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I’ve been pretty uninspired when it comes to excellent baby snacks for on-the-move. The stuff being offered on the store shelves is generally sugary, heavily processed or just down-right expensive. Bo is getting to an age now where she likes to have something to snack on. It keeps her busy in the trolley when we are in the supermarket. It keeps her from trying to climb out of the trolley when I’m attempting to run errands… and during the day at home it satisfies her between meals.
I love trail mix. Fell in love with the concept when I spent a summer on canoe trip in Canada. Such a great way to encourage healthy grazing at times when otherwise you (I) too easily turn to your (my) sugary weaknesses.
I did a search online to see if I could find some inspiration for baby-friendly trail mix, but all my search unearthed was lots of blogs and websites giving kid-snack recipes that were filled with sugary cereals, processed crackers, chocolates and candies with a sprinkling of nuts and dried fruit. So, I did a bit of research of my own. I tried a bunch of different products with Bo, and came up with some great options for baby safe (read: toddler – please don’t go giving this to a baby who isn’t ready) trail mix. I use my pantry ingredients as a base and then add some fresh stuff to a little air-tight container before we go out, or straight into the bowl if serving at home.
Pantry ingredients (can be pre-mixed and stored in an airtight container)
– Puffed corn
– Puffed rice
– Dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, whatever your baby is ready for)
Fresh ingredients (to be mixed in before served)
– Any kind of berry (blue berries are a favourite here)
– Grated cheese
– Peas
– Drained and dried chickpeas and/or beans
Other pantry ingredients (that I will incorporate when she gets a bit bigger and can handle them)
– Homemade sweet potato crisps
– Homemade kale/spinach crisps
– Nuts
– Shaved coconut
– Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower etc)
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Bo only has two (and a bit) teeth, so we are still a bit limited with options. Both the puffed corn (NOT popcorn) and puffed rice are excellent pantry-based choices and can be found very cheap in the health food section of major supermarkets. Bo loves them and they both dissolve pretty quickly in your mouth. Once she can handle all the pantry ingredients I will make a big premix to put in the pantry so we can just scoop it out.
It’s an excellent mama and baby snack for any time of day… Healthy, affordable, whole food with no added sugar or crap.
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Deanna Whyte - Quick little FYI re dried fruit – the majority of dried fruit is treated with sulphites, which were the original antibiotics way back when. Sulphites kill bacteria, good & bad, so can be detrimental to gut health. Look for naturally dried & sulphite-free dried fruit options when you can. 🙂 xox
Sash - How many times have i told you I’d love you to do a blog so I have a place to access your wealth of good-food knowledge? 🙂 Thanks Dee… Food guru. Can’t wait to get kefir-ed.
Angela - Excellent food idea Sash!
Can you maybe show how to prepare the dehydrated kale and sweet potato? Is this in the oven or with one of those fancy dehydrators. Also the peas in Bo’s mix are these dehydrated?
Xx Ange
Sash - Bo’s peas are just frozen peas… I’d love to give her fresh ones, but we don’t have a garden suitable for growing… I’ll do a DIY homemade kale and sweet potato next month… Just for you <3
Bettina - Great idea. It’s funny how much they can eat with just two teeth though isn’t it!
Lilybett - Hadn’t considered the puffed corn. My boy will eat corn flakes but it was hard trying to find one that had little or no sugar or salt in it. Puffed corn is probably a much better option. Thanks!
I really wish he ate cheese. It just seems to be a texture he can’t stand. Will eat it melted into things but have tried all kinds of cheese and he just chucks it.
sarah - haha my boy hates melted cheese but wades through the stuff if left in its ‘natural’ form! you can’t win!
Rebecca - This post was very timely – I have a few appointments this afternoon and was wondering what to take to feed the little one. Just put together some baby trail mix so I hope that satisfies her hunger and distracts her during the appointments :-). Thanks Sash!
Sash - I find that the little-ness of it all keeps Bo occupied for ages. She likes picking out each little piece one at a time… and rooting around through the container to pick out her favourite bits (surprisingly the corn puffs are the favourite at the moment…)
Sarah - Thanks sash, this is just what I needed! Being in nz on holiday we’re out and about all the time and I’m struggling to find healthy snacks that aren’t too messy
sarah - I’m just starting a ‘make it myself healthy snack regime’, no buying (although healthy and generally sugar free) ready made bars etc out of laziness on my blog. This came at a great time to keep me going with it! I recently made some fruit and nut bars, vegan, but at the mo I think too difficult for young Bo to chew on. But soon! I think you’d also like this blog too Sash, has some good ideas: http://www.freeourkids.co.uk/category/rules/
PS Really looking forward to the kale and sweet potato post, I’d to know how to do that!
Erica @ to the sea - I’ve been looking for something like this. Thanks!
Lilybett - Just wanted to add, my boy picked out the packet of pappadums from the cupboard yesterday and kept giving them to me, so I microwaved one for him and he loved it. So today I gave him a little bowl with some dried fruit and small pieces of pappadum and some cornflakes and he blissed out for half an hour. Some of the pieces can be a bit sharp so I ‘had to’ nibble a few edges, just to make sure they were okay 😉
Julie - I’m going to give this a try today. Thanks Sash.
Lisa - You can use museli too, if you toast your own oats it is a cheap option. My little one loves picking at muesli for a snack with nuts, seeds & coconut etc..
I have just found your blog and love it!!
Yummi food on the run (GIVE AWAY) | Inked in Colour - […] although we love our baby trail mix and take it with us everywhere…. sometimes we need something a little more. And that’s […]