Whilst he is only 9 months I can ensure that his taste buds stay used to healthy foods and therefore healthy snacks too. I have found that his taste buds have been 'educated' to enjoy home made (& sometimes home grown) foods - to the point where when recently travelling he wouldn't eat the pure organic jar food I had purchased! I can mainly put this down to the heat treating etc that is required to preserve these products.
As inconvenient as it was, I made sure at our destination that I already had sweet potatoes, an ice cube tray and ziploc bags - so hunger was dealt with! This does give me some hope that until other kids birthday parties, sleep overs etc take place that I can do as much as I can to continue to encourage my son's taste buds to like home made nutritious foods & snacks.
Getting caught somewhere longer than you expected can cause the best of intentions to be diverted - I know this when the other day my hunger pangs forced me to visit 'the golden arches' for the first time in over 2 years (not sure the exact length of time - but at least 2 years!) I ate salty fries in front of my son and my hunger pangs led way to guilt pangs as I do believe that I should lead by example! This event has led me to write this article, which I had been wanting to cover for some time. So with a little planning: disasters can be averted. (Yes - I need to head my examples for take along healthy snacks for my son - for myself!)
I do carry in all diaper and other bags a few baby mum mums, at my in laws house I have put a few packets at the back of the cupboard (I am not saying unhealthy food is on offer there as that is not the case, it's just good to have a stash in case plans change!) When heading out for the day if it's the kind of day with lots of errands that an unplanned nap during them could throw the day off course I take along extra foods in a small tupperware. For example some chopped up steamed carrots or other healthy veg or fruit snack - I keep a bag of these in the freezer too, which work great on sore teething gums! (I let them thaw, but when they are still nice and cool - I offer them. I never chop or give them in small circles as they could be a choking hazard.) See choking prevention advice.
I am looking forward to when my wee one is a little older to give him dried fruits as a snack, I experimented last year with different apples (& other fruits) and techniques in the dehydrator, it went great and it's a very cost effective way to go, whilst ensuring you always have healthy fruit snacks! As an aside I am quite sure if I gave them to my boy now (& for that matter if I fed him steak now) he would gladly wolf them down! But my issues on moving through stages too soon are for another day, as will there be an article on dehydrating, around Sept time! [My son already has 6 teeth and a love of food and has always been ready for the next stage, before I was.]
There are many manufactured baby snacks and some are better than others - check sodium, sugar, preservatives and colours and make your choice. I know many a child that has snacked on regular cheerios - which is fine, however you can get organic whole wheat O's instead. These are more costly, so I use the dispenser cup with dividers in, so only a small amount are in each section - so that if there is a spill, or they don't get eaten very quickly - the majority are in the original packaging and kept fresh. It does mean most days checking the diaper bag for supplies and maybe topping up, but it reduces any waste.
At home I occasionally make some Jello - which can be good for unsettled tummies and also good to help get fruit into the diet of kids who may not be keen on it. I am not talking packet stuff - organic gelatin sheets, which are easy to make and I will supply a recipe later. This is a fast and easy to serve (fun) food that you can pull out for snack time - you can take this in a small container on the go, but it easier to eat when in a chair and properly equipped - with wipes etc!
For normal meals I usually have made and thawed something ahead of time (which I can take in tupperware out and about), if I am doing a family dinner with broccoli etc, I make some extra then mash or puree it and serve fresh and warm. (Steaming or sautéing is the healthiest way to cook veggies.) If you would like to download my easy baby foods pdf - click here.
Not only will making snacks ahead of time, save worries, time, money and potentially eating unhealthy food, it provides an excellent opportunity for portion control! For other frugal advice I have a previous article you can read.
Think drinks, juice etc and take bottled water - in reusable bottles. Stopping somewhere to purchase sugar loaded drinks is not only a pain - it's a sweet ladden minefield that is best avoided!
I do believe that with the groundwork laid down now, through toddlerhood and early school years it will stand my boy in good stead when it comes to culinary choices. I also do believe that maternal nutrition is very important too. However as I know from my own pregnancy that I spent almost the whole 9 months barely able to keep food down and I still have a robust, healthy boy with a love of food. So it is not essential, but I feel that the more you can do during pregnancy to treat your body and therefore your growing baby to healthy balanced meals and snacks, the better.
If you have questions, comments or tips - do get in touch!
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