The Toddler Melt Down

So a common theme to every outing we attend with other toddlers between the hours of 4 pm and 5 pm is they all start looking like they are on the brink of just completely losing it or for some of us they simply cross over and have the public meltdown. This usually starts happening late in the afternoon before dinnertime. When Sofia first became an official toddler I was so excited for all the new food I would finally be able to prepare her with no restrictions holding us back. But very quickly it became clear that only three meals a day was completely and totally unacceptable to her. So I began to schedule out her snacks - twice a day - the same time every day. After lunch and again after dinner I would give her what I would consider healthy snacks for me...cheese, almond butter on whole wheat toast, crackers, fruit. What I didn't consider until I began to research the nutritional needs of a toddlers diet is why snacks seemed so detrimental to her mental well being (and mine!) in other words why the total meltdowns if the crackers & cheese did not come quick enough? So the first step in my 12 step recovery was to admit I had no idea what I was doing when it came to snacks. The next step was to stop thinking of them as snacks at all and truly think of them as mini-meals. They should be a way to provide optimal nutrition and to keep your little one satisfied until her next meal, her snack should resemble a mini meal made from real food. Aim for a mix of protein, fats, and carbohydrates to keep her satisfied and nourished until her next meal. When a toddler does not get enough of their nutritional needs met throughout the day this can in fact result in erratic eating habits. An overly hungry toddler will have a hard time making sense of why they are so hungry long enough to actually eat what is in front of them. Here are some things to keep in the diaper bag so you don't always have to try to fill their little tummy's up with crackers alone.

• Mini peanut butter sandwiches on whole-wheat bread. If your child is or may be allergic to peanuts try alternatives such as a soy or sun butter.
• Minimize mess by choosing snacks that don't drip, like the mini banana apple muffin (found on our blog) or slices of bananas or zucchini bread.
• Organic Turkey breast rolled in a Whole Wheat tortilla or stuffed in a Whole Wheat pita.
• Cooked carrots, zucchini, broccoli, and squash served cold. Roast them with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil to add flavor. 
• Bagel and cream cheese. 
• Cheese, fruit,and crackers are always winners as well just know when they might be in need of a little more. 

All of these things can be quick snacks that will fill up those little tummies quickly as opposed to always going for the carbs which can be a quick but temporary fix. And most importantly make sure you give them a super healthy snack before dinnertime - you may notice the toddler melt down soon begin to melt away. xo