Millets are tiny seeds used as a staple food in Asian and African countries. It is considered a powerhouse of nutrients. It is rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. That is why it is essential to incorporate millet into our diet. Millets are not only healthy options for adults, but also beneficial for toddlers and young kids. In fact, gluten-free, high-fiber millet-based snacks for toddlers can be a good alternative to junk food which seem to be everywhere these days.
Toddlers require additional nutrients for their rapid growth and development. In addition, you should incorporate healthy eating habits into your toddlers from early childhood. It ensures positive outcomes in their later life. So, let’s find out more about the goodness of millets and explore some tasty and healthy millet-based snacks for toddlers.
In This Article
- Video of Top Millet-Based Snacks For Toddlers
- Healthy And Tasty Millet-based Snack Ideas For Toddlers
- Benefits of Choosing Millet-based Snacks Over Processed Alternatives
- Simple Recipes For Millet-Based Cookies, Bars, And Finger Foods
- Finger Millet (Ragi) Recipes For Kids
- Tips For Encouraging Toddlers to Enjoy and Embrace Millet Snacks
- Can Millets Cause Allergy in Toddlers?
- FAQ’s
Video of Top Millet-Based Snacks For Toddlers
Healthy And Tasty Millet-based Snack Ideas For Toddlers
Millets are superfoods for toddlers (1). It promotes growth and development in early childhood. Millets, though healthy, may not appeal to your toddler that much because they may not find it that attractive. But, if prepared and served well, the same millets may soon become your toddler’s favorite food! Here are some millet-based snack ideas for toddlers which are healthy and tasty both-
- Millet and peanut bar
- Millet-strawberry pancake
- Millet upma
- Millet spring roll
- Millet-yogurt pudding
- Millet cakes
- Millet-berry smoothie
- Millet bars
- Millet chips or crisps
Benefits of Choosing Millet-based Snacks Over Processed Alternatives
Millet-based snacks have multiple health benefits for your toddler. Some of the specific benefits of giving millets to your little one are-
1. Aids Growth And Development in Kids
Millets are superfoods that aid in the growth and development of kids. A study showed that replacing millets with rice in diet can boost the growth in kids from 26-39% (2).
2. Rich in Fiber
Millets are rich in fiber, which is essential for maintaining good gut health. A high-fiber diet promotes digestion and reduces constipation among toddlers. The presence of prebiotics in millets ensures positive gut health and eliminates the incidence of stomach aches (3).
3. Full of Essential Nutrients
Millets are rich in essential nutrients like magnesium, iron, calcium, and manganese. Hence, millet helps in bone and teeth development in toddlers. Additionally, it is rich in protein and B-complex vitamins that are important for growth and development (4). Furthermore, the antioxidants present in millets protect the body against damage from free radicals.
4. Naturally Gluten-free
Toddlers with celiac disease or gluten intolerance can incorporate millet into their diet as it is free from gluten and helps digestion. It can replace the wheat flour in their diet.
5. Easy to Digest
Millet is easy to digest. It also makes one feel full for a longer time as they are slowly absorbed by the body. So, your toddler will keep full for a longer time after eating millets. Millets also provide energy which is good for your toddler who is always busy running around and exploring the world around them.
Simple Recipes For Millet-based Cookies, Bars, And Finger Foods
Millet is a versatile ingredient which can be used in a variety of dishes, including cakes, muffins, breads etc. There are multiple recipes available for millet-based snacks. Here are some easy recipes that are time-saving and which your toddler will enjoy-
Ragi Cookies
It is a healthy recipe and an appropriate alternative to refined, unhealthy cookies for toddlers.
Ingredients
- Ragi flour
- Jaggery
- Dry fruits
- Cinnamon and cardamom powder
- Butter
- Almond milk
- Baking powder
Method
At the initial stage, soak the jaggery in water. Then, cut the dry fruits into small pieces and soak them in almond milk for half an hour. In the next step, add the baking powder, cinnamon, and cardamom powder with the ragi flour. Then, add the jaggery to the flour and use almond milk for perfect consistency. Now, bake it in different shapes at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Nutritive Value
Ragi Cookies are rich in calcium, protein, iron and magnesium and offer a generous amount of energy.
Millet Muffins
It is an interesting recipe that will amaze your toddler.
Ingredients
- Millet flour
- Yogurt
- Orange juice (fresh)
- Pinch of cinnamon powder
Method
Add millet flour, yogurt, a pinch of cinnamon powder and orange juice in a large bowl. You can add jaggery for sweetness. Now mix all the ingredients and make a good consistency for baking muffins. After that, preheat the oven and pour the batter into small muffin molds for baking. Once it’s ready, these muffins will make for a yummy snack for your toddler.
Nutritive Value
Millet muffins are rich in calcium, iron, protein, carbohydrate, fat and dietary fiber.
Millet Bars
These bars can be a good alternative to chocolates.
Ingredients
- Millet flakes
- Oats
- Dry fruits
- Peanut
- Honey
Method
Just mix all the ingredients together. Then, spread the mixture on a baking tray and freeze it for at least 1 hour. Then, cut it down into small pieces and give it to your baby as a healthy snack.
Nutritive Value
Millet bars can offer your toddlers generous amounts of calcium, phosphorus, protein and energy.
Millet Popsicle
These popsicles are easy to make and a great alternative to ice creams.
Ingredients
- Millet flour
- Strawberries or blueberries
- Yogurt
Method
First, cut the berries and mix them with flour and yogurt. Then, place the paste into popsicle molds and refrigerate. Therefore, your toddlers will be delighted after getting a frozen treat. You can make the recipe in summer.
Nutritive Value
Millet popsicles contain vitamins, minerals, calories, protein and fiber.
