Healthy Snacks for Toddlers Summer Edition

Hot days can make keeping toddlers cool, hydrated, and nourished a real challenge. As the thermometer creeps higher, and little ones whizz around the garden, they’ll burn through energy and dehydrate and won’t always remember to pause for a snack or a drink.

But with a bit of planning, preparing healthy snacks for toddlers that are both refreshing and nutritious can make summer days easy and enjoyable, giving your little one the (hydrating) energy boost they need to run, climb, dance, and run some more. 

Whether you need quick toddler snacks for home, nursery, or days out, this guide offers simple, healthy toddler snacks and tasty snack ideas for toddlers to keep your little one healthy and happy all summer long.  

The Importance of Hydration on Hot Days

It may seem obvious, buy hydration is crucial to your little one’s well-being, especially as the mercury rises and they spend more time running around outdoors.  

And dehydration is sneaky. It creeps up fast. And while your little one will seek a drink if they need one, they may be having so much fun that they simply… forget, which can have serious consequences.  

You see, water aids digestion and body temperature regulation, which is important during warm days when your little one will be losing more water through sweat. Even mild dehydration can have negative effects on mood and concentration, so be sure to serve your toddler snacks with a small cup of water to help keep your child cool and hydrated.  

While fruits and vegetables do help with hydration, it’s important to not rely solely on food for your toddler’s fluid intake on hot days. Water is best for hydration throughout the day, especially after play or exercise when temperatures are higher. 

Best Snacks for Toddlers to Serve on Hot Days

1. Watermelon Snack Pack

Watermelon is a superhero snack, offering a much-needed boost of hydration and vitamin C with a toddler-friendly sweet taste. It’s super easy to prepare, too. Simply cut into bite-sized cubes and remove all seeds and rind from the watermelon to make it safe for your child to eat.  

For extra coolness, chill in the fridge overnight and serve as a mid-morning snack.  

If your child is a picky eat and requires a little novelty to get them to excited about certain fruits, try tossing two different types of melon into the mix, or adding other soft, sweet fruits such as grapes.  

2. Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches

Looking for a mid-morning snack (or lunch) that’s soft, savoury and refreshing? Toss a cucumber and cream cheese sandwich onto your meal plan.  

They’re not rocket science, but they are delightful, especially to tiny taste buds. To make, simply spread a generous measure of cream cheese (or plant-based alternative) on a piece of fresh bread and dice your cucumber into thin slices. 

Need to make it extra easy for toddlers to handle? Consider cutting your cucumber further into quarters or remove the outer green skin for any little one that has trouble chewing rougher textures.  

Assemble your sandwich, then cut it into bite-sized triangles – or any shape that’ll make your little one smile – and serve as a hearty yet cooling snack.  

3. Very Berry Fruit Salad

Visually appealing (pun very much intended) and easy to assemble, a berry salad is a sweet, cooling snack for toddlers, ideal for hotter days.  

There’s no hard and fast rule, either. Just grab a handful of whichever berries are your child’s (current) favourite, whether strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or grapes, then slice lengthwise into toddler-safe pieces. Mix together and serve during warm weather as a special treat.  

FYI: you can arrange the berries to make a face, but doing so may result in your child always wanting a fruit salad face. You have been warned.  

4. Cool Mini Frittata Pieces

Your new go-to lunch on the go. Frittatas are just as tasty cold as they are warm. What’s more, they’re super easy to prepare in advance and pop in the fridge, perfect for any picnics or road trips on your family planner.  

To prepare, start by selecting a range of your child’s favourite soft vegetables, ideally those which are delicious cold, such as tomatoes, red pepper, or courgette.   

Next, whisk eggs together, add your vegetable and cheese mix and pour the mixture into a lined baking tray, baking for around 20 minutes in the oven.  

Finally, cut your frittata into child-friendly pieces and cool in the fridge, before serving for a protein-packed lunch that’s packed with iron, B vitamins, and, most importantly, flavour.  

5. Mashed Avocado and Toast Soldiers

If your little one burns through energy like a hummingbird at playtime, they’ll need a snack packed with fats and fibres to fuel their adventures. Enter: mashed avocado and toast.  

That’s right. Your go-to lazy breakfast can be a healthy toddler snack as it mixes nutritious fats from the avocado with a fibre boost from the toast.  

To whip up a serving, mash a ripe avocado until it’s creamy and smooth, then lightly toast a slice of wholegrain bread and cut it into small strips. (FYI: you could even get your little one involved by getting them to – safely – help you mash the avocado.) 
 
Once you’ve got the basics down, you might want to add a squeeze of lemon juice or a dollop of fresh yoghurt for added creaminess before serving.  

See? Summer snack time doesn’t have to be boring, or unhealthy. In fact, by opting for health toddler snacks like fresh fruit and veggie-based bites, you can support your child’s growth and wellbeing while making snack time something they look forward to,  

And don’t be afraid to get creative, even combining some of the options above into a mix-and-match snack that will keep your child both nourished and entertained.  

Want more information on how promote healthy eating at Busy Bees? Head over to our eating well page, where you’ll find information on our menus, catering team, and even a recipe or two.  

For more meal time inspiration, check out our blog, which is packed with articles including hidden vegetable meals for children, supporting positive eating habits, and more.