It can feel exhausting keeping up with a baby or toddler’s seemingly endless need for snacks. The trouble with packaged varieties – even the products like apple crisps that promise to be purer than pure – is they are teaching your baby that food comes from a rustly packet with a cute logo on the front. It’s a training in eating crisps (something most of us don’t need much encouragement to do). The glorious thing about choosing a baby’s snacks (from six months on) is that they don’t yet have any concept of what is considered normal. A six-month-old doesn’t know many British people would consider it weird to snack on a stalk of steamed broccoli or a finger of plain tofu or a cold homemade fishcake, any of which would make an excellent baby snack. A baby can eat almost any food you eat, so long as the texture is right and it isn’t high in salt. From nine months on, do as Japanese parents do and pack a pair of baby food scissors in your bag so you can cut your food – plain pasta, noodles and so on – into baby-sized pieces (six-month-olds are better off with bigger chunks of soft or crunchy food).
Anything, no matter how bitter or sour or bland, can start to taste good if you have enough positive memories of being fed it by a beloved parent. Not that it’s always easy to get there, either for the parent or the child. Picky eating is a real thing and it has a strong genetic component. If you think your child is a selective eater, seek help from a qualified dietitian and be very kind to yourself as you wait for mealtimes and snacktimes to get happier.
NB never leave your child unsupervised to eat and before you start weaning, read this on the difference between gagging and choking, and what to do if they do choke (which is thankfully much, much rarer than you’d think).
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Instant things to buy on the hoof
• A ripe banana (but you knew this).
• Boiled eggs: the ready-boiled ones are unsalted, and more nutritious than any baby food.
• Ready-sliced mild cheese such as Leerdammer or emmental (those long flat slices are safer than cubes, to avoid choking).
• A tub of plain whole yoghurt, full fat (remember your baby doesn’t yet know that sweetened yoghurt is considered normal).
• Canned pears or peaches or mandarin segments (in their juice) are soft enough to be offered as a finger food from six months on.
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Quick homemade options to bring with you
• Large pieces of almost any veg steamed until soft.
• Sweet potato: either microwave it and serve the inside flesh as an instant puree or make large wedges of sweet potato chips (peel, cut into chunky fingers, toss in olive oil and cook on a baking sheet in a hot oven for 25 minutes). Cool and pack for an energising snack. Remember: your baby does not know that chips are normally served hot.
• Bread: some crust from a loaf of white sourdough, the best quality you can buy (with no seeds or grains). For six-month-olds, you want to start with crusty pieces of bread or toast. Even the most expensive artisanal bread will work out way cheaper than bags of baby snacks. Store it sliced in the freezer and toast as needed. Fingers of toast can be spread with a little nut butter, cream cheese, ricotta or hummus.
• Baby frittata: cook any peeled and prepped veg until very soft, then chop finely, saute in olive oil for a minute or two and mix with a few eggs and a spoonful or two of grated parmesan (optional). Divide between muffin cases in a muffin tray and bake for 12-15 minutes at 180C or until set and golden. Cool before giving to your baby.
• Pancakes: there’s never a bad time for a pancake as a snack, whatever your age. Try this basic template, eaten on its own or made into a more substantial meal, perhaps with cheese or spinach and bechamel. Crepes can be tricky for six-month-olds (that flatness can glom to the roof of the mouth), so save that pleasure for nine months plus.Here are two ideas for baby pancakes that are good at any temperature and any time of day: one with vegetables and one with fruit. They are far more nourishing and delicious than any commercial baby snack.
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And two simple recipes
Broccoli cloudcakes
The great thing about this recipe – apart from being an instantly lovable way to eat broccoli – is that these cloudcakes are equally delicious for babies and parents (who very much need feeding, too). I’d add salt and pepper to the batter for the adult portions. I love them for a light dinner with a quick tomato sauce alongside, made by simmering a smashed clove of garlic with a spoonful of oil and a can of tomatoes. For babies (six months plus), eat from the hand, warm or cold. Makes 12 large cloudcakes or 18-20 smaller ones.
300g broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
250g ricotta (one tub)
4 eggs, separated
100g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder if making for older toddlers (you may want to avoid under the age of one, though it’s up to you)
A grating of fresh nutmeg
Butter to cook
First steam or microwave the broccoli until very soft (about 8 minutes in a steamer or 5-6 minutes in a covered bowl with a splash of water in the microwave).
Blitz with a hand-held blender until pureed.
Mix together the ricotta, yolks, flour, nutmeg, broccoli puree and baking powder (if using).
In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form: it should look snowy white.
Using a large metal spoon or a spatula, stir a small spoonful of whites into the batter to lighten it. Then fold the rest of the whites into the mixture.
Heat the oven to 180C.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add a dot of butter and drop spoonfuls of batter into the pan, three or four at a time. Cook for around two minutes each side or until golden on both sides, flipping with a fish slice or palette knife.
Put them on a parchment-lined tray in the oven for a couple of minutes to finish cooking.
These store well in a container in the fridge for up to three days; leftover batter keeps in the fridge for two or three days.
For a baby, leave them to cool to room temperature before serving.
You can substitute any freshly made vegetable puree of same weight for the broccoli: cauliflower, frozen corn, spinach, peas or carrots would all be good.
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Banana and cinnamon pancakes
Very nutritious and ridiculously simple to make, have these for breakfast or pack some for a snack on the go. Makes eight baby-sized pancakes; double up if you want more – and don’t forget to eat some yourself!
1 banana, the riper the better (about 100g peeled weight) or 100g apple puree
50g porridge oats or jumbo rolled oats
20g ground almonds (leave out for nut allergy sufferers)
1 egg
A pinch or two of cinnamon (or ground ginger)
A little butter or oil
In a measuring jug, blitz the banana (or apple), oats, almonds (if using), cinnamon and egg to a smooth batter. The texture is better if you leave the batter to stand for 30 minutes but don’t worry about this if you are in a hurry.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add a little butter or oil and dollop out small tablespoons of batter (three or four per batch).
Cook for around two minutes each side or until golden brown, flipping with a spatula. Turn down the heat if the pancakes threaten to scorch.
Continue to cook the rest of the batter in the same way.
Let them cool a little before giving to your baby or bring along in a bag or box for outings.
