Healthy Baby Snacks (Easy and Balanced)

Here are some healthy baby snacks that are easy to prepare and are perfect for babies 9 months and up. Rotate through these finger foods for fun and delicious snacks that your baby will love.

Healthy Snacks for Babies

It's great that we have so many wonderful options to choose from when it comes to baby foods, but it can also leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted from decision fatigue.

The good news is babies don't need a lot of snacks, if any at all! More on this in the FAQ section below.

What I encourage you to do is consider snacks as mini-meals and aim to include at least two food groups.

If unable, make sure the one food that you do offer is an iron-rich food. Their iron needs are so high that we want to seize every opportunity to get this essential nutrient into their tummies.

Next in priority is healthy fats, which are so crucial for optimal brain development

Finally, start with just a small amount and offer more if your baby seems interested. This will help reduce overwhelm and minimize food waste.

Safety tip: ALWAYS make sure your baby is sitting upright at a 90 degree angle to minimize choking. That means no eating in the carseat or while walking around.

Healthy Snack Ideas for Babies (9 months and up)

I specifically mention that these snacks are for babies 9 months and older. You do not want to offer your baby snacks earlier than this age because there's no need for them. 1-2 meals along with breastmilk and or formula is plenty.

May be interested in: How to start baby led weaning

But if your baby does start showing interest in more food on top of their milk and meals, then here are some easy and balanced ideas! These also make for a great addition to meals.

At this age, your baby is working towards picking up small pieces of food using their pincer grasp. You can start cutting food up into bite-size pieces or keep them large so they can practice taking bites. Here are 50+ finger food ideas.

Easy Baby Snacks - with iron

• Cooked salmon or sardines (fresh or canned) - you can serve on its own or mash and combine with yogurt or avocado. You can also spread onto toast.
• Edamame - Flatten with your fingers to split in half.
• Ground beef, chicken, or turkey crumbles
• Teether crackers with pumpkin seed butter
• Lentil balls
• Tofu
• Pureed or mashed beans - can be as easy as flattening canned beans with your fingers. You can also spread onto toast.
• Scrambled eggs
• Hard-boiled eggs, chopped into smaller pieces

Baby Snacks - with iron and fruit

• Unsweetened applesauce stirred into yogurt or oatmeal
• Unsweetened applesauce with peanut puffs
• Avocado spears rolled in hemp seeds
• Chia pudding
• Banana Pancakes
• Banana French Toast
• Soft cooked apple with thinned out peanut butter
• Ripe mango spear rolled in flax seeds
• Yogurt Smoothie Melts (use code MIN5 for $5 discount) with shredded chicken
• Flatted blueberries with ricotta cheese (add flax or hemp seeds)
• Combine baby food pouch with fortified infant cereal
• Pear hummus
• Mango chia jam toast

Healthy Snacks for Babies - with iron and vegetable

• Sweet Potato Rounds with various toppings
• Pureed or mashed green peas
• Tofu with broccoli
• Edamame with tomatoes
• Cauliflower with pumpkin seed spinach hummus
• Vegetable oatmeal balls or fingers
• Iron-fortified dry cereals or baby puffs with zucchini
• Savory French toast
• Pizza eggs
• Vegetable omelette
• Cooked pasta with iron-rich pasta sauce
• Butternut squash strip or diced with a drizzle of tahini
• Beet chickpea dip with soft cooked broccoli floret
• Carrot spear with thinned out peanut butter
• Finely grated carrots mixed into iron-fortified cereal or oatmeal
• Red cabbage strip or shreds with tofu

Baked Snack ideas for babies

Remember that your baby doesn't need a whole lot for their snack. Start with just several bite-size pieces (or if offering as a big piece, a half of a muffin or patty).

Moist Muffins (both sweet and savory options included)

Snacks for One Year Olds

At this age, solid food takes priority over breast milk and formula. Most older babies need to eat every 2-3 hours, as their stomachs are small and they need a lot of nutrition. This equates to 3 meals + 2-3 snacks.

Here are some healthy food ideas for 1 year olds as well as a sample meal plan.

However, if your toddler eats big meals, just one snack may be enough. I wanted to share this because I felt pressured to give my son at least 2 snacks a day, as many health organizations recommend. However, I noticed that his interest during mealtimes diminished drastically.

Again, ALWAYS follow your child's lead.

Master List of Toddler Snacks

Store-Bought Baby Snacks

Here are some great convenient options. Always look at the ingredient list. The shorter the better with real ingredients, and the first 3 ingredients should be whole fruit, vegetable, or whole grains.

They should also contain no added sugars, which the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding until 2 years of age.

• Yogurt (without added sugars)
• Sprouted bread (this brand has one with no added salt)
• Dry cereals
• Baby puffs
• Peanut puffs
• Fruit or Vegetable Pouches - Regardless of the brand, look at the ingredient list and make sure all you see are whole foods. Try several and see which ones your baby enjoys and rotate through.
• Freeze-dried fruit - dissolves easily in your mouth

Frequently Asked Questions