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When to Introduce Snacks

When to Introduce Snacks

Snacks are essential to keep your child fuelled and help maintain blood sugar levels, enabling them to feel energised and alert. During stage 3 of weaning - 9-12 months, your baby is ready for further variety in their diet.


When introducing snacks, continue with 3 meals a day, usually about 180ml/6oz per serving. Since it is difficult for a child to achieve enough energy and nutrition in just 3 meals a day, snacks should be offered twice a day between meals. If snacks are well spaced between meals they will not affect your child’s appetite.
 


Milk

Continue to breastfeed your between meals or approximately 500-600 mls (17-20 oz) of infant formula milk a day, encouraging your child to drink it from a cup as much as possible.


 

Sample 9-12 month routine:

7am milk on waking
8am breakfast - cereal with fruit
11am snack - Mini Cheesy Vegetable Scones
12pm dinner 1
3pm snack - Apple Slice Cookies
5pm dinner 2
7pm bedtime milk feed
 
 

How to build snacks

If your baby can manage finger food I would suggest you make up their snack plates with a variety of finger foods including dips. Make each plate up with a source of protein, carbohydrate and a fruit or vegetable. Then change it up each day.

 

An example of a snack plate:

Toast finger - lightly toast bread, remove the crust and cut into fingers
Nut butter - make sure it is smooth. Spread on toast fingers or serve as a dip.
Ripe Kiwi - peel chop the kiwi into quarters or into bite sized pieces.

 

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