Anything fresh, really. That way we avoid the crackers and chips "family" the dried cereals which, regarding nutrition, both categories do not bring any bioavailable nutrients to the body, only calories. Dry food, fast food, processed food, and I include cookies, do not educate our bud taste. They fill the stomach but do not fulfill the body functions. They are addictive and unfortunately are filled with crap ingredients, such as corn syrup, palm oil, flavors and colorants, to name a few.
On the other hand, fresh vegetables and fruits are loaded in minerals, water, vitamins, carbs helping our children's biology to get the nutrients it needs. Remember from my last Insta post on newborn brain development, a child up to two years old grows their cognitive system. Therefore, a balanced diet will benefit them for:
Excellent brain development
Good muscle mass
Good bone density
And stabilized hormones that play a great deal toward their sleep patterns and emotional behaviors.
From our daily tables, we teach our young children about the change of seasons, the real look, shapes and taste of our produce.
A good nutritional plan at snack-time is essential! If you are on a budget, knowing that a toddler doesn't eat vast quantities of food anyway, it's preferable to buy organic, ripe and in season. There is a symbiotic synergy between the hands of the farmers and the elements of earth, fire (sun), water, and air. A synergy we lost from the greenhouse agriculture model, conventional agriculture using pesticides, calibration and mass handling. Personally, I prefer sustainable farming to profit from the wisdom of small farming philosophy and ethics. Undergoing this route, I had to stay informed about the growing lists of pesticides present on our store shelves, and I find this website a fantastic learning tool to navigate the complexity of eating healthy nowadays.
From our daily tables, we teach our young children about the change of seasons, the real look, shapes and taste of our produce. For instance, it makes us long for strawberry or cucumber seasons. We develop an appreciation and respect about how things come about, birth from our labor, patience and sense of quality. Something valuable to teach our children while they grow healthy and independent.
Happy snacks!