Snacks 4 Kids

My Top Tips:

1. When it comes to getting your children to try new tooth-friendly snacks, getting them involved in the selection and preparation of food can make things a little easier.
2. Be prepared. Have nourishing, healthy snacks to hand, to ensure your little darlings are well fed and happy, whilst also minimising the risk of damaging their teeth.

Here are my favourites: These have been tried and tested on my own kids and are mostly prepared in a few minutes.

• Oatcakes with cheese and cold meat
• Whole meal wraps containing meat/cheese/roast vegetables/hummus
• Plain rice cakes or corn cakes topped with mashed avocado or some chopped cherry tomatoes and feta cheese
• Chopped raw vegetables, eg, carrots, courgettes, peppers with hummus (making faces with the various vegetables is a big hit in our house)
• Wholemeal toasted pitta cut into strips with hummus
• Carrot sticks with a little peanut butter on the side
• Whole meal toast soldiers with butter/nut butter
• Toasted seeds, eg, sunflower, pumpkin
• Savoury wholemeal scones (these ones do need to be prepared in advance but they freeze really well)
• Cold pesto pasta with pine nuts (or any leftover pasta dish)
• Popcorn

It’s also good to bare in mind that while fruit is a good snack, it does contain acid and natural sugars which when consumed in excess can cause damage to teeth. When choosing yoghurts, aim for natural or Greek yoghurt with no added sugars. The only safe drinks for children’s teeth are plain water and plain milk.