by Nimali Fernando, a.k.a. Doctor Yum

Need some snack ideas for your toddlers? Use these tips when feeding snacks to little ones.

Stick with whole foods.

If the packaging says snack on it, then it's probably not a great choice. Serve snacks with no labels, like fresh fruit, vegetables, yogurt, hummus and nut butters.

Offer two snacks a day.

A midmorning and late afternoon snack is typically enough. Let them eat and if they lose interest, put the snacks away until the next meal. Many toddlers graze so much between meals that they never develop hunger before meals. Allow that hunger to encourage your child to try the nutritious food you prepare for him at mealtime.

Offer water at snack time.

Water is better for the teeth than sugary beverages; even 100 percent juice has an excess of sugar and calories.

Offer variety.

Toddlers have small appetites and are sometimes pickier than when they were infants. Offer small bites of a few different foods and don't get frustrated if she does not eat everything you offer.

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