Snack Time

It’s 2:30 p.m. and your toddler is hungry. Instead of turning to his or her regular favorite snack, mix it up with a new variety of food that not only gives him or her added nutrients, but tastes good, too.

Snacking is an important part of meeting a growing toddler’s nutritional needs—these “mini-meals” provide active toddlers with energy throughout the day that they may have missed at mealtime.

Control your child’s portion sizes, use small bags to pack snacks for quick, easy access.

Dairy options for snacking include:
*Low-fat chocolate milk
*Nonfat cottage cheese or yogurt with fruit
*String cheese with canned or fresh fruit
*Whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter or cheese
*Yogurt with granola or fresh fruit

Some fruit and veggie snacking combinations to try include:
*Apple slices and cheeses
*Baby carrots
*Dried fruit, including raisins and plums, with nuts
*Frozen fruit bars
*Raw veggie sticks with low-fat yogurt dip, hummus or cottage cheese
*Unsweetened applesauce cups

Grains that make for healthy snacks include:
*Bagel “pizzas” with tomato sauce and melted cheese
*Baked potato chips or tortilla chips with salsa
*Flavored rice cakes, such as apple cinnamon or caramel, with peanut butter
*Graham crackers, animal crackers, gingersnaps, fig bars or vanilla wafers with a glass of milk
*Popcorn, either air popped or low-fat microwave
*Pretzels, lightly salted or unsalted, and a glass of milk

Reviewed by Katherine Pederson, M.D., pediatrician at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St.Vincent.

Visit a local grocer when traveling abroad

Here is a fun idea for traveling to other countries or even different ethnic communities within the states. Bring your children to a local grocery store. This can be really fun and also provide you with some insite to the people and the area you are visiting.

Every time we go to Chinatown in New York City, we have to take a tour through a local grocer. Seeing the fresh fish, unique vegetables, and other foods provides a real treat for kids. My children especially love looking at the different candies and sweets and of course we always leave with some tasty treats!

Toddler Safety Near Water...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for young children ages 1 to 4. Protect your toddlers this summer if your vacation or fun is anywhere near water.

Everyone looks forward to the lazy days of summer, and water recreation offers a great reprieve from the summer heat. It also poses certain safety risks when it comes to children—particularly toddlers.

Water, Water Everywhere

While most toddlers love the water, drowning can happen in less than two minutes. Therefore, it is important to practice splash smarts.

Protect your toddler from the water this summer by:

* Avoiding chewing gum and eating food when swimming
* Being attentive to the weather, making sure to evacuate swimming and boating areas at the first sign of a storm
* Ensuring he or she is wearing water-resistant sunscreen and reapplying often
* Having your toddler drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
* Having your toddler wear a life jacket when in the water or on a boat
* Knowing how deep the water is before your toddler jumps in a pool
* Maintaining constant visual supervision and keeping kids within arm’s reach. Also, guardians should be trained in lifesaving techniques such as CPR and have rescue equipment such as a life preserver on hand at all times in case an accident should occur
* Obeying all posted signs and rules

It is also important for guardians of toddlers to remember that at this age water can be dangerous in other places besides a pool, such as water located in buckets, bathtubs and even puddles caused by a summer rain. Also, toddlers should not be allowed in hot tubs until they can sit with their heads completely out of the water with their feet touching the bottom due to the risk of overheating.

Reviewed by Beth Rice, EMT-B CPR and Safe Sitter coordinator at St.Vincent.