Should I be giving snacks to my 12 month old DS

[newmum234]

My DS has about 350ml of milk a day plus three meals. Should I be giving him snacks throughout the day as well and if so, what are the best kinds of things to give children of his age? I went out for lunch with a friend recently - she’d brought a box of fresh fruit and bread stick type snacks for her baby and DS had nothing. I felt bad!

It really depends on the child. If your DS is fine and developing normally there’s no need to introduce them ever

I gave my DS a mid afternoon snack because his lunch was at 12:30 and then he ate supper with the rest of the family at 6:30 and he’d become really hangry in between.

It depends if he's getting hungry and fractious between meals. No need to start if he seems okay on the 3 meals. It's also okay if other children have snacks, each family is different. Mine used to like things like berries and melon cut up or breadsticks, rice cakes etc.

I have always found it a bit surprising to see people talk about all the food they bring with them when going out with toddlers, like packing for a 3 day camping trip! But whatever works for them.

When does he have the milk? At 12 months my DS was having milk when he got up, at bedtime and mid afternoon so had a mid morning snack. He’s 14 months now and I’m looking to replace the mid afternoon milk with a snack.
Things like breadsticks, fruit, baby cereal bars, pitta bread, mini crackers, yogurt

He has milk first thing in the morning and just before bed, still from a bottle.

It sounds silly, but how am I meant to know if he’s hungry mid afternoon or is just grumpy about something else?

If he isn't having any milk during the day, it depends how long you have in between meals. If breakfast is at say 7 and lunch isn't until 12, I wouldn't have thought he could comfortably go 5 hours without food. It also depends how much he eats. Neither of mine could eat much in one go at 12 months..

I used to carry about a little box with some cooked carrot batons in it. I always felt like “one of those Mums” when I got it out, but my girls loved them, Just the right level of sweet!

@newmum234

He has milk first thing in the morning and just before bed, still from a bottle.

It sounds silly, but how am I meant to know if he’s hungry mid afternoon or is just grumpy about something else?

This sounds like a knobby answer but isn't meant to me - the only way I knew if DS as hungry at that age was by offering food and seeing if he ate it. Now DS is a little older, he just directs me towards the kitchen when he wants something...

Thanks all - maybe I’ll try introducing a mid afternoon snack to see if he takes it.

In general I think a lot of parents give toddlers too many snacks. However if he seems grumpy you could try giving him a healthy snack to see if that helps.

I would be giving snacks between meals at that age. They can't eat much at one go so graze. As their stomach capacity gets bigger their need for them decrease. My 5 year old will often need a snack still mid afternoon. My 9 year old not very often. So they will grow out of them 😆
A benefit that also comes with it is if your having a catch up with your friend your baby will also be entertained for a while too. So everyone's a winner!
I would offer bread and veg sticks as you mentioned but also cheese, boiled egg, bits of chicken (roast, grilled). Also the baby crisp puff type things (ones designed for babies) are handy.

If you're sitting down for lunch with a friend, it seems obvious to give your ds something while you're eating? Even if that's just something from your plate or some fruit?

Toddlers have tiny stomachs so I found mine thrived better with five smaller meals a day; so a breakfast, mid morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and tea.

Some good advice on here about suitable healthy snacks. It's trial and error and working out what works best for you and ds so don't beat yourself up

12 month old here. He gets a small snack like fruit and a biscuit around 3-4pm after his nap. He sometimes still has mid afternoon breastfeed but I’m going to try introducing milk in cup with snack instead.
As idea size wise, today he had 1/4 apple chopped up, and 1 oat biscuit.

I don’t give him a morning snack. We generally eat 8-9am breakfast, 12-1pm lunch, snack, 6-7pm dinner. So he roughly goes 3hrs between food. Breastfeed first and last thing also ( approx 7am and 8pm).

Mine has snacks because nursery do snacks and he started there at 9m so he’s used to it. Morning snack at nursery is fruit, usually different types each day and afternoon snack is something carb-y so breadsticks, toast etc so I try to stick to a similar pattern

At that age I gave snacks but I believe in 1-2 snacks a day and that's it. Snacking "throughout the day" isn't great for teeth.

Also it depends on the child. If yours is fine without snacks then all is well and don't feel bad