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Snack, age by age
Snack from 6 months
At the start of dietary diversification, between 4 months and 7 months, “we rarely call the afternoon meal” snack “,” explains dietitian Catherine Bourron-Normand. It is indeed a meal simply composed ofa bottle of breast milk or 2nd age milk. Around 6 months, the recommended amount is around 210 ml, but depending on the child’s appetite it is possible to adjust the dose. If we notice that the child is still a little hungry, we can also offer him a few spoons of compote. Moreover, if the baby refuses the bottle of milk, do not hesitate to give him a milk product made with infant milk.
What to taste from 12 months?
Around the age of one, the afternoon snack is more like the idea of a snack. We always favor growth milk which takes over from the 2nd age milk. The snack to be balanced must consist of a dairy product (bottle, yogurt, etc.), a starchy (cereals, bread, etc.) and fruits. Sometimes, some children no longer want the bottle as a snack. In this case, we can give them a dairy product as a replacement. We can also “imagine using growth milk to prepare cereal porridge,” suggests Catherine Bourron-Normand. Otherwise, yogurt, cottage cheese, Swiss cheese, plain or with fruit, will do very well. Baby food brands design products tailored to the needs of the child, but you can also buy dairy products from the fresh section as long as they are whole milk. To flavor the yogurts, you can add a fruit coulis.
The ideal snack from 18 months
At around 18 months, the child’s chewing abilities have developed well. To taste it, he can therefore eat a slice of bread, a piece of cheese and fruit cut into pieces (or a compote). The basis of the snack does not vary, it is the quantities and textures that will change depending on the age of the child and his development. “Between 18 months and 3 years, the needs of the child change little in caloric intake”, specifies Catherine Bourron-Normand.
Snack from 3 years old: avoid cakes
For a 3-year-old child, the snack can consist of “rice pudding with a fruit coulis or the classic toast of bread, a square of chocolate and a glass of milk,” suggests Catherine Bourron-Normand. Warning, opt for bread rather than cookies and cakes, too sweet, which does not satiate.
Healthy snack shopping for babies
To vary the pleasures, here are some snack ideas for babies, from 4 months old.