Millet Balls
These millet balls will make for a great tasty snack for your toddler.
Ingredients
- Millet flour
- Dry fruits
- Peanut butter
- Honey
Method
Just mix all the ingredients and add a little water for kneading. Then, make small balls from the dough and give them to your toddlers as snacks.
Nutritive Value
Millet balls contain huge amounts of calcium, protein, calcium and potassium.
Finger Millet (Ragi) Recipes For Kids
Finger millet or ragi is very nutritious. It has the highest amount of calcium and potassium among all the other millets available.
Ragi Pancakes
These can be a really good alternative to the regular pancakes which use maida or refined flour.
Ingredients
- Ragi flour
- Warm milk
- Ripe banana
- Egg
Method
Mash the ripe banana and then mix it with ragi flour. Then, break a whole egg in a bowl and whisk it properly. After that, add the egg to the millet-banana mixture. Then, add some warm milk to make a smooth batter. The batter consistency should not be too thick or thin. Now, grease a pan with butter and start making pancakes. You can serve it to your toddler with their favorite toppings.
Nutritive Value
Ragi pancakes offer calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron to your toddler.
Ragi Porridge
It is a nutritious recipe for toddlers that can be given as breakfast or evening snack.
Ingredients
- Sprouted ragi flour or normal ragi flour
- Water
- Jaggery
Method
Take water in a bowl and mix ragi flour in it. Mix well to avoid lumps formation. Now place the bowl on the flame and cook on a medium flame for 10 minutes. Then, add jaggery to the mixture and stir continuously. Cook till you get your preferred consistency. Now, your baby’s ragi porridge is ready.
Nutritive Value
Ragi porridge can offer more calcium, phosphorus, and other essential nutrients than milk.
Ragi Uthappam
This recipe allows you to also add some vegetables of your toddler’s choice to the uthappam. This is an instant recipe which will take no time to cook.
Ingredient
- Ragi flour
- Semolina or suji
- Yogurt
- Salt to taste
- Vegetables like onion, capsicum, carrots etc.
Method
Mix ragi flour, suji, yogurt and some water in a bowl. Keep it aside for 5-10 minutes. Add salt to taste and some finely chopped vegetables. Now make the batter of desired consistency- it should be neither too thick nor too thin. Heat a tawa or pan and put some oil or ghee on it. Now scoop some of this mixture and make uthappams. Cook well on both sides and serve with chutney.
Nutritive Value
Ragi uthappam is rich in minerals, vitamins, fiber and protein. It is good for your toddler’s growth and development.
Tips For Encouraging Toddlers to Enjoy And Embrace Millet Snacks
Toddlers learn everything from their surroundings. Furthermore, a toddler follows the eating habits of their own family. If a family prefers healthy foods, toddlers are automatically used to healthy eating habits. A few tips can be tried to encourage them to eat millets like-
- Gradually introduce millet-based snacks to your toddlers. Initially, start with breakfast and incorporate millets into their everyday diet. When they become comfortable with millets, then introduce more millets options
- Talk to them about the health benefits of millets and in particular about the dish they are served
- Try to create variety in menus to avoid monotonousness. During food preparation, consider their preferences. You can use their favorite fruits or vegetables in the recipe. In addition, the inclusion of their favorite toppings can attract them towards the food
- Involve your toddlers in the making process. Allow them to decorate the snacks as per their choices
- It is observed that toddlers prefer to eat whatever the rest of the family has. So, try to eat together with your toddlers. It will encourage them to eat healthily.
- Food presentation is essential for attracting toddlers towards their meals. You can use molds of different shapes for baking or making the pancakes. It will increase the palatability of the food.
Can Millets Cause Allergy in Toddlers?
Millets are a great option for your toddler. It is an immunity booster and rich in essential nutrients. It ensures your toddler gets enough nutrients for physical and cognitive development. But, parents often suffer from anxiety whenever introducing any new food to their little ones, as there may be a risk of an allergic reaction. Fortunately, millet has a very low risk of causing any allergic reactions (5). It is rare. So, you can introduce millet to your toddlers without any worries.
Millet is a superfood. Our elders knew it but somewhere down the line, millets got sidelined by other grains and fast food culture. Now people are slowly waking up to this miracle grain and accepting it as part of their diet. Millet-based snacks for toddlers are a great way to inculcate healthy eating habits in them. There are so many different recipes that can be made from millets that you can easily keep your toddlers away from junk food and refined flour etc. Introduce millets slowly to your toddler and make the dish attractive. Done right, it could be very beneficial for your toddler!
FAQ’s
1. Are There Any Specific Millet Varieties That Are More Suitable For Making Snacks For Toddlers?
All millet varieties can be used for making snacks for toddlers. However, ragi or finger millet is comparatively common and available in the market. They are also gluten-free and highly nutritious. You can choose only ragi if you are not getting any other millet options.
2. Can I Incorporate Millet Flour Into Baking Recipes For Toddler-friendly Snacks?
Yes definitely. You can use millet for baking recipes. Substituting the refined flour used in baking with healthy millet is a good idea. Using millet, you can make cookies, bread, muffins, and cakes for your moppet.
References
- Empowering kids with Millet – [https://jaims.in/jaims/article/view/2721]
- Can Feeding a Millet-Based Diet Improve the Growth of Children?—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis – [https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/1/225]
- MILLETS: The Future Food – [https://www.indiascienceandtechnology.gov.in/listingpage/millets-future-food]
- Millets as Super Foods: A Review – [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371321335_Millets_as_Super_Foods_A_Review]
- Immediate-Type Respiratory Allergy to Millet-Containing Seed Mixture of Bird Food – [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3650989/]
