideas for babies and toddlers 9 months – 2 years! This post covers when to serve snacks to your baby (and young toddlers), serving sizes, a rundown of my favorite snack containers, PLUS I’m going to share with you over 100 foods and recipes that are the PERFECT healthy snacks for your baby and toddler!

Medically reviewed and co-written byJamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Baby Snacks

Looking for some inspiration for what to feed your baby for snacks?

Then you’ve come to the right place!

Snacks for baby can be as easy as cutting up fresh strawberries and mangos or serving chopped veggies with hummus. They can also be freezer-friendly recipes such as Pumpkin Pancakes, Blender Muffins or Spinach Waffles. And don’t forget those easy on-the-go snacks like Strawberry Applesauce in a reusable pouch or Cheesy Whole-Grain Crackers.

Whatever your baby snacking needs are, this post has got you covered!

Snacks for 9-12 month olds

Babies usually start to become hungrier between meals around this age, so it may be appropriate to start giving snacks. Basically, any mashable food is good to serve to your baby in 2-3 inch strips or chopped into “pea” size pieces. Aim to include at least 2 food groups to make a balanced, nutritious snack.

• Soft fresh fruits- banana, blueberries, kiwi, watermelon, mango, peaches, pears, raspberries, etc.
• Steamed veggies- sweet potatoes, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers, string beans, etc.
• Puffs
• Teether crackers
• Yogurt and fruit
• Cottage cheese and fruit
• Hummus
• Avocado
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Well cooked pasta
• No salt added and rinsed canned beans
• Lentils
• Peanut/almond butter – mixed into yogurt or applesauce or thinly spread on toast
• Low sodium turkey/ham/chicken slices
• Hard-boiled egg
• Egg muffins
• Baby food pouches

Snacks for Toddler (1 year and up)

By this age, toddlers’ diets now rely more on solid foods rather than breastmilk or formula so another snack may be added throughout the day in a larger portion. Toddlers can have any foods a baby can, plus some harder textures, and now honey.

• All of the above foods
• Cheese sticks
• Cheerios or other small, whole-grain cereal
• Freeze-dried fruit
• Rice cakes
• Whole-grain crackers
• Quartered cherry tomatoes

When to Serve Snacks to Baby

You can start giving baby a snack around 9-12 months, as she starts relying more on solid food rather than breastmilk and formula to fill her up. At 12 months, most toddlers get 2-3 snacks a day- between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner, and sometimes after dinner if needed. But keep in mind that every child is different and may need more or less. Pay attention to your child’s cues to see if she is getting hungry in between meal times. It’s best to have a set time for snacks every day for kids since they do best on a routine.

Serving Sizes

Serving sizes will vary from child to child but generally, toddlers need a quarter of the portion an adult does and babies generally just need a few tablespoons. Parents tend to overestimate servings for their children. I recommend starting small to not overwhelm your baby and give seconds if your baby is giving cues. Let baby determine how much to eat. Here are some examples of typical serving size for toddlers:

• 1/4 cup dry cereal
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 banana
• 1/4 -1/2 slice of bread
• 1/2 egg
• 1 oz. meat
• 1/2 piece of fresh fruit
• 1/3 cup of yogurt
• 1-2 tablespoons of cooked veggies

Balanced Snacks

Try to include at least two food groups when constructing a snack to make it nutritious and filling. As a reminder, the food groups are fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. And try to keep added sugar to a minimum. Below are some sample snacks with at least 2 food groups:

• Yogurt and blueberries
• Hummus and peeled cucumber spears and whole-grain pita bread
• Peanut butter and banana
• Cottage cheese and strawberries
• Cheese stick and pear slices
• Applesauce and Cheerios
• Boiled egg and steamed carrot sticks
• Avocado and whole grain bread

Baby Snack Containers

If you are looking to take baby’s snacks on the go or to daycare, it’s super important to have small containers that don’t leak! Here is a list of our favorite brands that have been put to the test over the years.

• WeeSprout Glass Baby Food Storage Jars: great size for storing and serving small snacks for baby. They also make a plastic version. Some daycares do not accept glass, so make sure to get plastic if this applies to you!
• Skip Hop Grab & Go Stackable Food Container Set: a great system that keeps the different snacks separated (so the juices of the strawberries don’t leak on the muffins) and is awesome for tossing into a diaper bag.
• GoBe Kids Snack Spinner: a fun and interactive way for baby and toddler to try new snacks. Toddlers will especially love this snack spinner!

Favorite Recipes

Veggie Snacks

Veggies don’t have to be offered just at mealtime. Snack time is a great time to serve veggies to your baby. Depending on the age of your baby, you may need to steam or cook the veggies before serving. Serve veggies in spears or strips. Pair the veggies with a fun dip for some snack time fun.

• Carrot Sticks
• Green Beans
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Red, Yellow or Orange Peppers
• Zucchini Spears
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cucumber Spears (peeled)
• Green Peas (frozen and thawed)
• Cherry Tomatoes (cut lengthwise into 4 or 6 pieces)
• Veggie Quesadilla
• Kale Chips: Store-Bought or Homemade
• Roasted Seaweed

Dips for Veggies

• Hummus: Store-Bought, Carrot, Pea, Veggie-Loaded or Beet Hummus
• Black Bean Dip
• Pesto: Store-Bought, Classic or Spinach Pesto

Fruit Snacks

Fruit is a great snack option for your baby as all fruit is filled with essential nutrients for growing babies! Plus, they are reliably available, easy to pack for an on-the-go snack, and most babies like their sweet taste.

