Best Non-fruit Snacks for Your Child
The goal of Doman International is to offer our families involved in the program the best nutritional advice. Although our nutritional program called for the limitation of foods that can be given to a child with special needs, we know that this means providing the best possible support for his growth and the immunity of his brain.
“Speaking with families, I know that the most difficult thing to eliminate is fruits. ”
For a percentage of the children we take care of, fruit must be eliminated to help reduce seizures, increase weight, reduce hyperactivity and prevent excessive growth of yeasts or bad bacteria in the gut.
In practice, this can be challenging. I know - it's actually the only sweet thing your child can eat!
But in order to achieve the long-term well-being of your child with special needs, at least a temporary restriction of this food may be necessary.
If you have been asked to limit or completely eliminate the fruit from your child's diet (or, if you are simply looking for new ideas), you may want to consider one of these non-fruit snacks.
Note: Many of these require the use of salt, which you should omit or greatly reduce, depending on your child's diet.
1. Hummus
This is a simple snack that can be eaten with vegetable sticks, rice crackers, one-half of an avocado (my favorite) or even by itself! Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are rich in protein, fiber, magnesium, B vitamins and more! My favorite recipe is this one from Bon Appetit:
Don't want to use lemon? You can replace it with apple cider vinegar. The latter has 0,1 gr of sugar per serving, compared to 1.5 gr. in lemons.
2. Socca
Continuing with the chickpea theme, this classic savory pancake from Provence, France, can be prepared in various ways. You can make it with the typical rosemary and red onions. Personally I cook the socca with tumeric, garam masala, fenugreek and yellow onions to give it an Indian touch. The way I prefer to eat it is with za'atar. It is advisable to cook it in a cast iron pan!
3. Chia Seed Pudding
This is very simple and takes very little time! Chia seeds are also a super food. They are rich in omega, fiber and are a good source of iron. These small seeds can beat any fruit snack. To prepare the chia seed pudding, just combine up to 3 tablespoons (40 gr.) Of chia seeds with ¾ cup (about 180 ml.) Of non-dairy milk (or water) in a jar (or a deep bowl ) overnight. And that's all it takes to get a chia seed pudding. You can serve it with walnuts (or pecans), almonds or just by yourself. You can sprinkle some vanilla beans to give it an extra touch of flavor.
4. Puffed Lotus Seeds
This will not fill your child’s stomach, but it is a truly exceptional snack that I see used by many of our Indian families. It is a rich source of calcium, manganese, B vitamins and more. It is also a very simple and quick snack to prepare when you are in a hurry.
5. Almond Pulp Crackers
For those of you that make your own almond milk at home: don't throw away the pulp! By following this recipe, you can create your own crackers using the extra pulp. This recipe calls for almond pulp, but there are those who have done it successfully even with cashews! Here is a link to our tasty almond pulp crackers:
They can be served with nut butter, and they are also a great snack without fruit!
6. Leftovers
If your child has not finished all of his breakfast or lunch, you can serve him leftovers as a snack. It will be a balanced snack, one less meal to plan, and it will be convenient. In preparing the meal, parents can plan to cook a little more than is necessary to serve it as a snack during the day.
If your child is not allowed fruit right now, don’t worry! Any of the non-fruit-based recipes we showed you will give your child more sustained energy, meaning it is even more nutritious. Some of these snacks require a longer preparation time, but they have the advantage of keeping fresh for several days if they are hermetically sealed or refrigerated. Do you know of recipes for snacks without fruit that your family likes? Please don't forget to share them with me!