Fresh Fruit

Soft fruits can be served in long 2-3″ strips or cut into “pea” size pieces. If the fruit is too hard (such as unripe pears or some apple varieties), you can gently steam slices of chunks of them on the stove or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

• Apples
• Pears
• Bananas
• Mango
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Honeydew
• Watermelon
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Grapes (cut lengthwise into 4 or 6 pieces)
• Oranges
• Clementines
• Avocados
• Applesauce or Apple Puree: (homemade or store-bought) – cinnamon, carrot, strawberry applesauce and 8 more easy flavors
• Freeze-dried fruits: strawberries, mango, berries, banana, etc. Freeze-dried fruit is a great option for baby and young toddlers because they disintegrate in their mouths in seconds, making them not a choking hazard.
• Baby Food Pouches: homemade or store-bought
• Baby-Friendly Popsicles: , 8 yogurt popsicles and 7 more veggie-filled flavors

Fruit Dips

• Healthy Strawberry Fruit Dip
• Spiced Apple Dip
• Yogurt: plain or vanilla
• Nut or Seed Butter: if too thick, you can warm it slightly in the microwave to thin it out

Frozen Fruit Tip: An easy way to serve a wide variety of fruit to your baby year-round is to use frozen fruits that have been thawed. Bigger frozen fruits such as mango, peaches, or pineapple can be thawed and then patted dry in a paper towel or clean kitchen towel (to make them easier to eat) and then served to your baby. Smaller frozen fruits such as berries or cherries can be thawed, patted dry and be served as is or mashed with the back of a fork to make a “jam” like consistency. You can serve this as-is or mixed into yogurt or applesauce.

Carbohydrates

Serving carbohydrates to baby as a snack will help provide the energy baby needs in order to crawl, walk or scoot all around the house (especially to the places you don’t want them to go to:).

• Pancakes: Store-Bought (frozen with whole grains), 3-Ingredient Banana, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Blueberry Sheet Pancakes, Spiced Blender or Spinach Pancakes
• Muffins: Store-Bought (with whole grains and no or low sugar), or 15 Healthy Muffin Recipes, Easy Spinach Muffins for Baby, ABC Muffins for Baby
• Waffles: Store-Bought (frozen with whole grains), Spinach, Golden Milk or Sweet Potato Waffles
• Toast: Avocado + Egg toast, Almond Butter with Banana, or smeared with cream cheese and a sprinkle of hemp seeds or sugar-free jam
• PB&J: made with whole-grain bread, a light spread of nut or seed butter, and 100% fruit jam with no added sugar
• Cereal: no sugar added whole grain such as O-cereal, Chex, etc. (soften in a little milk, breast milk, or formula if needed)
• Oatmeal: Baked Oatmeal Cups, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bake or Blueberry Oatmeal
• Crackers: Store-Bought Whole Grain or Homemade Cheese Crackers

Time-Saving Tip: when making a batch of muffins, pancakes, or waffles for baby, double the recipe and freeze some so you will always have a healthy snack for your baby on hand. To thaw, heat in the microwave in 20-second increments until warm or pop into the toaster.

Protein Filled Snacks

Providing a serving of protein to your baby at snack time is a great idea as protein helps to fill your baby up and helps with muscle growth and development. Unless you are a plant-based family, aim to give a combination of both plant and animal proteins for a variety of nutrients and textures.

• Whole Milk Yogurt: Store-Bought or 8 Fun Flavors to Try, Strawberry Yogurt, Pumpkin Yogurt, Blueberry Yogurt
• Cottage Cheese: Full-Fat Store-Bought or with Fruit on Top
• Eggs: 8 Easy Eggs for Baby
• Cheese: string cheese, shredded cheese or small cubes or strips, crumbled goat or feta
• Tofu: baked or sauteed in a little olive oil
• Beans: chickpeas, kidney, northern, black beans, edamame – rinsed and chopped or gently mashed with the back of a spoon
• Lentils: Cooked or no-salt-added canned
• Meatballs: Store-Bought (look for no added sugar varieties), Chicken Carrot or Parmesan Meatballs, chopped up or in strips
• Hummus: Store-Bought, Carrot, Pea, Veggie-Loaded or Beet Hummus
• Smoothies: 5 Smoothies for Babies or 15 Smoothies for Toddlers
• Fish: Low sodium canned salmon or tuna

Store-Bought Snacks

All baby snacks don’t have to be homemade! Purchasing a selection of store-bought snacks for baby to have on hand, will make snack time for baby and toddler a breeze. You can also pair store-bought snacks with a serving or fruits, cheese or veggies.

• Baby Food Pouches (a guide to my favorite store-bought brands)
• Freeze-dried fruits: strawberries, mango, berries, banana, etc
• Baby Puffs: this and this are our favorites
• Baby Melts: this and this are our favorites
• Cereal: no-sugar-added whole grain such as O-cereal or Chex
• Crackers: whole grain
• Yogurt: look for low or no added sugar, this or this are great options
• Fruit: canned or in a cup within 100% fruit juice or fruit pouches

Re-usable Pouches

Having reusable pouches filled with fruit, veggie, and/or yogurt is an easy way to have a healthy snack on hand for your baby. I like to load my reusable pouches up on the weekend to have an easy grab-and-go snack at the ready all week long.

Reusable Pouch Suggestions

• veggie puree
• fruit puree
• yogurt
• applesauce

Favorite Combinations

• Apple, Carrot + Sweet Potato Baby Puree
• Apple, Raspberry + Vanilla Baby Food with yogurt
• Creamy Mango-licious Baby Food Puree
• Applesauce (storebought or homemade with no added sugar) mixed with yogurt

Baby Teething Snacks

A great way to soothe your baby’s sore gums is to give them a cool melt or popsicle to help relieve teething pains.

• Melts: Yogurt Melts or Peanut Butter Banana Melts
• Baby-friendly Popsicles: , 8 Yogurt Popsicles and 7 more veggie-filled flavors
• Cold watermelon on the rind
• Cold mango pit